Keene Curtis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keene Curtis
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Keene Holbrook Curtis
February 15, 1923 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
|
| Died | October 13, 2002 (aged 79) Bountiful, Utah, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | University of Utah |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1948-1998 |
Keene Holbrook Curtis (born February 15, 1923 – died October 13, 2002) was an American actor. He was known for playing many different kinds of characters. He appeared in films, on stage, and in many TV shows. He also lent his voice to several popular cartoon characters.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Keene Curtis was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. His mom was a teacher and his dad worked for the railway. He went to Davis High School. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy. He served for three years during World War II. He was in the Pacific part of the war.
After the war, he went to the University of Utah. He earned a bachelor's degree there. In 1943, he was named the university's best actor. This was a special honor from a drama group called Theta Alpha Phi.
Film Roles
Keene Curtis started his film career in 1948. His first movie was Macbeth, directed by Orson Welles. He later appeared in several other films.
Some of his other movies include Heaven Can Wait and I.Q.. He also acted in Sliver and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.
Theater Performances
Keene Curtis had a long career in theater. He started in 1949 as a stage manager. This means he helped manage plays and shows behind the scenes. He worked for the Martha Graham Dance Company.
His first time performing on stage was in 1965. It was in a play called You Can't Take It with You. In 1971, he won a special award. He received a Tony Award for his role in the musical The Rothschilds. A Tony Award is one of the highest honors in live theater.
He also performed in other Broadway shows. These included Annie and La Cage aux Folles. In 1981, he was part of the Stratford Festival in Canada.
Television Appearances
Keene Curtis was a familiar face on television. He had a recurring role on the popular show Cheers. He played John Allen Hill, who owned a restaurant. He also appeared on the show Amanda's.
He was in many other TV shows. These include The Magician and Three's Company. He also appeared in the TV movie Gypsy with Bette Midler.
Here are some other TV shows he appeared in:
- M*A*S*H (1974)
- Hawaii Five-O (1974-1975)
- The Jeffersons (1976)
- Wonder Woman (1976)
- Quincy, M.E. (1977)
- Lou Grant (1978-1981)
- Knight Rider (1983)
- Night Court (1988)
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1991)
- Murder, She Wrote (1993)
- Full House (1994)
- ER (1995)
- Star Trek: Voyager (1996)
- The Drew Carey Show (1996-1997)
- Stargate SG-1 (1997)
- Ally McBeal (1997)
Voice Acting in Animation
Keene Curtis also used his voice for many animated shows. He voiced the character Pastmaster in SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron. He was also the voice of Lord Balthazar on The Smurfs from 1981 to 1989.
He lent his voice to many other cartoons, such as:
- The Little Mermaid
- The Jetsons
- Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures
- The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour
- Denver, the Last Dinosaur
- Bonkers
Later Life and Passing
Keene Curtis was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He passed away on October 13, 2002, at the age of 79. He died from complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He was buried in Bountiful Memorial Park in Utah. Keene Curtis never married and did not have any children.
