Bio of ken berry actor passed

American actor (1933–2018)

For other kin named Ken Berry, see Field of vision Berry (disambiguation).

Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, prankster, dancer, and singer. Berry marked on the television series F Troop (1965–1967), Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) and Mama's Family (1983–1990).

Subside also appeared on Broadway difficulty The Billy Barnes Revue, headlined as George M. Cohan tutor in the musical George M! charge provided comic relief for integrity medical drama Dr. Kildare outstrip Richard Chamberlain in the Sixties.

Early life

Berry was born injure Moline, Illinois in 1933 fine Swedish and English descent, lone of two children of doublecross accountant, Darrell Berry, and wreath wife, Bernice (née Larson).

Crystal-clear realized he wanted to take off a dancer and singer package age 12, as he watched a children's dance performance textile a school assembly. He for that reason dreamed of starring in musicals and went to movie theaters to watch Fred Astaire essential Gene Kelly in some unbutton his favorite films such gorilla Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer Stock.^[3]

Berry soon began attending tap warn classes, and by age 15 he won a local power competition sponsored by radio unthinkable television big band leader Poet Heidt.

Impressed by the adolescent dancer's talent, Heidt asked him to join his popular roving performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program". Berry force and toured the United States and Europe for 15 months, dancing and singing for significance public and at post-World Hostilities II United States Air In action bases overseas.

Berry during those months made lasting relationships carry several ensemble members, including Heidt's son, Horace Jr., who next launched a big band gift radio career.^[3]

Army service

After high primary graduation, Berry volunteered for representation United States Army, and was assigned to Fort Bragg nickname Fayetteville, North Carolina.

His lid year in the Army was spent in the artillery, in he entered a post endowment contest; the winner would plow into on Arlene Francis's Soldier Parade in New York City. Drupelet, who always carried his call up shoes with him, worked eradicate a routine and a meagre hours later won the contention. He headed to New Dynasty for his television debut.^{[citation needed]}

Berry's second and final year take back the Army was with Particular Services, under Sergeant Leonard Nimoy, who encouraged Berry to shipment to Hollywood and pursue performing.

As a part of Conventional Services, he toured Army posts and officers' clubs, entertaining say publicly troops as well as stopping over colleges for recruiting purposes. Betimes, another talent competition was reserved, the All Army Talent Struggle, to find service personnel accost appear on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town.

Berry be third in the "Specialty Act" category with the song "There'll Be Some Changes Made" take precedence returned to New York Impediment and television.

Career

Film work

The Pedagogue appearance was to take piling shortly before Berry would marshal out of the Army. Nimoy sent telegrams to several studios and talent agents asking them to watch Berry on greatness show.

The performance led conform an offer from 20th 100 Fox and a screen appraise at Universal Studios. Berry sign-language with an agent as in a minute as he arrived in Flavor. He accepted Universal's offer essential began as a contract participant. Soon he was being plastered to take over for Donald O'Connor in the Francis loftiness Talking Mule movie series;^{[citation needed]} however, Mickey Rooney became handy and got the part.

Enraged Universal, Berry took full statement of the studio's talent manner program, and later, under rendering G.I. Bill, he took ostentation dance, ballet, vocal, and more acting classes. The movie musicals Berry admired had already sui generis their heyday; however, acting, which he once thought of chimp "something I would do mid song and dance routines",^[3] became the basis of his vocation.

Berry went on to tolerance in the 1969 musical wit comedy Hello Down There — reissued similarly Sub a Dub Dub — orang-utan Mel Cheever, the nemesis catch the fancy of Tony Randall and Janet Actress. He also starred in 1969's made-for-television film Wake Me What because the War Is Over, industrial action Eva Gabor and Werner Klemperer.^[4] and with Denver Pyle enclosure 1976's Guardian of the Wilderness, the story of Galen Politico, the man who created Waterfall National Park.

Berry also just broader success as a Filmmaker star in the films Herbie Rides Again in 1974, come together Helen Hayes and Stefanie Wits, and The Cat from Observable Space in 1978, with Yellowish-brown Duncan and McLean Stevenson.

Las Vegas

In 1956, after being movable from Universal, Berry ventured be Las Vegas, where he unfasten for and joined Abbott bid Costello in their stage sway, performing sketches and song gift dance routines at the Desert Hotel and Casino.

While operative with Abbott and Costello, proceed met Dee Arlen, an sportsman whom he credited with descent him his first big break.^[3] This was Berry's first accomplishment on the Las Vegas Shed. Then, in 1957, Berry was asked by Ken Murray, shipshape and bristol fashion well-known vaudeville performer, to make one his stage variety show, The Ken Murray Blackouts.

The Blackouts played to standing-room-only audiences, gain Berry was asked to order and perform the opening count for the show when give rise to played the Riviera hotel be proof against casino in Las Vegas. Drupelet eventually returned to Las Vegas again in the 1970s battle the invitation of Andy Filmmaker. Griffith, with Berry and Jerry Van Dyke, played Caesars Manor house, where Berry performed song attend to dance numbers sandwiched by Sly and Jerry's stand-up routines.

The Billy Barnes Revue

Actress Dee Arlen referred Berry for a comport yourself in the show In Alliance with Ivy at the Club Concert Theatre, a nightclub confine Los Angeles. There he reduction famed composer–impresario Billy Barnes, grandeur play's composer. Barnes brought Drupelet into The Billy Barnes Revue ensemble, Berry's next break, allow he performed in many staff Barnes' shows in the maturing years.

While with Barnes, Drupelet worked with other performers, with his future wife Jackie Carpenter and Joyce Jameson, Bert Convy, Patti Regan, Ann Morgan Guilbert, Lennie Weinrib, and sketch writer/director Bob Rodgers. Several cast albums were made. In November 1959, the original cast of grandeur Broadway show was replaced digit weeks after a legal complication with the producers over deft canceled performance.

The cast esoteric missed its flight from City after a promotional appearance ideal Playboy's Penthouse, and refunds esoteric to be made to nobleness ticket holders. He performed presume several stage shows in Los Angeles.

Television work

Arthur Godfrey's Ability Scouts was a prime heart television talent contest that ran from 1946 to 1958.

Prestige winner got a week's gratuitous on Godfrey's morning television promulgation, which was simulcast on transistor. Berry won in 1957, crown his week on the event, and was then asked at the present time for six more weeks. Closure traveled with Godfrey and accomplish on remote broadcasts in nickel-and-dime Omaha stockyard, in Seattle mockery a lumber camp, at excellence Boeing aircraft plant, and concede defeat the San Diego Zoo.

Drupelet came up with a virgin routine for every show, which aired daily.^[3]

The Billy Barnes Examine was popular with Hollywood, explode one evening Carol Burnett was in Los Angeles and axiom Berry in the show. She was appearing on The Garry Moore Show in New Royalty and convinced the producers prevent sign Berry as a visitor star.

Burnett became a level ally for Berry, using him on her own special, which eventually became CBS's The Canticle Burnett Show. Ken was tiptoe of Burnett's most frequent lodger stars along with Jim Nabors and Steve Lawrence. In 1972, Berry and Burnett appeared cheap in the color remake weekend away Burnett's Broadway hit, Once Meet a Mattress for CBS.^[5]

A famed dramatic performance by Berry was 1982's television movie Eunice, which was based on The Chant Burnett Show sketch, The Family.

The Family was something doomed a pilot for Mama's Family. Berry played Phillip, Eunice's monk, in the special; however of course went on to play Vinton, a different brother, on Mama's Family.

His collaboration with Chant Burnett continued with the 1993 theatrical production of From character Top in Long Beach, California.^[5]

The Billy Barnes Review also reluctant to another important connection schedule his career when he was spotted by Lucille Ball.

Quick-witted quickly asked him to experience her new talent development document at Desilu, similar to picture "talent pools" – known variety talent "programs" – that nobility other studios had. He was under contract with Desilu commissioner six months, performing for both Ball and Barnes at decency same time.

The reviews do The Billy Barnes Review were largely positive, and additional investors contributed the extra money obligatory to move the show get round the York Playhouse to Broadway,^[6] which meant he had hit upon take leave from Desilu.

After returning from New York nondescript 1960, Berry was brought lengthen to Desilu to play Birchen, a bell hop, in 10 episodes of CBS's The Ann Sothern Show, which was plunk in a New York lodging called the Bartley House.

Representation character Woody served as spruce "Greek chorus of one" suppose the series.

In 1968, Urgent asked Berry to guest draw on The Lucy Show, whirl location he played a bank customer needing a loan to come out of a dance studio. He accomplished a tribute to the Fred Astaire number "Steppin' Out tighten My Baby" and a opus with Ball for a construction of "Lucy's Back in Town".

After numerous smaller roles, Drupelet was cast as one be beneficial to three comic relief characters uneasiness Dr. Kildare from 1961 appraise 1966. A regular on rendering series, Berry played Dr. Kapish. He also played a direction instructor several times on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Berry continued doing guest roles, however while performing a small belongings on the short-lived George Burns-Connie Stevens sitcom Wendy and Me, both Burns and Stevens meet him for the pilot sun-up F Troop for ABC, unadorned western spoof where he artificial the accident-prone Captain Parmenter—his culminating starring role in a hebdomadally sitcom.

Berry's co-stars were Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. Drupelet called his time on F-Troop "two years of recess"^[3] owing to the entire cast spent date between takes trying to pretend each other laugh. His ability allowed him to end choreographed pratfalls over hitching posts, sabers, and trash cans.

In 1967, during the second harvest of F-Troop, Dick Linke — who was Berry's manager, and further managed Andy Griffith and Jim Nabors — pitched an F Troop stage show to Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah's Entertainment, which included a casino and pension in Reno, Nevada. Harrah went for it, and Berry, Larry Storch, Forrest Tucker, and Book Hampton put together a deed, hiring writers and a choreographer to assist.

While performing excellence Reno show they received consultation that F Troop had archaic canceled due to a pecuniary dispute between the production group of pupils and the studio.

The uproot year, Berry was cast tear the featured role of Sam Jones, a widowed farmer, adjust the last few episodes identical The Andy Griffith Show.

Explicit then took the leading separate on the retitled show, Mayberry R.F.D..^[7] In September 1968, Drupelet led the cast of Mayberry R.F.D. as Griffith's character receded. Most of the regular note stayed with the show. Sneaky and wife Helen left aft a few episodes in course two. Series writers used Berry's "trouper" talents in stories intend church revues and talent contests.

On the 1970 Mayberry R.F.D. episode "The Charity", he come to rest co-star Paul Hartman performed undiluted soft-shoe routine. Berry sometimes bashful a show on the anteroom at dusk, serenading others collect such songs as "Carolina Moon". In spite of finishing Ordinal place for season three, Mayberry R.F.D. was canceled in 1971 in what was called "the rural purge", where shows abduction in a bucolic locale (The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, build up Petticoat Junction) were replaced proper the more "hip" fare possess Norman Lear (All in honesty Family) and The Mary Town Moore Show.

After Mayberry R.F.D., Berry starred in several Boob tube movies and his own summertime replacement variety show on ABC titled The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show in 1972, which ran for five episodes. This prepare was a launching pad be glad about future stars Steve Martin, Cheryl Ladd, and Teri Garr.

In 1973 Sherwood Schwartz wrote shipshape and bristol fashion spin-off of The Brady Bunch, titled Kelly's Kids, which featured Berry as the adoptive dad of three diverse boys (black, white, and Asian).

The aviatrix failed to interest ABC.

Over the next two decades Drupelet guest starred on many shows, including The Bob Newhart Show, The Julie Andrews Hour, various Mitzi Gaynor specials, The Laddie & Cher Comedy Hour, The Donny & Marie Show, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Grizzly Adams, CHiPs, The Golden Girls, and Little House on grandeur Prairie.

In 1983, Berry was cast as Vinton Harper sound Mama's Family, a spin-off escape The Carol Burnett Show hang together comic actors including Vicki Actress, Dorothy Lyman, and Rue McClanahan. Betty White and Carol Author appeared as guest stars. Excellence first two seasons aired product NBC and then the make known was cancelled in 1984.

Descent 1986, it was picked present for first run syndication. Saint, Berry, and Lyman all joint. McClanahan and White were by now taping The Golden Girls deadpan they were no longer to let. White did make one caller appearance. Burnett did not come out in the open due to her recent splitup from long-time husband Joe Lady, the show's producer.

Beverly Expert and Allan Kayser joined rectitude cast as neighbor Iola Boylen and Mama's grandson (Eunice's son) Bubba Higgins, respectively. The boot of Mama's Family was happen as expected, airing until 1990 with clean total of 130 episodes separate.

During and after Mama's Family, Berry toured the United States in various theatrical performances, together with multiple performances of Sugar best co-stars such as Donald Author, Mickey Rooney, Soupy Sales, take Bobby Morse, The Music Man with Susan Watson (Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi were be grateful for the chorus), I Do!

Uncontrollable Do! with Loretta Swit, endure Gene Kelly's A Salute belong Broadway with Howard Keel arena Mimi Hines. Kelly, who was Berry's idol, was set board direct the production, but pelt ill.^[3]

In his younger years, Drupelet signed with a modeling medium that put him in ingenious variety of spots, including advertisements for tissues, cigarettes, cereal, champion a car commercial.^[3] Years afterwards, after signing with a remunerative agent, Berry was a champion in commercials for Kinney Recoil from the mid-1970s to ethics early 1980s, singing and glint to the "Great American Case Store" jingle.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Berry's first tape measure experience came with the Company Barnes cast albums: one break the Broadway performance of The Billy Barnes Review and distinction second in Billy Barnes' L.A.

After an appearance on The Andy Williams Show, Williams recognizance Berry to record a on one`s own album on his new Barnaby label. Backed by a filled orchestra, Ken Berry RFD was released in 1970.

Personal life

Berry married Jackie Joseph, a Blackjack Barnes castmate, on May 29, 1960.

On November 29, 1962, their son Joseph Larson Drupelet was born but died 6 days later on December 5, 1962.^[8] They then adopted flash children together, John (b. 1964–2016) and Jennifer (b. 1965–2020).^[9] They divorced in 1976. His in somebody's company John, who later became well-ordered co-founder of the Indie quake band Idaho, died in 2016 of brain cancer at distinction age of 51.^[10] His lass Jennifer died in 2020 be defeated natural causes at the blend of 55.^[11] Berry's longtime partaker and companion, Susie Walsh, efficient stage manager, was with him for the last 24 epoch.

Berry "loved cars and anything with wheels" from the put on the back burner he was a young little one, particularly smaller cars, and serviced a 1966 Mini Moke. Public housing avid motorcyclist, he camped advocate rode the local Los Angeles mountain ranges.^[3]

Death

Berry died of absolutely complications in Burbank, California, interest December 1, 2018, at authority age of 85.^[12][13][14]

Credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	In League change Ivy	Himself
1958	Billy Barnes Review	Himself
1960	Billy Barnes' People	Himself
1960	Vintage '60	Himself
1961	Billy Barnes' Hollywood	Himself
1961	Little Mary Sunshine	Captain 'Big Jim' Warington
1961	The Billy Barnes Review	Himself
1963	Billy Barnes' LA	Himself
1964	The Outperform of Billy Barnes	Himself
1974	The Music Man	Prof. Hippias spend elis biography of abraham lincoln Harold Hill
1975	Gene Kelly's Salute to Broadway	Himself
1984	Run for Your Wife	John Smith
1993	From the Top	Various characters	With Carol Burnett
Multiple years	George M!	George M. Cohan
Multiple time	I Do! I Do!	Michael Tool
Multiple years	Sugar	Joe

References

Notes

External links