Richard Kiley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Kiley
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Kiley in 1960
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Born |
Richard Paul Kiley
March 31, 1922 |
Died | March 5, 1999 Middletown, New York, U.S.
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(aged 76)
Occupation | Actor, singer |
Years active | 1950–1999 |
Spouse(s) |
Mary Bell Wood
(m. 1948; div. 1967)Patricia Ferrier
(m. 1968) |
Children | 6 |
Richard Paul Kiley (born March 31, 1922 – died March 5, 1999) was a talented American actor and singer. He was famous for his amazing work in plays, movies, and TV shows.
Richard Kiley won many awards during his 50-year career. He won two Tony Awards for his work in musicals, four Primetime Emmy Awards for TV, and two Golden Globe Awards for his acting. People often remembered his deep, clear voice, which he used to narrate many documentaries. He was known as a very skilled actor who could play many different kinds of characters.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Richard Kiley was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 31, 1922. He grew up in a Catholic family. After finishing Mt. Carmel High School in 1939, he studied acting at the Barnum Dramatic School in Chicago.
In the late 1940s, he performed in plays during the summer in the Chicago area. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he worked as an actor and announcer on the radio in Chicago. Later, he moved to New York City to continue his acting and singing studies.
A Star on Stage
Richard Kiley became well-known for his roles in Broadway musicals. He was especially famous for playing Don Quixote in the original 1965 Broadway show Man of La Mancha. He was the first person to sing the hit song "The Impossible Dream" from that musical.
He also starred in other popular musicals like Kismet, where he played the Caliph, and Redhead. He won his first Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Redhead in 1959. His second Tony Award came in 1966 for his role in Man of La Mancha. He loved playing Don Quixote so much that he returned to the show for Broadway revivals in 1972 and 1977.
Television and Film Roles
Kiley also had a successful career in television and movies. In 1955, he starred in the TV play Patterns, which was very popular. He also appeared in films like The Phenix City Story and Blackboard Jungle, both released in 1955.
He won three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for his TV work. He won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his roles in The Thorn Birds (1983) and A Year in the Life (1986, 1987–1988). He also won an Emmy for his guest role in the TV series Picket Fences. Kiley played Chief Justice Earl Warren in the 1991 TV movie Separate but Equal, which was about the important Brown vs. Board of Education case.
His other TV appearances included shows like Columbo, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ally McBeal, Hawaii Five-O, and Gunsmoke.
The Voice of Many Stories
Richard Kiley's deep voice made him a popular choice for narrating documentaries. He narrated many National Geographic Video specials, starting with 'Land of the Tiger' in 1985. He also narrated the A&E documentary series Mysteries of the Bible from 1994 to 1998.
One of his most famous voice roles was in the movie Jurassic Park. His voice guides visitors through the park's vehicle tour. The park owner in the movie even says he "spared no expense" to hire Kiley for the narration! If you visit Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida, you can still hear Kiley's voice on the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride. This makes him the only person to be in the Jurassic Park book, movie, and theme park ride.
His last acting role was in the 1999 TV movie Blue Moon, which came out a month after he passed away.
Death
Richard Kiley passed away on March 5, 1999, in Middletown, New York. He was almost 77 years old. He died from a bone marrow disease. He was survived by his wife, Patricia Ferrier, and his six children. To honor him, the lights on Broadway were dimmed.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1951 | The Mob | Thomas Clancy | |
1952 | The Sniper | Dr. James G. Kent | |
Eight Iron Men | Private Coke | ||
1953 | Pickup on South Street | Joey | |
1955 | Blackboard Jungle | Joshua Y. Edwards | |
The Phenix City Story | John Patterson | ||
1957 | Spanish Affair | Merritt Blake | |
1958 | The Power of the Resurrection | Peter | |
1969 | Pendulum | Woodrow Wilson King | |
1970 | A.k.a. Cassius Clay | Narrator | |
1974 | The Little Prince | The Pilot | |
1977 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar | Mr. Dunn | |
1981 | Endless Love | Arthur Axelrod | |
1986 | Howard the Duck | The Cosmos | Voice |
1989 | To the Limit | Narrator | |
Miami Cops | |||
The Final Days | J. Fred Buzhardt | ||
1993 | Jurassic Park | Tour Guide Voice | Voice |
The Gospel According to St. Matthew | Old Matthew | ||
1996 | Phenomenon | Dr. Wellin | |
1997 | Time to Say Goodbye? | Dr. Gerald Klooster | |
1998 | Patch Adams | Dr. Titan | |
2002 | Jesus the Christ | Matthew | Final role |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1953 | The United States Steel Hour | Sergeant Lucky Dover | Episode: "P.O.W." |
1954 | Justice | Unknown | 2 episodes |
1955 | Kraft Television Theatre | Fred Staples | Episode: "Patterns" |
1956 | Studio One | Mr. Dean | Episode: "The Landlady's Daughter" |
1958 | Decision | Paul Scott | Season 1 Episode 6: "Indemnity" |
1958 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Harry Adams | Season 4 Episode 4: "The Crooked Road" |
1963 | Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Jim Derry | Season 2 Episode 5: "Blood Bargain" |
1969 | Night Gallery | Joseph Strobe | Television film ("The Escape Route" segment) |
1970–1973 | Gunsmoke | Lewis Stark Tom Lynott Bohannon Will Stambridge |
Episode: "Stark" Episode: "Lynott" Episode: "Bohannon" Episode: "Kitty's Love Affair" |
1970 | Bonanza | Gideon Yates | Episode: "Gideon the Good" |
The Ceremony of Innocence | King Ethelred II | Television film | |
1971 | Murder Once Removed | Frank Manning | Television film |
1974 | Columbo: A Friend in Deed | Mark Halperin | |
1975 | Friendly Persuasion | Jess Birdwell | Television film |
1976 | How the West Was Won | Timothy Macahan | |
1980 | Angel on My Shoulder | Nick | Television film |
1981 | Isabel's Choice | Lyman Jones | Television film |
Golden Gate | Thomas J. Kingsley | Television film | |
1983 | The Thorn Birds | Paddy Cleary | 2 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television (1984) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (1983) |
1984 | George Washington | George Mason | Television film |
1985 | A.D. | Claudius | Television film |
The Canterville Ghost | Sir Simon de Canterville | Television film | |
Do You Remember Love | George Hollis | Television film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (1985) |
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1986 | Planet Earth | Narrator | 7 episodes |
The Twilight Zone | Lancelot | Episode: "The Last Defender of Camelot (The Twilight Zone)" | |
If Tomorrow Comes | Gunther Hartog | 3 episodes | |
1986–1988 | A Year in the Life | Joe Gardner | 22 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama (1987) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1988) |
1988 | My First Love | Sam Morrissey | Television film |
1990 | Aladdin | The Magician | Television film |
1991 | Absolute Strangers | Dr. R.J. Cannon | Television film |
Separate but Equal | Chief Justice Earl Warren | Television film Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television (1991) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (1991) |
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The Ray Bradbury Theater | Douglas Spaulding | Episode: "The Utterly Perfect Murder" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1992) |
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1992–1994 | Picket Fences | Hayden Langston | 2 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1994) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1993) |
1993 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Dr. Gideon Seyetik | Episode: "Second Sight" |
1994–1998 | Mysteries of the Bible | Narrator | |
1995 | The Great Defender | Joe Dewitt | 8 episodes |
1996 | Mary & Tim | Ron Melville | Television film |
1997 | Time to Say Goodbye? | Dr. Gerald Klooster | Television film |
Tigers of the Show | Narrator | ||
1998 | Ally McBeal | Seymore Little | Episode: "Once in a Lifetime" |
Blue Moon | Jimmy Keating | Television film |
Stage
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1953 | Misalliance | Joey Percival | Theatre World Award (1953) |
1953–1955 | Kismet | The Caliph | |
1956 | Time Limit | Major Harry Cargill | |
1959–1960 | Redhead | Tom Baxter | Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1959) |
1960–1961 | Advise and Consent | Brig Anderson | |
1962–1963 | No Strings | David Jordan | Nominated—Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1962) |
1963–1964 | Here's Love | Fred Gaily | |
1964–1965 | I Had a Ball | Stan the Shpieler | |
1965–1971 | Man of La Mancha | Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote | Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1966) |
1968 | Her First Roman | Caesar | |
1971 | The Incomparable Max | Enoch Soames | |
1972 | Voices | Robert | |
Man of La Mancha | Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote | ||
1974–1976 | Absurd Person Singular | Ronald | |
1975 | Ah, Wilderness! | Nat Miller | Academy Festival Theatre, Drake Theatre at Barat College, Lake Forest, Illinois |
1976 | The Heiress | Dr. Austin Sloper | Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (1976) |
1977 | Man of La Mancha | Don Quixote | Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (1978) |
1987 | All My Sons | Joe Keller | Nominated—Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play (1987) |
Awards and Nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Results | Ref. |
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1976 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Play | The Heiress | Nominated | |
1978 | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Man of La Mancha | Nominated | ||
1966 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | N/A | Won | |
1983 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | The Thorn Birds | Won | |
1987 | Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama | A Year in the Life | Won | ||
1991 | Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Separate but Equal | Nominated | ||
1967 | Grammy Awards | Best Recording for Children | Jungle Books | Nominated | |
Magic Fishbone/Happy Prince/Potted Princess (with Julie Harris) | Nominated | ||||
1983 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special | The Thorn Birds | Won | |
1985 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special | Do You Remember Love | Nominated | ||
1988 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | A Year in the Life | Won | ||
1991 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | Separate but Equal | Nominated | ||
1992 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | The Ray Bradbury Theater (Episode: "The Utterly Perfect Murder") | Nominated | ||
1993 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Picket Fences (Episode: "Thanksgiving") | Nominated | ||
1994 | Picket Fences (Episode: "Buried Alive") | Won | |||
1995 | Outstanding Informational Special | 30 Years of National Geographic Specials | Nominated | ||
1997 | National Geographic Special: Tigers of the Snow | Won | |||
1953 | Theatre World Awards | N/A | Misalliance | Won | |
1959 | Tony Awards | Best Leading Actor in a Musical | Redhead | Won | |
1962 | No Strings | Nominated | |||
1966 | Man of La Mancha | Won | |||
1987 | Best Leading Actor in a Play | All My Sons | Nominated | ||
1975 | Western Heritage Awards | Factual Television Program | The American Parade (Episode: "The 34th Star") | Won | |
1976 | Fictional Television Drama | How the West Was Won (Episode: "The Macahans") | Won | ||
1991 | Factual Narrative | World of Discovery (Episode: "Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies") | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Richard Kiley para niños