Ken Howard

Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as high school basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow (1978–1981). Howard won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1970 for his performance in Child's Play, and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his work in Grey Gardens (2009).

Howard had co-starring roles in the films Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970), Such Good Friends (1971), and The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie (1972). In the 1980s, he worked mostly in television, winning a Daytime Emmy Award for the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys (1980). He later appeared in numerous character parts in films such as Clear and Present Danger (1994), The Net (1995), Michael Clayton (2007), and The Judge (2014).

In September 2009, Howard was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the actors' union. He was reelected to a second term in September 2011. He was the last president of the Screen Actors Guild and the first president of the newly combined SAG-AFTRA union, after the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) voted to merge in 2012. He was reelected to head the new organization in 2015. being the elder of their two sons. His younger brother, the late Don Howard, was also an actor and director. His approximately 6-foot 6-inch (1.98 m) stature earned him the nickname "Stork" as a high school student. He grew up in Manhasset, New York, on Long Island.

The nickname "The White Shadow" was given to him by the Long Island press in 1961, as, at age 17, Howard was the only white starter on the Manhasset High School varsity basketball team.

A member of the National Honor Society in high school, Howard turned down several offers of basketball scholarships in favor of a more focused academic education. He graduated in 1966 from Amherst College, where he served as captain of the basketball team. He was also a member of the a cappella singing group The Zumbyes. He attended the Yale School of Drama but left to make his Broadway debut before completing his master's degree – which he achieved in 1999.

Theater Howard began his career on Broadway in December 1968 in Promises, Promises with Jerry Orbach, and shortly thereafter was cast as Thomas Jefferson in 1776, which opened in March 16, 1969. In 1970, he won a Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for Child's Play. Howard reprised the role of Thomas Jefferson in the 1972 film. His other Broadway appearances included Seesaw in 1973 and The Norman Conquests. Howard portrayed several U.S. presidents in the 1975 Broadway musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and appeared as Warren G. Harding in Camping with Henry and Tom in 1995. He appeared in legitimate theater in many cities, most recently as Tip O'Neill in a one-man show According to Tip, at the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Television On television, Howard appeared as Ken Reeves, a Los Angeles high school basketball coach, in The White Shadow, produced by Bruce Paltrow in 1978. Howard had the starring role in the 1973 TV series Adam's Rib opposite his good friend (and Paltrow's wife) Blythe Danner, who also played wife Martha to his Thomas Jefferson in the film version of 1776. He starred in The Manhunter, a crime drama that was part of CBS's lineup for the 1974–75 television season.

Howard starred in the TV movie Father Damien in 1980 (in which he replaced David Janssen in the title role after Janssen died a few days after the movie started production) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1981 for his performance as the ideal father in the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys. Howard's additional credits included "Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels, 1983", the 2000 miniseries Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, and the feature film Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, both co-starring Kris Kristofferson. He played the title character in the 1984 American Playhouse production of Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson, having earlier played Twain on Bonanza. Later, he appeared as Garrett Boydston in Dynasty and its spin-off The Colbys. In the late 1980s, he appeared on Murder, She Wrote; and, from 2001–04, in Crossing Jordan as the title character's father. In 2007, he appeared in the Jimmy Smits series Cane.

Howard guest-starred on numerous television dramas. He was guest villain in Hart to Hart Returns, a 1993 made-for-TV movie. He also appeared in season one of The West Wing as President Bartlet's first choice for US Supreme Court Justice in the episode "The Short List". His other guest roles included NYPD Blue, The Practice, Boston Legal, Cold Case, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Brothers and Sisters, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fairly Legal, Crossing Jordan, The Closer, Blue Bloods, The Golden Girls, The Office, 30 Rock, and George Lopez S5:E14".

Film Howard made his movie debut in 1970, in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, opposite Liza Minnelli. Numerous dramatic and comedic movie roles followed, including: Otto Preminger's Such Good Friends with Dyan Cannon and Jennifer O'Neill, 1776, The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie, Independence, Second Thoughts, Oscar with Sylvester Stallone in 1991, Ulterior Motives, Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford in 1994, The Net with Sandra Bullock in 1995, Tactical Assault, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, and In Her Shoes in 2005.

In 2007, Howard appeared again with Stallone in Rambo, and in George Clooney's Michael Clayton. In 2010, he starred in The Numbers Game with Steven Bauer. He next appeared as Harlan F. Stone in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar.

He gave an acclaimed performance as Phelan Beale in the 2009 HBO film Grey Gardens, playing opposite Jessica Lange, for which he received an Emmy Award. His last films were Better Living Through Chemistry (2013), A.C.O.D.(2013), The Judge (2014), The Wedding Ringer (2015) and the biographical comedy-drama film Joy (2015).

Ken Howard was elected the National President of the Screen Actors Guild on September 24, 2009.

Author Howard was the author of the 2003 book Act Natural: How to Speak to Any Audience, based on the drama courses he had taught at Harvard University. He was a popular reader for audiobooks.

Personal life Howard was married three times. His first wife was actress Louise Sorel (m. 1973–75). His second wife was writer and advice columnist Margo Lederer (m. 1977–91). His final marriage was to stuntwoman Linda Fetters Howard (m. 1992–2016).

In 2000, Howard underwent a kidney transplant; the donor was family friend Jeannie Epper, with whom Linda had worked in the stunt community.

Death In 2007, Howard was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. In March 2016, he was hospitalized in Valencia, California, with shingles, where he died on March 23, five days before his 72nd birthday. He was the first and, , the only Screen Actors Guild or SAG-AFTRA national president to die in office.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1970 Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon Arthur 1971 Such Good Friends Cal 1972 The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie Virgil 1776 Thomas Jefferson 1976 Independence Thomas Jefferson Short film directed by John Huston. 1983 Second Thoughts John Michael 1991 Oscar Kirkwood 1993 Ulterior Motives Malcolm Carter 1994 Clear and Present Danger Committee Chairman 1995 The Net Michael Bergstrom 1998 Tactical Assault General Horace White 1999 At First Sight Virgil's Father 2004 Stuck Marty Short film directed by Clark Harris. Double Dare Himself Documentary film 2005 Dreamer Bill Ford In Her Shoes Michael Feller 2006 Arc Santee 2007 Michael Clayton Don Jeffries 2008 Rambo Father Arthur Marsh Under Still Waters Conrad Smother Gene Cooper 2009 Two:Thirteen Sheriff Sedgewick The Beacon Officer Bobby Ford 2010 A The Numbers Game Harold 2011 J. Edgar Harlan F. Stone 2012 A Fighting Man George Short film Just an American Dr. Sullivan 2013 A.C.O.D. Gary 2014 Better Living Through Chemistry Walter Bishop The Judge Judge Warren 2015 The Wedding Ringer Ed Palmer Joy Mop Executive Final Film Role

Television Year Title Role Notes 1969 N.Y.P.D. Rick Crossfield Episode: "Everybody Loved Him" 1972 Bonanza Samuel Clemens Episode: "The Twenty-Sixth Grave" Medical Center Kevin Morgan Episode: "The Outcast" 1973 Adam's Rib Adam Bonner Contract role 1974–75 The Manhunter Dave Barrett Contract role 1977 The Court Martial of George Custer Prosecuting attorney Made-for-TV movie 1978 Superdome Dave Walecki Made-for-TV movie The Critical List Nels Freiberg Made-for-TV movie A Real American Hero Danny Boy Mitchell Made-for-TV movie 1978–81 The White Shadow Ken Reeves Contract role 1980 Father Damien: The Leper Priest Father Damien Made-for-TV movie 1982 Victims Joe Buckley Made-for-TV movie The Country Girl Bernie Dodd Made-for-TV movie 1983 It's Not Easy Jack Long Contract role 1983 Rage of Angels Adam Warner Miniseries The Thorn Birds Rainer Hartheim Miniseries 1984 Glitter Senator Episode: "Pilot" He's Not Your Son Michael Saunders Made-for-TV American Playhouse Pudd'nhead Wilson Episode: "Pudd'nhead Wilson" Hotel Bill Tillery Episode: "Passages" 1985–86 Dynasty Garrett Boydston Recurring The Colbys Recurring 1985 Hotel Malcolm Taylor Episode: "Missing Pieces" 1986 Rage of Angels: The Story Continues Adam J. Warner Made-for-TV-Movie Dream Girl, U.S.A. TV Host Contract role 1988 American Playhouse Sam Evans Episode: "Strange Interlude" The Man in the Brown Suit Gordon Race Made-for-TV-Movie 1985–1989 Murder, She Wrote Various Roles 6 episodes 1991 Deadly Nightmares Dubois Episode: "Homecoming" P.S. I Luv U Jack Packer Episode: "Pilot" Murder in New Hampshire Bill Smart Made-for-TV-Movie Memories of Midnight Kirk Reynolds Made-for-TV-Movie 1992 The Golden Girls Jerry Episode: "The Commitments" Mastergate Courtleigh Bishop Made-for-TV-Movie What Happened? Host Documentary 1993 Batman: The Animated Series Hartness Episode: "See No Evil" Hart to Hart Returns Dr. Paul Menard Made-for-TV-Movie 1994 One West Waikiki Ronald Markham Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part" Moment of Truth: To Walk Again Ed Keating Made-for-TV-Movie Captain Planet and the Planeteers Voice Episode: "A River Ran Through It" 1994–98 Melrose Place Mr. George Andrews Recurring 1995 Op Center The President Miniseries Her Hidden Truth Jack Devereaux Made-for-TV-Movie 1996 Diagnosis: Murder Special Agent Dunleavy Episode: "Murder Can Be Contagious" Arli$$ Rocky Episode: "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" The Client Charlie Braxton Episode: "Money Talks" 1997 Something Borrowed, Something Blue Senator John Farrell Made-for-TV-Movie Diagnosis: Murder David Clarke Episode: "Slam Dunk Dead" The Practice Senator Frank Patanki Episode: "Hide and Seek" 1999 The West Wing Judge Peyton Cabot Harrison III Episode: "The Short List" A Vow To Cherish John Brighton Made-for-TV-Movie 2000 The Practice Defense Atty. Bradford Episode: "Race Ipsa Loquitor" Perfect Murder, Perfect Town Alex Hunter Miniseries 2001–05 Crossing Jordan Max Cavanaugh Recurring 2001 Family Law Reardon Episode: "Film at Eleven" Arli$$ Coach Dreyfuss Episode: "Of Cabbages and Kings" 2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Ken Abbot Episodes: 2 episodes A Boyfriend for Christmas Judge Uncredited2006 The Office Ed Truck Episode: "The Carpet" George Lopez Dr. Woodson Episode: "The Kidney Stays in the Picture" Ghost Whisperer Judge Walter Merrick Episode: "Fury" Huff Walt Callahan 2 episodes Conviction Judge Hanford Episode: "The Wall" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Arlen Rieff Episode: "Cage" 2007 Sacrifices of the Heart Thane Weston Made-for-TV-movie The Nine Alvy Munson Episode: "Man of the Year" Cane Joe Samuels Recurring 2008 Brothers & Sisters Boyd Taylor Episode: "Double Negative" Eli Stone Thomas Hayes Episode: "Grace" Boston Legal Judge Walter Yardley Episode: "Kill, Baby, Kill!" Dirty Sexy Money Evan Connello Episode: "The Summer House" 2009 Cold Case Harry Kemp Jr. '58 Episode: "Libertyville" Grey Gardens Phelan Beale Television Movie, HBO 2011–13 30 Rock Hank Hooper Recurring – 9 episodes 2011 The Council of Dads Burt Wells Made-for-TV movie Fairly Legal Charles Pease Episode: "Pilot" The Closer Wes Durant Episode: "Star Turn" 2012 The Young and the Restless George Summers 3 episodes Blue Bloods Malcolm Episode: "Nightmares" Counter Culture Ken Made-for-TV movie 2014 The McCarthys Coach Colwell Episode: "Pilot"

Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Ref. 1968–72 Promises, Promises Bartender Eddie Karl Kubelik The Shubert Theatre, Broadway 1969–72 1776 Thomas Jefferson 46th Street Theatre St. James Theatre Majestic Theatre, Broadway 1970 Child's Play Paul Reese Royale Theatre, Broadway 1971 JFK Designer Circle in the Square 1973 Seesaw Jerry Ryan Uris Theatre Mark Hellinger Theatre 1975 Little Black Sheep Jack Hassler Vivian Beaumont Theatre 1975–76 The Norman Conquest Trilogy Tom Morosco Theatre 1976 Equus Performer National Company 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue The President Mark Hellinger Theatre 1988–90 Rumors Glenn Cooper Broadhurst Theatre Ethel Barrymore Theatre 1995 Camping with Henry and Tom Warren G. Harding Lucille Lortel Theatre 1996 In the Moonlight Eddie Director Pasadena Playhouse 2007 According to Tip Tip O'Neil New Repertory Theatre 2010Hopeless Romantic Michael Hanley Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara 2012 Golden Child Assistant Director Pershing Square Signature Center The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1969 Theatre World Awards 1776 1970 Tony Awards Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play Child's Play 1981 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming – Performers The Body Human 2009 Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Grey Gardens 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie