Ken Berry
Biography
Ken Berry was a comic actor, dancer and singer from Moline, Illinois. He took tap dance classes, and at 15 he won a local talent contest sponsored by Horace Heidt, then toured the United States and Europe with Heidt's youth program. After Army service, where he performed in Special Services and appeared on Ed Sullivan's show, he became a contract player at Universal. He worked in Las Vegas and in The Billy Barnes Revue, which reached Broadway. On television he played Dr. Kapish on Dr. Kildare, Captain Parmenter on F Troop, the lead on Mayberry R.F.D. and Vinton Harper on Mama's Family. His films included Wake Me When the War Is Over (1969), Herbie Rides Again (1974) and The Cat from Outer Space (1978). He also played George M. Cohan in George M! and appeared on The Carol Burnett Show and The Ken Berry Wow Show.
85years old at death
- Born Moline
- Died Burbank
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Also credited as Kenneth Ronald Berry, Ken Ronald Berry and Kenneth Berry
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 16 years1962 to 1978
Every film, newest first
- 1978The Cat from Outer SpaceIMDb rating 6.0
- 1974Herbie Rides AgainIMDb rating 5.7
- 1969Wake Me When the War Is OverIMDb rating 5.3
- 1962Two for the SeesawIMDb rating 6.6
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First role
Ken Berry got his start in show business at 15, when he won a talent contest sponsored by bandleader Horace Heidt and was invited to tour the United States and Europe with Heidt's youth program for 15 months.
First role
While serving in the Army, Berry won a post talent contest with a tap routine he worked out on the spot, which sent him to New York for his television debut on Arlene Francis's Soldier Parade.
Early training
During his second and final year in the Army, Berry served in Special Services under Sergeant Leonard Nimoy, who urged him to head to Hollywood and pursue acting.
A role that slipped away
Berry was being groomed to replace Donald O'Connor in the Francis the Talking Mule films, but Mickey Rooney became available and landed the role instead.
A first
Berry's 1972 ABC summer variety show, The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show, ran for five episodes and served as a launching pad for Steve Martin, Cheryl Ladd, and Teri Garr.
Ken Berry movies on Netflix
Worked with
Ken Berry shares two films with Hans Conried, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Hans Conried's page
Hank Jones's page
Robert Mitchum's page
Roddy McDowall's page
Keenan Wynn's page
Shirley MacLaine's page
Robert StevensonDirector, 1 film, 1974
All films by Robert Stevenson
Norman TokarDirector, 1 film, 1978
All films by Norman Tokar
All films by Robert Wise
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.