Charles Rocket facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Rocket
Born	Charles Adams Claverie (1949-08-28)August 28, 1949 Bangor, Maine, U.S.
Died	October 7, 2005(2005-10-07) (aged 56) Canterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Other names	Charlie Hamburger Charlie Kennedy
Alma mater	Rhode Island School of Design
Occupation	Actor comedian musician reporter
Years active	1980–2005
Spouse(s)	Beth Crellin ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	1

Charles Adams Claverie (born August 28, 1949 – died October 7, 2005), known as Charles Rocket, was an American actor, comedian, musician, and TV reporter. He was famous for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He also played the bad guy Nicholas Andre in the movie Dumb and Dumber and Dave Dennison in Disney's Hocus Pocus.

Early life

Charles Rocket was born in Bangor, Maine. His parents were Mary Aurelia and Sumner Abbott Claverie. He went to Winnacunnet High School and then the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he was part of a creative group in Rhode Island. This group also included Talking Heads singer David Byrne and movie director Gus Van Sant.

Career

Before becoming a well-known actor, Charles Rocket made several short films. He also played the accordion in his band, the Fabulous Motels. He worked as a news anchor at TV stations like WPRI-TV and KOAA-TV. He even used the name Charles Kennedy when he worked at WTVF in Nashville. His big break on national TV came in 1980 on Saturday Night Live.

Saturday Night Live

Charles Rocket joined Saturday Night Live for the 1980–81 season. This was after many of the original cast members and the show's creator, Lorne Michaels, had left. The new producer, Jean Doumanian, saw great potential in him. He was seen as a mix between popular comedians Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.

Rocket became the anchor for the show's news segment, Weekend Update. He appeared in more skits than almost any other male cast member that season. One of his funny characters was Phil Lively, a game show host who acted like he was on a game show all the time. He also pretended to be famous people like Ronald Reagan and Prince Charles. He had a series of filmed reports called "The Rocket Report," where he acted as a reporter around New York City. Many people thought these reports were a highlight of that season.

Leaving the show

Charles Rocket left Saturday Night Live after that season. There were some changes happening with the show and the TV network, NBC. The show's ratings were going down, and there were some issues with what was shown on TV. Because of these reasons, the producer, Jean Doumanian, was replaced by Dick Ebersol. Ebersol decided to make big changes to the show. He let go of Charles Rocket, along with some writers and other cast members like Gilbert Gottfried and Ann Risley. The show took a break and when it came back, only Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy remained from the previous cast.

After Saturday Night Live

Even after leaving Saturday Night Live, Charles Rocket continued to have a successful career. He acted in many movies, often playing funny characters. Some of his well-known films include Hocus Pocus, Earth Girls Are Easy, Dances with Wolves, and Dumb and Dumber.

On television, he appeared in many popular shows. He played the villain Ned Grossberg on the sci-fi show Max Headroom. He was also Richard Addison on Moonlighting and Adam, an angel, on Touched by an Angel. He also had guest roles on shows like Wings, 3rd Rock From The Sun, and The King of Queens.

Besides acting, Rocket also played music. He played accordion on B-52's album Mesopotamia. He also lent his voice to Leo Lionheart Jr. in the "MGM Sing-Alongs" videos in 1996.

Personal life

Charles Rocket married his college girlfriend, Beth Crellin, in 1972. They got married on the battleship USS Massachusetts. Their son, Zane, was born in 1976.

Death

Charles Rocket passed away on October 7, 2005, at the age of 56. He was found on his property in Connecticut.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

• 1989 "Yer So Bad" by Tom Petty
• 1991 "King of the Hill" by Roger McGuinn with Tom Petty
• 1997 "Good Year" by The Refreshments

See also

In Spanish: Charles Rocket para niños