Kenneth Mars facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenneth Mars
Kenneth Mars in 1967
Born	(1935-04-04)April 4, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	February 12, 2011(2011-02-12) (aged 75) Granada Hills, California, U.S.
Other names	Ken Mars
Alma mater	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1962–2008
Spouse(s)	Barbara Newborn ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	2

Kenneth Mars (born April 4, 1935 – died February 12, 2011) was an American actor. He was known for his many roles in movies and TV shows. He often played characters with funny accents.

You might know him best as the voice of King Triton, Ariel's father, in the Disney movie The Little Mermaid. He also voiced Grandpa Longneck in the Land Before Time series of films and TV shows.

Kenneth Mars also appeared in live-action comedies. He was in two movies by Mel Brooks: The Producers (1967) and Young Frankenstein (1974). Later in his career, he played Otto Mannkusser in the TV show Malcolm in the Middle.

Early Life and Education

Kenneth Mars was born in Chicago, a big city in Illinois, USA. His father, Bernard "Sonny" Mars, worked in radio and television.

Kenneth went to Northwestern University. There, he studied fine arts and acting, preparing for his future career.

Acting Career Highlights

Kenneth Mars started his acting career in 1962. His first role was on a TV show called Car 54, Where Are You?. After that, he appeared in many popular TV series.

Some of these shows included Gunsmoke, Get Smart, and Columbo. He also took on serious roles, like an FBI agent in the movie The Parallax View.

Comedy and Voice Acting

Mars was great at playing funny characters. He often used exaggerated accents for his roles. For example, he played German characters in The Producers and Young Frankenstein. He also played a Croatian music expert in What's Up, Doc?.

His voice acting career was very successful. He voiced King Triton in The Little Mermaid movie and its TV series. He also voiced King Triton in the Kingdom Hearts video games.

Another famous voice role was Littlefoot's Grandpa Longneck in the Land Before Time movies and TV show. He also voiced Professor Screweyes in We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story. He lent his voice to many other cartoons like The Smurfs and Animaniacs.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2001, Mars played a funny, famous photographer on the show Just Shoot Me. His last big TV role was Otto, the German dude ranch owner, on Malcolm in the Middle. He also appeared on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana.

Kenneth Mars stopped acting in 2008 due to a serious illness. His very last role was voicing Grandpa Longneck in The Land Before Time TV series.

Personal Life

In 1977, Kenneth Mars married Barbara Newborn. They had two daughters named Susannah and Rebecca. Their marriage lasted until his death in 2011.

Illness and Passing

In 2006, Kenneth Mars was diagnosed with a serious illness. Because of his health, he couldn't play King Triton in The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. Another actor, Jim Cummings, took over the role. He also couldn't voice Grandpa Longneck in one of the Land Before Time films or return to Malcolm in the Middle.

Kenneth Mars passed away on February 12, 2011, at the age of 75.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

• Henry the First (1974) - Henry Kissinger

See also

In Spanish: Kenneth Mars para niños