Charles Kimbrough

Biography Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kimbrough had extensive stage experience. He studied theater and drama at Indiana University Bloomington, and graduated in 1958. He earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree at Yale University's School of Drama. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Kimbrough and his first wife Mary Jane Wilson were part of the resident company of the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre where they appeared in such plays as Georges Feydeau's Cat Among the Pigeons and Jules Feiffer's The White House Murder Case. In 1971, he was nominated for a Tony for best featured actor in a musical as Harry in Stephen Sondheim's Company. In 1984, he performed in the original Broadway cast of Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. He starred in the original Off-Broadway production of A.R. Gurney's comedy Sylvia in 1995.

Around 1976 to 1977, he appeared in a commercial for Chef Boyardee Spaghetti & Meatballs.

In 1988, Kimbrough was cast as Jim Dial, a veteran network news anchor with the integrity and experience of an Edward R. Murrow or Walter Cronkite, on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown. The series ran for 247 episodes over ten seasons, winning 17 Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes. Kimbrough was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1990.

In 1996, he voiced Victor, a gargoyle, in Disney's animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a role he reprised in its direct-to-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.

Kimbrough was part of the cast of the Roundabout Theater Company's 2012 Broadway revival of Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Harvey playing William R. Chumley, M.D., with Jim Parsons in the lead as Elwood P. Dowd. The show ran from June 14 to August 5, 2012, at New York's Studio 54 Theatre.

Kimbrough later reprised his role as Jim Dial in the 2018 revival of Murphy Brown.

Personal life and death In 2002, Kimbrough married actress and fellow Company castmate Beth Howland, known for her television work as Vera Louise Gorman-Novak on the sitcom Alice. Howland died of lung cancer in December 2015 at the age of 74. Her death was not reported to the media until May 24, 2016.

Kimbrough's son, John, founded, sang and played guitar for the St. Paul-based alternative rock band Walt Mink.

Kimbrough died in Culver City, California, on January 11, 2023, at the age of 86.

Filmography Television Year Television Role Notes1975–1976 Kojak Rudy, A.D.A Greg Burton 3 episodes1975–1983 Great Performances Dr. Spiga, Benton Arrelsford, Editor 3 episodes 1981 For Ladies Only Bob Merlis Television film 1985 Tales of the Unexpected Eric Episode: "Scrimshaw"1986–1988 Spenser: For Hire Louis Groton, Roger Thornwood 2 episodes1986 Another World Dr. Abbott Unknown episodes 1988–1998, 2018 Murphy Brown Jim Dial 250 episodesNominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series1988 Hothouse Mr. Austen Episode: "Nancy: Part 1" 1992 Dinosaurs Dr. Ficus Episode: "Germ Warfare" 1994 Mighty Max Dr. Bob Voice, episode: "Scorpio Rising"1998 Pinky and the Brain Sandy Dreckman Voice, episode: "You'll Never Eat Food Pellets in This Town Again!" Hercules Cletus Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Pegasus Incident" Love Boat: The Next Wave Rich Episode: "Affairs to Remember"2000 Family Guy Jim Dial Voice, episode: "A Picture Is Worth $1,000 Bucks" The Angry Beavers Narrator Voice, episode: "Canucks Amuck" Batman Beyond Stage Gordon Voice, episode: "Out of the Past" 2002 Ally McBeal Charlie Fish Episode: "What I'll Never Do for Love Again" The Zeta Project Pat Jensen Voice, episode: "On the Wire"

Film Year Film Role Notes 1976 The Front Committee counselor 1977 The Sentinel Hospital doctor Uncredited1979 The Seduction of Joe Tynan Francis Starting Over Salesman 1980 It's My Turn Jerome 1987 Switching Channels Governor Springfield 1988 The Good Mother Uncle Orrie 1995 Whisper of the Heart Additional voices 2006 Disney dub 1996 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Victor Voice 2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Brain Pod #29 The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire Rainbow Face #12001 The Wedding Planner Mr. Donolly Recess: School's Out Mort Chalk Voice 2002 The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Victor 2003 Marci X Lane Strayfield

Video games Year Title Role 1996 Disney's Animated Storybook: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Victor The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy Games 2012 Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance 2017 Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue