Keenan Wynn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keenan Wynn
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Wynn in 1950
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| Born |
Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn
July 27, 1916 New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Died | October 14, 1986 (aged 70) Brentwood, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1934–1986 |
| Spouse(s) |
Eve Lynn Abbott
(m. 1938; div. 1947)Betty Jane Butler
(m. 1949; div. 1953)Sharley Hudson
(m. 1954) |
| Children | 5, including:
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Keenan Wynn (born Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn on July 27, 1916 – died October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. He was known for his very expressive face. Even though he rarely played the main hero, he often had important roles in many movies and TV shows.
Early Life and Family
Keenan Wynn was born in New York City on July 27, 1916. His father was the famous vaudeville comedian Ed Wynn. His mother was Hilda Keenan. Keenan got his stage name from his grandfather, Frank Keenan, who was one of the first Broadway actors to also star in Hollywood movies.
His father, Ed Wynn, encouraged Keenan to become an actor. In 1937, Keenan joined The Lambs Club, a famous club for actors and entertainers.
Acting Career
Keenan Wynn started his acting journey on the stage. He performed in several plays on Broadway, including Remember the Day (1935) and The More the Merrier (1941). He also had his own radio show called The Amazing Mr. Smith in 1941. In this show, he played a fun-loving young man who often got into trouble and became an accidental detective.
Movies and Television
Keenan Wynn appeared in hundreds of movies and TV shows from 1934 to 1986. He worked for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio, in the 1940s and 1950s.
He had a small part in the romantic movie The Clock (1945). One of his most powerful performances was in The Hucksters (1948) with Clark Gable. Some of his early famous movies include:
- The Three Musketeers (1948), where he played D'Artagnan's servant.
- Annie Get Your Gun (1950).
- Royal Wedding (1951).
- Kiss Me, Kate (1953).
- The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956).
- The Absent-Minded Professor (1961).
- The Americanization of Emily (1964).
- Dr. Strangelove (1964).
Keenan and his father, Ed Wynn, both appeared in a TV show called Playhouse 90 in 1956. It was an episode called Requiem for a Heavyweight. Keenan helped his father get back into acting during a tough time. They also appeared together in another TV drama, The Man in the Funny Suit (1960), which was about their experiences working on Requiem for a Heavyweight. Keenan also starred in an episode of The Twilight Zone called "A World of His Own" (1960).
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Wynn co-starred in the TV adventure show The Troubleshooters. He played Kodiak, a "troubleshooter" for an international construction company. He also appeared in many other TV series, like The Roaring 20s and The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters.
Wynn showed his serious acting skills as Yost in the crime movie Point Blank (1967) with Lee Marvin. He also had a main role in the movie Bikini Beach (1964), where he played a newspaper publisher who wanted to stop young people from having fun. Later, he played Hezakiah in the comedy film The Great Race (1965).
He was the voice of the Winter Warlock in the animated TV special Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970). He also appeared in several Disney movies:
- Snowball Express (1972).
- Herbie Rides Again (1974).
- The Shaggy D.A. (1976), where he played a villain.
He played the bad businessman Alonzo Hawk in three Disney films: The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, and Herbie Rides Again.
Keenan Wynn also appeared in:
- Francis Coppola's musical Finian's Rainbow (1968).
- Sergio Leone's western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).
- Robert Altman's Nashville (1975).
During this time, he made guest appearances on TV shows like Alias Smith and Jones (1971–1972) and Emergency! (1975). He played Digger Barnes in ten episodes of the popular TV show Dallas during the 1979–1980 season.
In 1977, Wynn was chosen to play Perry White in the movie Superman. However, he became very tired and had to leave the production. He was replaced by Jackie Cooper. In his later years, he guest-starred in TV shows like Taxi and Quincy, M.E. in 1983. He also starred in the TV film Call to Glory in 1984, which later became a weekly TV series.
Personal Life
Keenan Wynn was married three times. He had two sons, Ned Wynn and Tracy Keenan Wynn, who both became writers and actors. His granddaughter, Jessica Keenan Wynn, is also an actress.
In his later years, Keenan Wynn helped many charity groups. He was an active member of the Westwood Sertoma club, which is a service club.
Keenan Wynn passed away on October 14, 1986, after battling pancreatic cancer. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, next to his father, Ed Wynn, and his daughter, Emily.
Images for kids
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Tennessee Champ (1954)
