Ken Howard(1944-2016)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ken Howard was elected the National President of The Screen Actors
Guild on September 24, 2009. He was a working member of SAG for
over forty years. The Tony and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, most
recently received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie playing Phelan Beale in critically-acclaimed Grey Gardens (2009). The
Emmy and Golden Globe-winning film starred Golden Globe-winner
Drew Barrymore and fellow
Emmy-winner Jessica Lange.
He starred opposite Jimmy Smits in the CBS
drama Cane (2007) as "Joe Samuels".
Howard portrayed the world-wise retired Detective Lieutenant "Max
Cavanaugh" on NBC's
Crossing Jordan (2001) and is
perhaps best known for his performance as a street-savvy teacher in the
classic drama
The White Shadow (1978). He
taught master classes at the American Repertory Theatre Institute and
was an instructor at Harvard University and Harvard Law School. His
teaching experience helped form the basis for his book, ACT NATURAL:
How to Speak to Any Audience, published by Random House in 2003.
In 1968, two years into the three-year program at the Yale School of
Drama, he accepted a small role on Broadway in
Neil Simon's "Promises, Promises". He
originated the role of
Thomas Jefferson in the
Tony-winning musical 1776 (1972), directed
by Peter H. Hunt, receiving a Theatre
World Award. Howard earned his Tony for his work as a young gym coach
at a Catholic Boys' school in "Child's Play". He starred on
Broadway in "Seesaw", "The Norman Conquests", "1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue" and the national tour of "Equus". In 2008, Howard starred in
the one-man play, "According to Tip". His award-winning performance as
Tip O'Neill was
critically acclaimed.
His feature-film debut was in
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970),
opposite Liza Minnelli. Additional films:
1776 (1972),
Such Good Friends (1971),
Clear and Present Danger (1994),
The Net (1995),
At First Sight (1999),
2:13 (2009),
A Numbers Game (2010) and
The Beacon (2009). He delighted movie
audiences in 2005 with his work in FOX 2000's
In Her Shoes (2005), with
Cameron Diaz,
Toni Collette and
Shirley MacLaine, and in
Dreamer (2005),
for Dreamworks, co-starring
Kurt Russell and
Dakota Fanning. He starred with
Sylvester Stallone in
Rambo (2008) (aka "Rambo IV"),
Michael Clayton (2007) with
George Clooney and
Smother (2008) opposite
Diane Keaton. He became firmly established
in the public's mind as "Coach Ken Reeves" on MTM's prestigious
The White Shadow (1978), a
series which he co-created, based on his own experiences as the only
white player on his high school basketball team. "White Shadow" fans
can revisit the critically-acclaimed series of seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.
He co-starred on the series
It's Not Easy (1982),
The Colbys (1985) and
Dynasty (1981). He guest-starred in
numerous prime-time shows:
Boston Legal (2004),
Dirty Sexy Money (2007),
Eli Stone (2008),
Cold Case (2003),
Brothers & Sisters (2006),
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999),
Arli$$ (1996),
The West Wing (1999),
Conviction (2006),
Ghost Whisperer (2005),
George Lopez (2002) and
Showtime's Huff (2004), opposite his
dear friend, Blythe Danner. He had a
recurring role on
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)
and The Practice (1997). He
starred in
Sacrifices of the Heart (2007)
for the Hallmark Channel. Miniseries include
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder (2000),
The Thorn Birds (1983),
Rage of Angels (1983),
OP Center (1995),
Mastergate (1992),
He's Not Your Son (1984),
The Country Girl (1982),
Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story (1991),
Memories of Midnight (1991).
Howard's first Emmy Award was for the on-camera narration of "Facts for
Boys: The Body Human". His voice can be heard on more than 30
best-selling books on tape. A kidney transplant success (the gift of
longtime friend and stunt-woman
Jeannie Epper), Howard was appointed
Chancellor of the National Kidney Foundation, and worked with their
efforts to encourage people to donate their organs. He was a member of
the Board of the Los Angeles Alzheimer's Committee and, along with his
wife, Linda, served as Board members of Shambala Animal Preserve. He was
also the national spokesperson for the Onyx and Breezy Foundation.
Howard resided in Los Angeles, with his wife, retired stunt-woman
Linda Fetters Howard Howard, and their
recently rescued dogs, Harley Hoops and Hannah Henrietta.
Guild on September 24, 2009. He was a working member of SAG for
over forty years. The Tony and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, most
recently received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie playing Phelan Beale in critically-acclaimed Grey Gardens (2009). The
Emmy and Golden Globe-winning film starred Golden Globe-winner
Drew Barrymore and fellow
Emmy-winner Jessica Lange.
He starred opposite Jimmy Smits in the CBS
drama Cane (2007) as "Joe Samuels".
Howard portrayed the world-wise retired Detective Lieutenant "Max
Cavanaugh" on NBC's
Crossing Jordan (2001) and is
perhaps best known for his performance as a street-savvy teacher in the
classic drama
The White Shadow (1978). He
taught master classes at the American Repertory Theatre Institute and
was an instructor at Harvard University and Harvard Law School. His
teaching experience helped form the basis for his book, ACT NATURAL:
How to Speak to Any Audience, published by Random House in 2003.
In 1968, two years into the three-year program at the Yale School of
Drama, he accepted a small role on Broadway in
Neil Simon's "Promises, Promises". He
originated the role of
Thomas Jefferson in the
Tony-winning musical 1776 (1972), directed
by Peter H. Hunt, receiving a Theatre
World Award. Howard earned his Tony for his work as a young gym coach
at a Catholic Boys' school in "Child's Play". He starred on
Broadway in "Seesaw", "The Norman Conquests", "1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue" and the national tour of "Equus". In 2008, Howard starred in
the one-man play, "According to Tip". His award-winning performance as
Tip O'Neill was
critically acclaimed.
His feature-film debut was in
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970),
opposite Liza Minnelli. Additional films:
1776 (1972),
Such Good Friends (1971),
Clear and Present Danger (1994),
The Net (1995),
At First Sight (1999),
2:13 (2009),
A Numbers Game (2010) and
The Beacon (2009). He delighted movie
audiences in 2005 with his work in FOX 2000's
In Her Shoes (2005), with
Cameron Diaz,
Toni Collette and
Shirley MacLaine, and in
Dreamer (2005),
for Dreamworks, co-starring
Kurt Russell and
Dakota Fanning. He starred with
Sylvester Stallone in
Rambo (2008) (aka "Rambo IV"),
Michael Clayton (2007) with
George Clooney and
Smother (2008) opposite
Diane Keaton. He became firmly established
in the public's mind as "Coach Ken Reeves" on MTM's prestigious
The White Shadow (1978), a
series which he co-created, based on his own experiences as the only
white player on his high school basketball team. "White Shadow" fans
can revisit the critically-acclaimed series of seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.
He co-starred on the series
It's Not Easy (1982),
The Colbys (1985) and
Dynasty (1981). He guest-starred in
numerous prime-time shows:
Boston Legal (2004),
Dirty Sexy Money (2007),
Eli Stone (2008),
Cold Case (2003),
Brothers & Sisters (2006),
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999),
Arli$$ (1996),
The West Wing (1999),
Conviction (2006),
Ghost Whisperer (2005),
George Lopez (2002) and
Showtime's Huff (2004), opposite his
dear friend, Blythe Danner. He had a
recurring role on
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)
and The Practice (1997). He
starred in
Sacrifices of the Heart (2007)
for the Hallmark Channel. Miniseries include
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder (2000),
The Thorn Birds (1983),
Rage of Angels (1983),
OP Center (1995),
Mastergate (1992),
He's Not Your Son (1984),
The Country Girl (1982),
Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story (1991),
Memories of Midnight (1991).
Howard's first Emmy Award was for the on-camera narration of "Facts for
Boys: The Body Human". His voice can be heard on more than 30
best-selling books on tape. A kidney transplant success (the gift of
longtime friend and stunt-woman
Jeannie Epper), Howard was appointed
Chancellor of the National Kidney Foundation, and worked with their
efforts to encourage people to donate their organs. He was a member of
the Board of the Los Angeles Alzheimer's Committee and, along with his
wife, Linda, served as Board members of Shambala Animal Preserve. He was
also the national spokesperson for the Onyx and Breezy Foundation.
Howard resided in Los Angeles, with his wife, retired stunt-woman
Linda Fetters Howard Howard, and their
recently rescued dogs, Harley Hoops and Hannah Henrietta.