Ken Berry

Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, and singer. Berry starred on the television series F Troop (1965–1967), Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) and Mama's Family (1983–1990). He also appeared on Broadway in The Billy Barnes Revue, headlined as George M. Cohan in the musical George M! and provided comic relief for the medical drama Dr. Kildare with Richard Chamberlain in the 1960s.

Early life Berry was born in Moline, Illinois in 1933 of Swedish and English descent, one of two children of an accountant, Darrell Berry, and his wife, Bernice (née Larson). He realized he wanted to be a dancer and singer at age 12, as he watched a children's dance performance during a school assembly. He then dreamed of starring in musicals and went to movie theaters to watch Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in some of his favorite films such as Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer Stock.

Berry soon began attending tap dance classes, and by age 15 he won a local talent competition sponsored by radio and television big band leader Horace Heidt. Impressed by the young dancer's talent, Heidt asked him to join his popular traveling performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program". Berry accepted and toured the United States and Europe for 15 months, dancing and singing for the public and at post-World War II United States Air Force bases overseas. Berry during those months made lasting relationships with several ensemble members, including Heidt's son, Horace Jr., who later launched a big band and radio career. and with Denver Pyle in 1976's Guardian of the Wilderness, the story of Galen Clark, the man who created Yosemite National Park. Berry also earned broader success as a Disney star in the films Herbie Rides Again in 1974, with Helen Hayes and Stefanie Powers, and The Cat from Outer Space in 1978, with Sandy Duncan and McLean Stevenson.

Las Vegas In 1956, after being released from Universal, Berry ventured to Las Vegas, where he opened for and joined Abbott and Costello in their stage act, performing sketches and song and dance routines at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. While working with Abbott and Costello, he met Dee Arlen, an actress whom he credited with getting him his first big break.

A notable dramatic performance by Berry was 1982's television movie Eunice, which was based on The Carol Burnett Show sketch, The Family. The Family was something of a pilot for Mama's Family. Berry played Phillip, Eunice's brother, in the special; however he went on to play Vinton, a different brother, on Mama's Family.

His collaboration with Carol Burnett continued with the 1993 theatrical production of From the Top in Long Beach, California. which meant he had to take leave from Desilu.

After returning from New York in 1960, Berry was brought back to Desilu to play Woody, a bell hop, in 10 episodes of CBS's The Ann Sothern Show, which was set in a New York hotel called the Bartley House. The character Woody served as a "Greek chorus of one" on the series.

In 1968, Ball asked Berry to guest star on The Lucy Show, where he played a bank client needing a loan to start a dance studio. He performed a tribute to the Fred Astaire number "Steppin' Out with My Baby" and a duet with Ball for a rendition of "Lucy's Back in Town".

After numerous smaller roles, Berry was cast as one of three comic relief characters on Dr. Kildare from 1961 to 1966. A regular on the series, Berry played Dr. Kapish. He also played a dance instructor several times on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Berry continued doing guest roles, but while performing a small part on the short-lived George Burns-Connie Stevens sitcom Wendy and Me, both Burns and Stevens recommended him for the pilot of F Troop for ABC, a western spoof where he played the accident-prone Captain Parmenter—his first starring role in a weekly sitcom.

Berry's co-stars were Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. Berry called his time on F-Troop "two years of recess" In September 1968, Berry led the cast of Mayberry R.F.D. as Griffith's character receded. Most of the regular characters stayed with the show. Andy and wife Helen left after a few episodes in season two. Series writers used Berry's "trouper" talents in stories about church revues and talent contests. On the 1970 Mayberry R.F.D. episode "The Charity", he and co-star Paul Hartman performed a soft-shoe routine. Berry sometimes ended a show on the porch at dusk, serenading others with such songs as "Carolina Moon". In spite of finishing 15th place for season three, Mayberry R.F.D. was canceled in 1971 in what was called "the rural purge", where shows set in a bucolic locale (The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat Junction) were replaced with the more "hip" fare of Norman Lear (All in the Family) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

After Mayberry R.F.D., Berry starred in several TV movies and his own summer replacement variety show on ABC titled The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show in 1972, which ran for five episodes. This show was a launching pad for future stars Steve Martin, Cheryl Ladd, and Teri Garr.

In 1973 Sherwood Schwartz wrote a spin-off of The Brady Bunch, titled Kelly's Kids, which featured Berry as the adoptive father of three diverse boys (black, white, and Asian). The pilot failed to interest ABC.

Over the next two decades Berry guest starred on many shows, including The Bob Newhart Show, The Julie Andrews Hour, several Mitzi Gaynor specials, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Donny & Marie Show, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Grizzly Adams, CHiPs, The Golden Girls, and Little House on the Prairie.

In 1983, Berry was cast as Vinton Harper in Mama's Family, a spin-off from The Carol Burnett Show with comic actors including Vicki Lawrence, Dorothy Lyman, and Rue McClanahan. Betty White and Carol Burnett appeared as guest stars. The first two seasons aired on NBC and then the show was cancelled in 1984. In 1986, it was picked-up for first run syndication. Lawrence, Berry, and Lyman all returned. McClanahan and White were already taping The Golden Girls so were no longer available. White did make one guest appearance. Burnett did not appear due to her recent divorce from long-time husband Joe Hamilton, the show's producer. Beverly Archer and Allan Kayser joined the cast as neighbor Iola Boylen and Mama's grandson (Eunice's son) Bubba Higgins, respectively. The reboot of Mama's Family was successful, airing until 1990 with a total of 130 episodes produced.

During and after Mama's Family, Berry toured the United States in various theatrical performances, including multiple performances of Sugar with co-stars such as Donald O'Connor, Mickey Rooney, Soupy Sales, and Bobby Morse, The Music Man with Susan Watson (Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi were in the chorus), I Do! I Do! with Loretta Swit, and Gene Kelly's A Salute to Broadway with Howard Keel and Mimi Hines. Kelly, who was Berry's idol, was set to direct the production, but fell ill.

Discography Berry's first recording experience came with the Billy Barnes cast albums: one from the Broadway performance of The Billy Barnes Review and the second in Billy Barnes' L.A.

After an appearance on The Andy Williams Show, Williams asked Berry to record a solo album on his new Barnaby label. Backed by a full orchestra, Ken Berry RFD was released in 1970.

Personal life Berry married Jackie Joseph, a Billy Barnes castmate, on May 29, 1960. On November 29, 1962, their son Joseph Larson Berry was born but died 6 days later on December 5, 1962. They then adopted two children together, John (1964–2016) and Jennifer (1965–2020). They divorced in 1977. His son John, who later became a co-founder of the Indie rock band Idaho, died in 2016 of brain cancer at the age of 51. His daughter Jennifer died in 2020 of natural causes at the age of 55.

Credits + List of television series credits Year Title Role Notes 1961–1966 Dr. Kildare Dr. John Kapish 25 episodes 1965–1967 F Troop Capt. Wilton Parmenter 65 episodes 1968–1971 Mayberry R.F.D. Sam Jones 78 episodes 1968–1978 The Carol Burnett Show Himself 19 episodes 1972 The Ken Berry WOW Show Himself 5 episodes 1983–1990 Mama's Family Vinton Harper 130 episodes

+ List of other television appearances Year Title Role Notes 1954 Talent Patrol Himself 1959 Playboy's Penthouse Himself With The Billy Barnes Revue cast 1960 Harrigan and Son Himself As Curtis Decker 1960–1961 The Ann Sothern Show Woody 10 episodes 1961 Hennesey Ensign Mayberry 1961 The Asphalt Jungle Doctor (uncredited) 1961 The Garry Moore Show Himself 1962 GE True Fiancé 1962 The Bob Newhart Show various 1962 Mrs. G. Goes to College Oscar 1962–1963 Ensign O'Toole Lt. Melton / Calucci 1963 Burke's Law Clyde (fella at party) 1964 Calhoun: County Agent Otis Sorenson 1964 Combat! Motor Sergeant 1964 The Dick Van Dyke Show Tony Daniels (choreographer) 1964 Hazel Phil Merrick 1964 The Rogues 1964–1965 Twelve O'Clock High Major Bragg / Captain 1964–1965 No Time for Sergeants Joe Dalrymple 3 episodes 1965 Rawhide Lt. Tendall 1965 The Hollywood Palace Himself 1966 Carol & Company Himself 1967 Dateline: Hollywood Himself 1967 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Himself 1967 The Danny Thomas Hour Skip 1967 The Woody Woodbury Show Himself 1967 You Don't Say! Himself Game show 1968 The Andy Griffith Show Sam Jones 4 episodes 1969 Allen Ludden's Gallery Himself 1969 The Ed Sullivan Show Himself 1969 The Leslie Uggams Show Himself 1969 Wake Me When the War Is Over Lt. Roger Carrington Made-for-TV movie 1969–1971 The Andy Williams Show Himself Guest performer 1971 The First Nine Months are the Hardest First husband 1971 The Reluctant Heroes Lt. Parnell Murphy 1971 This Is Your Life: Andy Griffith Himself 1971–1973 Love, American Style Various roles 1972 Arthur Godfrey's Portable Electric Medicine Show Himself 1972 Every Man Needs One David Chase Made-for-TV movie 1972 Once Upon a Mattress Dauntless the Drab 1972 The Julie Andrews Hour Himself 1973 Letters from Three Lovers Jack 1973–1974 Miss Teenage America Pageant Himself, Master of Ceremonies 1973 Mitzi — The First Time Himself 1973 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Wilt Chamberlain Himself 1973 The Mouse Factory Himself 1974 The Brady Bunch Ken Kelly Backdoor pilot (episode used as the pilot) for Kelly's Kids (which went unsold) 1974 Stand Up and Cheer Himself 1974 Tattletales Himself Game show/5 episodes during one week with wife Jackie 1974 The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour Himself 1975 Medical Center Allan Ronston 1975 Mitzi and a Hundred Guys Himself 1975 The Jim Stafford Show Himself 1976 Ellery Queen DJ Paul Parker / Buddy 1976 Mitzi — Roarin' in the Twenties Himself 1976 Over and Out Capt. Paddy Patterson 1977 Dinah! Himself 1977 The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams Will Boker 1977 The Love Boat II Dr. Jim Berkley 1977 Valentine's Second Chance Jimmy Valentine 1978 Apple Pie Salesman 1978 CBS: On the Air Himself 1978–1982 Fantasy Island Various

+ List of film credits Year Title Role Notes 1962 Two for the Seesaw Larry Dancing with Shirley MacLaine, Uncredited 1964 The Lively Set Hotel room service waiter Uncredited 1969 Hello Down There Mel Cheever Alternative title: Sub-A-Dub-Dub 1974 Herbie Rides Again Willoughby Whitfield 1976 Guardian of the Wilderness Zachary More 1978 The Cat from Outer Space Dr. Frank Wilson 1981 Peter-No-Tail Peter-No-Tail Voice, US version

+ List of theater credits Year Title Role Notes 1957 In League with Ivy Himself 1958 Billy Barnes Review Himself 1960 Billy Barnes' People Himself 1960 Vintage '60 Himself 1961 Billy Barnes' Hollywood Himself 1961 Little Mary Sunshine Captain 'Big Jim' Warington 1961 The Billy Barnes Review Himself 1963 Billy Barnes' LA Himself 1964 The Best of Billy Barnes Himself 1974 The Music Man Prof. Harold Hill 1975 Gene Kelly's Salute to Broadway Himself 1984 Run for Your Wife John Smith 1993 From the Top Various characters With Carol Burnett Multiple years George M! George M. Cohan Multiple years I Do! I Do! Michael Snow Multiple years Sugar Joe