Ken Howard
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. (born March 28, 1944) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson
in 1776
and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls
player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow
. He was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild
in September 2009.
, the son of Martha Carey (née
McDonald) and Kenneth Joseph Howard, Sr., the older of their two sons. His younger brother, the late Don Howard, was also an actor. He stands approximately 6'6" (1.98 m) which in high school earned him the nickname "Stork."
He grew up in the Long Island
, New York
community of Manhasset
. Howard had basketball in his blood well before The White Shadow debuted. The nickname "The White Shadow" was given to him by the Long Island press in 1961, as Howard was the only Caucasian starter on the Manhasset High School
varsity basketball
team.
Howard turned down several offers of basketball scholarships in favor of a more focused academic education. He is a graduate of 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 Yale School of Drama
but left to make his Broadway
debut before completing his master's degree.
with Jerry Orbach
. In 1970, he won a Tony Award
as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for Child's Play
. Howard later starred on Broadway
as Thomas Jefferson
in 1776
(a role he reprised in the 1972 film
) and in Seesaw
in 1973 andThe Norman Conquests
in 1975. He is known for his portrayal of US Presidents, including the Broadway musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
in 1976, and as Warren G. Harding
in Camping with Henry and Tom in 1995. He has appeared in legitimate theater all over the country, most recently as Tip O'Neill
in a one-man show in Boston, According to Tip, at the New Repertory Theater in Watertown.
high school basketball coach, in The White Shadow
, produced by Bruce Paltrow
in 1978. (The nickname was given to him in 1961 by the Long Island
press when he was the only Caucasian starter on the Manhasset High School
varsity basketball team.) Howard had the starring role in the 1973 TV series Adam's Rib opposite his good friend, Blythe Danner
. In 1974 he starred in The Manhunter
, an American crime drama that was part of CBS's lineup for the 1974-1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin and starred Howard as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era private investigator from Idaho. He starred in the TV movie Father Damien
in 1980. In 1981 he won a Daytime Emmy Award
for his performance as the ideal father in the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys. Additional credits include "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 Mark Twain
on Bonanza
. Later, he appeared as Garrett Boydston in Dynasty
and its spin-off The Colbys
. In the early 1990s he was a regular on the television series Murder, She Wrote
as guest sleuth with Angela Lansbury
, and later in Crossing Jordan
as Jill Hennessy
's father from 2001-2004. In 2007, he appeared as the primary villain in the critically acclaimed series Cane
with Jimmy Smits
.
He has guest-starred on numerous television dramas. He was guest villain in Hart to Hart
Returns, a 1993 made for TV movie starring Stefanie Powers
and Robert Wagner
. Howard appeared in season one of The West Wing as President Bartlett's first choice for U.S. Supreme Court Justice in the episode "The Short List
". Other dramatic guest roles include: NYPD Blue
, The Practice
, Boston Legal
, Cold Case, Dirty Sexy Money
, Eli Stone
, Brothers and Sisters, Law & Order: SVU, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, Fairly Legal, an episode of The Golden Girls
as one of Blanche's many lovers, The Office as Michael's former boss, and 30 Rock
as Jack Donaghy
's boss.
. He has appeared in numerous movies since, in both dramatic and comedy roles, including: Oscar with Sylvester Stallone
in 1991, Clear and Present Danger
with Harrison Ford
in 1994, and The Net with Sandra Bullock
in 1995, In Her Shoes in 2005. In 2007, Howard appeared in Rambo
again with Sylvester Stallone, and Michael Clayton
as the villain to George Clooney
's hero. 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
.
. He is a popular reader for audiobooks.
area. From 1977 to 1991 he was married to Margo Coleman, known professionally as Margo Howard
, the daughter of Ann Landers, and before that to TV soap opera actress, Louise Sorel, from 1973 to 1976, when they divorced.
Howard is very active and supportive of the National Kidney Foundation
, serving as its Chancellor
. He had a kidney transplant in 2000.
Ken Howard is the owner of two popular restaurants in the Boston area, Rustic Kitchen and Mario's Place.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in 1776
1776 (film)
1776 is a 1972 American musical film directed by Peter H. Hunt. The screenplay by Peter Stone was based on the 1969 stage musical of the same name. Portions of the dialogue and some of the song lyrics were taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual participants of the Second...
and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow
The White Shadow
The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
. He was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
in September 2009.
Early life
Howard was born in El Centro, CaliforniaEl Centro, California
El Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
, the son of Martha Carey (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
McDonald) and Kenneth Joseph Howard, Sr., the older of their two sons. His younger brother, the late Don Howard, was also an actor. He stands approximately 6'6" (1.98 m) which in high school earned him the nickname "Stork."
He grew up in the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
community of Manhasset
Manhasset, New York
Manhasset is a hamlet and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 8,080....
. Howard had basketball in his blood well before The White Shadow debuted. The nickname "The White Shadow" was given to him by the Long Island press in 1961, as Howard was the only Caucasian starter on the Manhasset High School
Manhasset High School
Manhasset Secondary School is a four-year public high school and middle school located in Manhasset, at 200 Memorial Place, in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island...
varsity basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team.
Howard turned down several offers of basketball scholarships in favor of a more focused academic education. He is a graduate of Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, where he served as captain of the basketball team. He was also a member of the a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singing group, "The Zumbyes." He attended Yale School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
but left to make his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut before completing his master's degree.
Theater
Howard began his career on Broadway in Promises, PromisesPromises, Promises
Promises, Promises is a musical based on the 1960 film The Apartment. The music is by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and book by Neil Simon. Musical numbers for the original Broadway production were choreographed by Michael Bennett; Robert Moore directed and David Merrick produced...
with Jerry Orbach
Jerry Orbach
Jerome Bernard "Jerry" Orbach was an American actor and singer. He was well known for his starring role as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the Law & Order television series and as the voice of Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As well, Orbach was a noted musical theatre star...
. In 1970, he won a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for Child's Play
Child's Play (play)
Child's Play is a stage play written by Robert Marasco. It opened on Broadway on February 12, 1970 at the Royale Theatre, and ran for 342 performances, closing on December 12, 1970. The production was produced by David Merrick and directed by Joseph Hardy....
. Howard later starred on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
as Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in 1776
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
(a role he reprised in the 1972 film
1776 (film)
1776 is a 1972 American musical film directed by Peter H. Hunt. The screenplay by Peter Stone was based on the 1969 stage musical of the same name. Portions of the dialogue and some of the song lyrics were taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual participants of the Second...
) and in Seesaw
Seesaw (musical)
Seesaw is a musical with a book by Michael Bennett, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.Based on the William Gibson play Two for the Seesaw, the plot focuses on a brief affair between Jerry Ryan, a young lawyer from Nebraska, and Gittel Mosca, a kooky, streetwise dancer from the Bronx...
in 1973 andThe Norman Conquests
The Norman Conquests
The Norman Conquests is a trilogy of plays written in 1973 by Alan Ayckbourn. The small scale of the drama is typical of Ayckbourn. There are only six characters, namely Norman, his wife Ruth, her brother Reg and his wife Sarah, Ruth's sister Annie, and Tom, Annie's next-door-neighbour...
in 1975. He is known for his portrayal of US Presidents, including the Broadway musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue may refer to:* The White House, the United States presidential residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C....
in 1976, and as Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
in Camping with Henry and Tom in 1995. He has appeared in legitimate theater all over the country, most recently as Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...
in a one-man show in Boston, According to Tip, at the New Repertory Theater in Watertown.
Television
On television, he appeared as Ken Reeves, a Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
high school basketball coach, in The White Shadow
The White Shadow
The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
, produced by Bruce Paltrow
Bruce Paltrow
Bruce Weigert Paltrow was an American television and film director and producer. He was the husband of actress Blythe Danner, and was the father of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow.-Life and career:...
in 1978. (The nickname was given to him in 1961 by the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
press when he was the only Caucasian starter on the Manhasset High School
Manhasset High School
Manhasset Secondary School is a four-year public high school and middle school located in Manhasset, at 200 Memorial Place, in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island...
varsity basketball team.) Howard had the starring role in the 1973 TV series Adam's Rib opposite his good friend, Blythe Danner
Blythe Danner
Blythe Katherine Danner is an American actress. She is the mother of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow.-Early life:...
. In 1974 he starred in The Manhunter
The Manhunter
The Manhunter is an American crime drama that was part of CBS' lineup for the 1974 - 1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin and starred Ken Howard as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era private investigator from Idaho...
, an American crime drama that was part of CBS's lineup for the 1974-1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin and starred Howard as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era private investigator from Idaho. He starred in the TV movie Father Damien
Father Damien
Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. , born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a missionary religious order...
in 1980. In 1981 he won a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for his performance as the ideal father in the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys. Additional credits include "Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels
Rage of Angels
Rage of Angels is a 1980 novel by Sidney Sheldon. The novel revolves around young attorney Jennifer Parker, as she rises as a successful lawyer after being framed for threatening the chief witness against a Mafia boss by mistakenly giving him a dead canary with a broken neck which in turn leads to...
, 1983," the 2000 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town is a 2000 American television miniseries directed by Lawrence Schiller. The teleplay by Tom Topor is based on Schiller's book of the same title....
and the feature film Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, both co-starring Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. He played the title character in the 1984 American Playhouse production of Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's Pudd'nhead Wilson
Pudd'nhead Wilson
Pudd'nhead Wilson is a novel by Mark Twain. It was serialized in The Century Magazine , before being published as a novel in 1894.-Plot:...
, having earlier played Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
on Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
. Later, he appeared as Garrett Boydston in Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
and its spin-off The Colbys
The Colbys
The Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season...
. In the early 1990s he was a regular on the television series Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
as guest sleuth with Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
, and later in Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
as Jill Hennessy
Jill Hennessy
Jillian Noel "Jill" Hennessy is a Canadian actress and musician known for her television roles on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan.-Early life:...
's father from 2001-2004. In 2007, he appeared as the primary villain in the critically acclaimed series Cane
Cane (TV series)
Cane is an American television drama created by Cynthia Cidre, who also served as executive producer alongside Jonathan Prince, Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony. The pilot was directed by Christian Duguay...
with Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
.
He has guest-starred on numerous television dramas. He was guest villain in Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
Returns, a 1993 made for TV movie starring Stefanie Powers
Stefanie Powers
Stefanie Powers is an American actress best known for her role as Jennifer Hart in the 1980s television series Hart to Hart.-Early life:...
and Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
. Howard appeared in season one of The West Wing as President Bartlett's first choice for U.S. Supreme Court Justice in the episode "The Short List
The Short List
"The Short List" is the 9th episode of The West Wing. The episode introduces recurring characters Roberto Mendoza and Gail the goldfish and a story arc concerning potential congressional investigation of a White House staff members history of substance abuse.-Plot:When a liberal Supreme Court...
". Other dramatic guest roles include: NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
, The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, Cold Case, Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money is an American prime time drama series created by Craig Wright, which ran on the ABC from September 26, 2007 to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by ABC Studios, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Berlanti Television and Gross Entertainment...
, Eli Stone
Eli Stone
Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...
, Brothers and Sisters, Law & Order: SVU, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Fairly Legal, an episode of The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
as one of Blanche's many lovers, The Office as Michael's former boss, and 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
as Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
's boss.
Film
He made his movie debut in 1970 in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon opposite Liza MinnelliLiza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
. He has appeared in numerous movies since, in both dramatic and comedy roles, including: Oscar with Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
in 1991, Clear and Present Danger
Clear and Present Danger
Clear and Present Danger is a novel by Tom Clancy, written in 1989, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe. In the novel, Jack Ryan is thrown into the position of CIA Acting Deputy Director and discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues who are conducting a covert war...
with Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
in 1994, and The Net with Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
in 1995, In Her Shoes in 2005. In 2007, Howard appeared in Rambo
Rambo (film)
Rambo is a 2008 German/American Action film starring Sylvester Stallone returning and reprising his famous role as legendary Cold War/Vietnam veteran John Rambo. Stallone also co-wrote and directed the film. It is the fourth and most recent installment in the Rambo franchise, twenty years since...
again with Sylvester Stallone, and Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton (film)
Michael Clayton is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Tony Gilroy, starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack...
as the villain to George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
's hero. In 2010, he starred in The Numbers Game with Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
. He next appeared as Harlan F. Stone in Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
's J. Edgar
J. Edgar
J. Edgar is a 2011 biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood, from a script by Dustin Lance Black. The film focuses on the career of FBI director J...
.
He gave an acclaimed performance as Phelan Beale
Phelan Beale
Phelan Beale was a wealthy attorney and sportsman in New York City.Beale, who was married to Edith Ewing Bouvier, an aunt of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, is probably best remembered as the absent father chronicled in the Grey Gardens saga portrayed in a 1975 movie documentary, 2006 Broadway...
in the 2009 HBO film Grey Gardens
Grey Gardens
Grey Gardens is a 1975 documentary film by Albert and David Maysles, with Susan Froemke, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive socialites, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived at Grey Gardens, a decrepit mansion at 3 West End Road in...
playing opposite Jessica Lange
Jessica Lange
Jessica Phyllis Lange is an American actress who has worked in film, theatre and television. The recipient of several awards, including two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and one Emmy, Lange is regarded as one of the première female actors of her generation.Lange was discovered by producer...
, for which he received an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
Literature
Howard is the author of Act Natural: How to Speak to Any Audience, based on the drama courses he has taught at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He is a popular reader for audiobooks.
Personal life
He has been married to Linda Fetters, a stuntwoman, since 1992 and they reside in the Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
area. From 1977 to 1991 he was married to Margo Coleman, known professionally as Margo Howard
Margo Coleman
Margo Howard is an American advice columnist, and the only child of advice columnist Eppie Lederer and business executive Julius Lederer.-Early life and education:...
, the daughter of Ann Landers, and before that to TV soap opera actress, Louise Sorel, from 1973 to 1976, when they divorced.
Howard is very active and supportive of the National Kidney Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc. is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City...
, serving as its Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
. He had a kidney transplant in 2000.
Ken Howard is the owner of two popular restaurants in the Boston area, Rustic Kitchen and Mario's Place.
Stage productions
- Promises, PromisesPromises, PromisesPromises, Promises is a musical based on the 1960 film The Apartment. The music is by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and book by Neil Simon. Musical numbers for the original Broadway production were choreographed by Michael Bennett; Robert Moore directed and David Merrick produced...
- 1968 - 17761776 (musical)1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
- 1969 (1969 Theatre World Award) - Child's PlayChild's Play (play)Child's Play is a stage play written by Robert Marasco. It opened on Broadway on February 12, 1970 at the Royale Theatre, and ran for 342 performances, closing on December 12, 1970. The production was produced by David Merrick and directed by Joseph Hardy....
- 1970 (1970 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play) - SeesawSeesaw (musical)Seesaw is a musical with a book by Michael Bennett, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.Based on the William Gibson play Two for the Seesaw, the plot focuses on a brief affair between Jerry Ryan, a young lawyer from Nebraska, and Gittel Mosca, a kooky, streetwise dancer from the Bronx...
- 1973 - The Norman Conquests: Living Together - 1975
- The Norman Conquests: Round and Round the Garden - 1975
- The Norman Conquests: Table Manners - 1975
- Little Black Sheep - 1975
- EquusEquus (play)Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973, telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses....
- 1976 (National Company) - 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue1600 Pennsylvania Avenue1600 Pennsylvania Avenue may refer to:* The White House, the United States presidential residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C....
- 1976 - RumorsRumorsRumors is a farcical play by Neil Simon.At its start, several affluent couples gather in the posh suburban residence of a couple for a dinner party celebrating their hosts' tenth anniversary. When they arrive, they discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host - the deputy...
- 1988 - Camping with Henry and Tom - 1995
- In the Moonlight Eddie - 1996
- According to Tip - 2007
Filmography
- Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie MoonTell Me That You Love Me, Junie MoonTell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon is a 1970 film directed by Otto Preminger. The film is based on the book by Marjorie Kellogg. The film starred Liza Minnelli as the title character, a girl whose face is scarred in a vicious battery acid attack by her boy friend. Later in an institution, she...
- 1970 - Such Good FriendsSuch Good FriendsSuch Good Friends is a 1971 American comedy-drama film directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Esther Dale is based on the novel of the same title by Lois Gould.-Plot:...
- 1971 - 17761776 (film)1776 is a 1972 American musical film directed by Peter H. Hunt. The screenplay by Peter Stone was based on the 1969 stage musical of the same name. Portions of the dialogue and some of the song lyrics were taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual participants of the Second...
- 1972 - The Strange Vengeance of RosalieThe Strange Vengeance of RosalieThe Strange Vengeance of Rosalie is a 1972 film directed by Jack Starrett. It stars Bonnie Bedelia and Ken Howard....
- 1972 - The Court Martial of George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
- 1977 - Father DamienFather DamienFather Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. , born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a missionary religious order...
: The Leper Priest - 1980 - Victims - 1982
- The Country GirlThe Country GirlThe Country Girl may refer to:* The Country Girl , a 1915 silent film, based on an 18th-century play by David Garrick* The Country Girl , a 1954 film based on a play by Clifford Odets, starring Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly...
- 1982 - Rage of AngelsRage of AngelsRage of Angels is a 1980 novel by Sidney Sheldon. The novel revolves around young attorney Jennifer Parker, as she rises as a successful lawyer after being framed for threatening the chief witness against a Mafia boss by mistakenly giving him a dead canary with a broken neck which in turn leads to...
- 1983 - Second ThoughtsSecond Thoughts (1983 film)Second Thoughts is a 1983 American drama film directed by Lawrence Turman and starring Lucie Arnaz, Craig Wasson, Ken Howard and Anne Schedeen.-Cast:* Lucie Arnaz - Amy* Craig Wasson - Will* Ken Howard - John Michael* Anne Schedeen - Janis...
- 1983 - The Thornbirds - 1983
- Pudd'nhead WilsonPudd'nhead WilsonPudd'nhead Wilson is a novel by Mark Twain. It was serialized in The Century Magazine , before being published as a novel in 1894.-Plot:...
- 1984 - Rage of AngelsRage of AngelsRage of Angels is a 1980 novel by Sidney Sheldon. The novel revolves around young attorney Jennifer Parker, as she rises as a successful lawyer after being framed for threatening the chief witness against a Mafia boss by mistakenly giving him a dead canary with a broken neck which in turn leads to...
: The Story Continues - 1986 - The Man in the Brown SuitThe Man in the Brown SuitThe Man in the Brown Suit is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and was first published in the UK by The Bodley Head on August 22 1924 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year...
- 1988 - Strange InterludeStrange InterludeStrange Interlude is an experimental play by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. O'Neill finished the play in 1923, but it was not produced on Broadway until 1928, when it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Lynn Fontanne originated the central role of Nina Leeds on Broadway...
- 1990 - OscarOscar (1991 film)Oscar is a 1991 American comedy film directed by John Landis. Based on the Claude Magnier stage play, it is can be considered a remake of the 1967 film of the same name, but the settings has been moved to the Depression era New York City and centers around a mob boss trying to go straight...
- 1991 - Murder in New Hampshire - 1991
- Mastergate - 1992
- Ulterior Motives - 1993
- Clear and Present DangerClear and Present Danger (film)Clear and Present Danger is a 1994 film directed by Phillip Noyce, based on the book of the same name by Tom Clancy. It is a subsequent release to the 1992 film Patriot Games, which in itself is a subsequent release to the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October.It is the last film to feature Harrison...
- 1994 - The Net - 1995
- Tactical AssaultTactical AssaultTactical Assault is a 1998 action/adventure film starring Rutger Hauer, Robert Patrick, Isabel Glasser and Dey Young. It was directed by Mark Griffiths and written by David Golden.- Summary :...
- 1999 - At First SightAt First SightAt First Sight is a 1999 American film starring Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino, based on the essay To See and Not to See in neurologist Oliver Sacks' book An Anthropologist on Mars and inspired by the true life story of Shirl Jennings.-Plot:...
- 1999 - A Vow To Cherish - 1999
- Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenet and the City of BoulderBoulderIn geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
- 2000 - Double DareDouble DareDouble Dare is a children's game show, originally hosted by Marc Summers, that aired on Nickelodeon. The show combines trivia questions with occasionally messy "physical challenges"...
- 2005 - Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story - 2005
- In Her Shoes - 2005
- Arc - 2006
- Michael ClaytonMichael Clayton (film)Michael Clayton is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Tony Gilroy, starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack...
- 2007 - Sacrifices of the HeartSacrifices of the HeartSacrifices of the Heart is a 2007 television film starring Melissa Gilbert and Ken Howard that aired on Hallmark Channel in 2007. The film is made from a script by Patti Davis, daughter of Ronald Reagan.-Plot summary:...
- 2007 - RamboRambo (film)Rambo is a 2008 German/American Action film starring Sylvester Stallone returning and reprising his famous role as legendary Cold War/Vietnam veteran John Rambo. Stallone also co-wrote and directed the film. It is the fourth and most recent installment in the Rambo franchise, twenty years since...
- 2008 - Grey GardensGrey Gardens (HBO film)Grey Gardens is an HBO film about the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale/"Little Edie", played by Drew Barrymore, and her mother Edith Ewing Bouvier/"Big Edie", played by Jessica Lange. Co-stars include Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jacqueline Kennedy and Ken Howard as Phelan Beale...
- 2009 (Won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.) - The Numbers Game - 2010
- J. EdgarJ. EdgarJ. Edgar is a 2011 biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood, from a script by Dustin Lance Black. The film focuses on the career of FBI director J...
- 2011