HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Brian Keith (born Robert Alba Keith, November 14, 1921 – June 24, 1997) was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his six-decade career gained recognition for his work in films such as the
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
family film '' The Parent Trap'' (1961); '' Johnny Shiloh'' (1963); the comedy ''
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming ''The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed and produced by Norman Jewison for the United Artists. It is based on the 1961 Nathaniel Benchley novel ''The Off-Islanders'', and was adapted for the s ...
'' (1966); and the adventure saga ''
The Wind and the Lion ''The Wind and the Lion'' is a 1975 American epic adventure film written and directed by John Milius and starring Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith, and John Huston. Made in Panavision and Metrocolor and produced by Herb Jaffe and Phil ...
'' (1975), in which he portrayed President
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
. On television, two of his best-known roles were those of bachelor-uncle-turned-reluctant-parent Bill Davis in the 1960s sitcom ''
Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...
'', and a tough retired judge in the 1980s lighthearted crime drama ''
Hardcastle and McCormick ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' is an American action crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 18, 1983, through May 5, 1986. The series stars Brian Keith as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle and Daniel Hugh Kelly as ex-con and rac ...
''. He also starred in ''
The Brian Keith Show ''The Brian Keith Show'' (titled ''The Little People'' during its first season) is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1972 to March 1974. The series stars Brian Keith and Shelley Fabares. Synopsis Keith plays Dr. Sean Jamison, ...
'', which aired on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
from 1972 to 1974, where he portrayed a pediatrician who operated a free clinic on
Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O†...
, and in the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
comedy series ''
Heartland Heartland or Heartlands may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution * Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States * Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...
''.


Early life

Robert Alba Keith was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, on November 14, 1921, to actor Robert Keith and stage actress Helena Shipman, a native of Aberdeen, Washington. Some sources also list his full name as Brian Robert Keith. He was
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
. In 1941 he graduated from
East Rockaway High School East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School (often abbreviated ERHS) is a co-educational six-year secondary school in East Rockaway, New York, and the sole high school in Nassau County, New York, School District 41 (East Rockaway School District ...
in
East Rockaway, New York East Rockaway is a village in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 9,818 at the 2010 census. The Incorporated Village of East Rockaway is at the edge of Rockaway Peninsula Proper in ...
. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942 completing his service in 1945. He served during World War II as a radioman/tail gunner in the rear cockpit of a two-man
Douglas SBD Dauntless The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/di ...
dive bomber in a U.S. Marine squadron. He was awarded a Combat Aircrew Insignia,
Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...
,
Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal is a United States military award of the Second World War, which was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. The medal was created o ...
with three battle stars and
World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...
.


Career


Theatre

Keith made his Broadway debut in 1948 in the ensemble of '' Mister Roberts'', which starred his father as "Doc". He was a guard in ''
Darkness at Noon ''Darkness at Noon'' (german: link=no, Sonnenfinsternis) is a novel by Hungarian-born novelist Arthur Koestler, first published in 1940. His best known work, it is the tale of Rubashov, an Old Bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried ...
'' (1951) by Sidney Kingsley, and was in ''Out West of Eighth'' (1951), which had only a short run.


Television and films

Keith began to guest star on shows such as '' Hands of Mystery'', ''
Shadow of the Cloak ''Shadow of the Cloak'' was a spy drama live television series broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network. Helmut Dantine played secret agent Peter House. John Gay (screenwriter), John Gay wrote some of the 36 episodes. The first epi ...
'', and an adaptation of ''
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre- ...
'' in ''
Tales of Tomorrow ''Tales of Tomorrow'' is an American anthology science fiction series that was performed and broadcast live on ABC from 1951 to 1953. The series covered such stories as ''Frankenstein'' starring Lon Chaney Jr., '' 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' ...
''. He was in '' Police Story'', '' Suspense'', ''
Eye Witness Eyewitness or eye witness may refer to: Witness * Witness, someone who has knowledge acquired through first-hand experience ** Eyewitness memory ** Eyewitness testimony Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Eyewitness'' (1956 film), a Britis ...
'', ''
The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S ...
'', ''
Robert Montgomery Presents ''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run, and the title was altered to feature the ...
'', and ''
The Motorola Television Hour ''The Motorola Television Hour'' is an hour-long anthology series which alternated bi-weekly with ''The United States Steel Hour'' on ABC. The show premiered on November 3, 1953, and was last aired on June 1, 1954. It was produced by Herbert Brodk ...
''. Keith's feature film debut was in a Western for Paramount, ''
Arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...
'' (1953). He stayed at that studio for ''
Alaska Seas ''Alaska Seas'' is a 1954 American crime film noir directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Robert Ryan and Brian Keith. The supporting cast features Jan Sterling, Gene Barry and Aaron Spelling. The picture is a loose remake of the 1938 film '' Sp ...
'' (1954), replacing
Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...
, and '' Jivaro'' (1954). Keith guest starred on '' Campbell Summer Soundstage'', ''
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse ''The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse'' is an American dramatic anthology series that aired on ABC from 1953 to 1955, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The show was hosted by Arlene Dahl (1953), Anita Colby (1954), and, finally, Polly Bergen (1955). Initially the s ...
'', ''
Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...
'', and ''The Mask'' and also played
Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to: *Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman *Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author *Mike Hammer (character), a fictional hard boiled detective ** ''Mick ...
in a
television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distr ...
directed by
Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...
, but the series was not picked up. He went to Columbia for ''
The Bamboo Prison ''The Bamboo Prison'' is a 1954 American Korean War film–drama film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Robert Francis, Brian Keith, Dianne Foster, and Jerome Courtland. The working title was ''I Was a Prisoner in Korea''. The US Army denied ...
'' (1954), ''
The Violent Men ''The Violent Men'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Rudolph Maté and starring Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Dianne Foster, Brian Keith, and May Wynn. Based on the 1955 novel '' Smoky Valley'' by Donald Hamil ...
'' (1955), '' Tight Spot'' (1955), and ''
5 Against the House ''5 Against the House'' is a 1955 American heist film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Guy Madison, Kim Novak and Brian Keith. The supporting cast includes William Conrad. The screenplay is based on Jack Finney's 1954 novel of the same nam ...
'' (1955), the last two directed by Phil Karlson. He was meant to support Joan Crawford in ''
Queen Bee A queen bee is typically an adult, mated female ( gyne) that lives in a colony or hive of honey bees. With fully developed reproductive organs, the queen is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the beehive. Queens are developed ...
'', but did not appear in the final film. He guest starred on ''
The Elgin Hour ''The Elgin Hour'' (also known as ''The Elgin TV Hour'') is a 60-minute live American anthology drama that aired from October 5, 1954 to June 14, 1955, on ABC, alternating with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. A total of 19 episodes featured actors Jo ...
'', '' Mystery Is My Business'', ''
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often based ...
'', '' The Box Brothers'', ''
The Ford Television Theatre ''Ford Theatre'', spelled ''Ford Theater'' for the original radio version and known, in full, as ''The Ford Television Theatre'' for the TV version, is a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 1950 ...
'', ''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...
'', ''
Wire Service A news agency is an organization that gathers news reports and sells them to subscribing news organizations, such as newspapers, magazines and radio and television broadcasters. A news agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire, ...
'' and '' Studio 57''. In 1955, Keith starred in his own series, ''Crusader'', as fictional journalist Matt Anders. He continued to appear in films for Columbia, such as '' Storm Center'' (1956) co-starring with
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...
and '' Nightfall'' (1956) with Aldo Ray. In June 1956, he announced he had formed his own company, Michael Productions, and had optioned a story by Robert Blees called ''Cairo''.


Film stardom

Keith was second billed in '' Dino'' (1957) with
Sal Mineo Salvatore Mineo Jr. (January 10, 1939 – February 12, 1976) was an American actor, singer, and director. He is best known for his role as John "Plato" Crawford in the drama film '' Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955), which earned him a nomination ...
, and ''
Run of the Arrow ''Run of the Arrow'' is a 1957 American Western film written, directed, and produced by Samuel Fuller and starring Rod Steiger, Sara Montiel, Brian Keith, Ralph Meeker, Jay C. Flippen, and a young Charles Bronson. Set at the end of the America ...
'' (1957) with Rod Steiger. He was top billed in ''
Chicago Confidential ''Chicago Confidential'' is a 1957 American crime film noir directed by Sidney Salkow, starring Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Dick Foran. It is based on the 1950 book ''Chicago: Confidential!'' by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer. ''Chicago Confid ...
'' (1957), but returned to supporting parts with '' Appointment with a Shadow'' (1957) ''
Hell Canyon Outlaws ''Hell Canyon Outlaws'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Paul Landres and written by Allan Kaufman and Max Glandbard. The film stars Dale Robertson, Brian Keith, Rossana Rory, Dick Kallman, Don Megowan and Mike Lane. The film wa ...
'' (1957), and ''
Fort Dobbs ''Fort Dobbs'' is a 1958 American Western film, the first of three directed by Gordon Douglas to star Clint Walker. The other two were: ''Yellowstone Kelly'' in 1959 and ''Gold of the Seven Saints'' in 1961. Released by Warner Brothers and ba ...
'' (1958). He announced he would make ''Alien Virus'' for his Michael Productions, but it was not made. Keith was top billed in some low-budget action movies: ''
Violent Road ''Violent Road'', also known as ''Hell's Highway'', is a 1958 American film directed by Howard W. Koch, written by Richard H. Landau, and starring Brian Keith, Dick Foran, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Merry Anders, Sean Garrison and Joanna Barnes. A ...
'' (1958), ''
Desert Hell ''Desert Hell'' is a 1958 American adventure film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and written by Charles Marquis Warren and Endre Bohem. The film stars Brian Keith, Barbara Hale, Richard Denning, Johnny Desmond, Phillip Pine, Richard Shannon ( ...
'' (1958), ''
Sierra Baron ''Sierra Baron'' is a 1958 American Western CinemaScope color film directed by James B. Clark and starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason and Rita Gam, from the novel by Thomas W. Blackburn. Plot summary In 1848, a rancher, Miguel Delmonte (Rick Jas ...
'' (1958), and ''
Villa!! ''Villa!!'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by James B. Clark, written by Louis Vittes, and starring Brian Keith, Cesar Romero, Margia Dean, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Carlos Múzquiz and Mario Navarro. The film was released in October 1958, ...
'' (1958). The last two were shot back-to-back in Mexico. He guest starred on ''
Studio One in Hollywood ''Studio One'' is an American anthology drama television series that was adapted from a radio series. It was created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. It premiered on November 7, 1948 and ended on Sept ...
'', '' Rawhide'', '' Laramie'', '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'', and an episode of ''
Zane Grey Theater ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star F ...
'', which was written and directed by
Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received an Academy Award nomination and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Institut ...
and later led to ''The Westerner''.


''The Westerner'' and Disney

Keith supported Paul Newman in ''
The Young Philadelphians ''The Young Philadelphians'' is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel ''The Philadelphian'', by Richard P. Powell. ...
'' (1959), and had the lead in two productions for Disney, the TV show ''Elfego Baca: Move Along, Mustangers'' (1959) and the feature '' Ten Who Dared'' (1960). In 1960, he won acclaim for his starring role in
Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received an Academy Award nomination and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Institut ...
's extremely hard-bitten, adult, and short-lived series '' The Westerner'' (1960). It went for only 13 episodes, but became a cult classic. "Only four or five of those were any good", said Keith later. "But those four or five were as good as anything anybody has ever done." Keith guest starred in: ''
The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...
'', ''
The Americans ''The Americans'' is an American period spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg that aired on the FX television network for six seasons from January 30, 2013, to May 30, 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also serve as showrunners a ...
'', '' Frontier Circus'', ''
Alcoa Premiere ''Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episodes ...
'', '' Outlaws'', '' Follow the Sun'', and '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' again. Keith made a second film for Disney, playing the father of twins in the film '' The Parent Trap'' (1961), costarring Hayley Mills and Maureen O'Hara, which was a huge hit. Critical acclaim was given to ''
The Deadly Companions ''The Deadly Companions'' is a 1961 American Western and war film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, Steve Cochran, and Chill Wills. Based on the novel of the same name by A. S. Fleischman, the film is abo ...
'' (1961), a Western with O'Hara, which marked Peckinpah's feature directorial debut. Keith did two more films for Disney, ''
Moon Pilot ''Moon Pilot'' is a 1962 American Technicolor science fiction comedy film from Walt Disney Productions, released through Buena Vista Distribution, directed by James Neilson, and starring Tom Tryon, Brian Keith, Edmond O'Brien, Dany Saval, and ...
'' (1962) and '' Savage Sam'' (1963). He guest starred on: '' Target: The Corruptors'', ''
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was re ...
'', '' The Virginian'' (1963), ''
Sam Benedict ''Sam Benedict'' is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman. The character Sam Benedict is based on real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, who served as t ...
'', ''
Dr. Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...
'', '' The Fugitive'', ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'', ''
77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...
'', ''
Kraft Suspense Theatre The ''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced and broadcast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's '' Kraft ...
'', '' The Great Adventure'', ''
Profiles in Courage ''Profiles in Courage'' is a 1956 volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators. The book profiles senators who defied the opinions of their party and constituents to do what they felt was ...
''. Keith did a Western for Universal, '' The Raiders'' (1963) then returned to Disney for '' Johnny Shiloh'' (1963), ''Bristle Face'' (1964), '' The Tenderfoot'' (1964), '' A Tiger Walks'' (1964) and ''
Those Calloways ''Those Calloways'' is a 1964 American family drama film, adapted from the 1950 children's novel ''Swiftwater'' by Paul Annixter. The film was produced by Walt Disney and directed by Norman Tokar. It was the last credit for veteran film composer ...
'' (1965). He went to Fox for '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964) and had support roles in ''
The Hallelujah Trail ''The Hallelujah Trail'' is a 1965 American Western mockumentary spoof directed by John Sturges, with top-billed stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton and Pamela Tiffin. It was based on the book of the same title (originally released as ...
'' (1965), ''
The Rare Breed ''The Rare Breed'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith in Panavision. Loosely based on the life of rancher Col. John William Burgess, the film follows Ma ...
'' (1966) (again with O'Hara), and ''
Nevada Smith ''Nevada Smith'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy and Suzanne Pleshette. The film was made by Embassy Pictures and Solar Productions, in association ...
'' (1966), co-starring with Steve McQueen as traveling gunsmith Jonas Cord. Keith did the comedies ''
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! ''The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed and produced by Norman Jewison for the United Artists. It is based on the 1961 Nathaniel Benchley novel ''The Off-Islanders'', and was adapted for the s ...
'' (1966) for
Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (born July 21, 1926) is a retired Canadian film and television director, producer, and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. He has directed numerous feature films and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...
, '' Way... Way Out'' (1966) with Jerry Lewis, and ''
With Six You Get Eggroll ''With Six You Get Eggroll'' is a 1968 American romantic comedy film directed by Howard Morris and starring Doris Day, Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey, George Carlin, and Pat Carroll. It was the first film that was produced by the CBS Television Ne ...
'' (1968) with Doris Day.


''Family Affair''

In 1966, Keith landed the role of Uncle Bill Davis on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
's popular television situation comedy ''
Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...
''. This role earned him three Emmy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. The show made him a household name. It was in the vein of such successful 1960s and 1970s sitcoms that dealt with widowhood and/or many
single-parent A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include divorce, break-up, abandonment, becoming wi ...
issues as: ''
The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...
'', ''
My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...
'', ''
The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family f ...
'', ''
Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and ...
'', '' One Day at a Time'', '' Here's Lucy'', ''
Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...
'', ''
The Courtship of Eddie's Father ''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'' is an American sitcom based on the 1963 film of the same name, which was based on a novel by Mark Toby (edited by Dorothy Wilson). The series is about a widower, Tom Corbett (played by Bill Bixby), who is a ...
'', ''
The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...
'', ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from S ...
'', and '' Sanford and Son''. During its first season in 1966, ''Family Affair'' was an immediate hit, ranking number 15 in the Nielsen ratings. By the end of its fifth season, in 1971, ''Family Affair'' still had high ratings, but was cancelled after 138 episodes.
Kathy Garver Kathleen Marie Garver is an American actress most remembered for having portrayed the teenaged orphan, Catherine "Cissy" Davis, on the popular 1960s CBS sitcom, ''Family Affair''. Before that, she was cast by Cecil B. DeMille in the film ''T ...
, who co-starred as Keith's teenaged niece, Cissy, on ''Family Affair'', indicated that Keith said: "I'm a cultural Irishman, don't you know, I'm a cultural Irishman." Garver explained: "But he went through many manifestations and changes of character, during the five years that we shot. At first, he was up and then his second year, he was going through a divorce, and then, the third year, he met somebody else, and he became more anecdotal and told stories that he loved kids, and he was very outspoken about those that he did not like. So, he was a very interesting character and it was Brian and Sebastian Cabot
ho played Mr. French Ho (or the transliterations He or Heo) may refer to: People Language and ethnicity * Ho people, an ethnic group of India ** Ho language, a tribal language in India * Hani people, or Ho people, an ethnic group in China, Laos and Vietnam * Hiri Mo ...
had such a different style of acting and that's another reason I think that ''Family Affair'' was so popular and stayed as it did. Both excellent actors, both coming from very different methods and styles of acting with Sebastian was more from the classical style and he would take home his script and he would dutifully look at every single word and have it to perfection, and then Brian would come in and say, 'Oh what do we have today? Let me see the scene, uh-huh, uh-huh, let's go!' So he was very improvisational, motion of the moment. And those two different styles really worked out each other, very well." During the series' run Keith appeared in '' Reflections in a Golden Eye'' (1967) with Marlon Brando, ''
With Six You Get Eggroll ''With Six You Get Eggroll'' is a 1968 American romantic comedy film directed by Howard Morris and starring Doris Day, Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey, George Carlin, and Pat Carroll. It was the first film that was produced by the CBS Television Ne ...
'' (1968) with Doris Day, '' Krakatoa: East of Java'' (1968) for Cinerama, and ''
Gaily, Gaily ''Gaily, Gaily'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Chicago, Chicago'') is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. It is a fictionalized adaptation of a 1963 memoir of the same name by Ben Hecht and stars Beau Bridges, Brian ...
'' (1969) for Norman Jewison. He had leading roles in '' Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'' (1970) for Cinemrama and ''
The McKenzie Break ''The McKenzie Break'' is a 1970 British war drama film starring Brian Keith as Jack Connor, an intelligence officer investigating recent disturbances at a prisoner of war (POW) camp in Scotland. The Nazi German POWs are led by the charismatic ...
'' (1970). In 1970, Keith moved to Hawaii. Keith made '' Scandalous John'' (1971) for Disney, '' Something Big'' (1972) with Dean Martin and director
Andrew McLaglen Andrew Victor McLaglen (July 28, 1920 â€“ August 30, 2014) was a British-born American film and television director, known for Westerns and adventure films, often starring John Wayne or James Stewart. According to one obituary "His career ...
, and the TV movie '' Second Chance'' (1972).


''The Brian Keith Show'', ''The Zoo Gang'', ''Archer''

Keith went on to star as pediatrician Dr. Sean Jamison in the NBC sitcom ''
The Brian Keith Show ''The Brian Keith Show'' (titled ''The Little People'' during its first season) is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1972 to March 1974. The series stars Brian Keith and Shelley Fabares. Synopsis Keith plays Dr. Sean Jamison, ...
'' (also known as ''The Little People''). The series was cancelled in 1974 after two seasons. "The show ended because it was bad, not because of Hawaii", said Keith. Keith also starred in the role of Steven "The Fox" Halliday in the six-part television miniseries, ''
The Zoo Gang ''The Zoo Gang'' is a 1974 ITC Entertainment drama series that ran for six one-hour colour episodes, based on the 1971 book of the same name by Paul Gallico. Plot Five French Resistance fighters, known by their animal-based code names (the Wo ...
'' (1974), about a group of former underground
French Resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...
fighters from World War II. The show also starred
Sir John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...
,
Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...
, and
Barry Morse Herbert Morse (10 June 19182 February 2008), known professionally as Barry Morse, was a British-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio, best known for his roles in the ABC television series '' The Fugitive'' and the British sci-fi drama '' ...
, and featured a theme by
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
. Keith was third billed in ''
The Yakuza ''The Yakuza'' is a 1974 neo-noir crime drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura and Brian Keith. The screenplay by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne is from a story by Schrader's brother, Leonard Schrader. ...
'' (1974) starring
Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 â€“ July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...
, and in ''
The Wind and the Lion ''The Wind and the Lion'' is a 1975 American epic adventure film written and directed by John Milius and starring Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith, and John Huston. Made in Panavision and Metrocolor and produced by Herb Jaffe and Phil ...
'' (1975) starring Sean Connery, Keith played
President Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
for writer-director John Milius. He starred in the TV series ''
Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
'' (1975) as
Lew Archer Lew Archer is a fictional character created by American-Canadian writer Ross Macdonald. Archer is a private detective working in Southern California. Between the late 1940s and the early '70s, the character appeared in 18 novels and a handful o ...
, replacing
Peter Graves Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series ''Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series), Mission: Impossible'' from 1967 ...
who'd starred in the pilot, but it was cancelled after six episodes and has never been rerun in the United States (
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the ''Rambo'' franch ...
's score for the first episode of the series was released in 2018 by Lalaland Records). Keith did some Westerns, '' The Quest'' (1976) pilot, and ''
Joe Panther Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
'' (1976), and the TV movie ''
The Loneliest Runner ''The Loneliest Runner'' is an semi-autobiographical made-for-television film written, produced and directed by '' Bonanza'' star Michael Landon. It first aired on December 20, 1976 on NBC and starred Lance Kerwin, Brian Keith, DeAnn Mears, and ...
'' (1976). He had a supporting role in ''
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
'' (1976) and did the TV movies '' In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan'' (1977) and '' The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer'' (1977). He was in '' How the West Was Won'' (1978), '' Hooper'' (1978) with Burt Reynolds, ''
Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at ...
'' (1979), and ''
The Chisholms ''The Chisholms'' is a CBS western miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used inter ...
'' (1979). In 1992, he starred in the unsold, ABC half-hour pilot ''The Streets of Beverly Hills''. Keith spoke fluent Russian, which led to his casting as a Russian in two roles, as a Soviet scientist in the film ''
Meteor A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space. Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...
'' (1979) with
Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...
(who also spoke fluent Russian and played his translator), and as the Soviet premier in the NBC miniseries ''
World War III World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use since at ...
'' (1982) with
Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...
. He replaced
Barnard Hughes Bernard Aloysius Kiernan Hughes (July 16, 1915 – July 11, 2006), known professionally as Barnard Hughes, was an American actor of television, theater and film. Hughes became famous for a variety of roles; his most notable roles came after mi ...
on Broadway in '' Da'' and was on ''
The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk-influenced pop quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were ...
'' (1979), ''
Power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...
'' (1980), '' The Silent Lovers'' (1980), ''
The Mountain Men ''The Mountain Men'' is a 1980 American Adventure Western film directed by Richard Lang and starring Charlton Heston and Brian Keith. Heston's son, Fraser Clarke Heston authored the screenplay. Plot Bill Tyler is an argumentative, curmudgeon ...
'' (1980) with Charlton Heston, and ''
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen ''Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen'' is a 1981 comedy–mystery film directed by Clive Donner that stars Peter Ustinov, Angie Dickinson and Lee Grant. Plot Retired detective Charlie Chan is asked for his help by the San Francisco p ...
'' (1981). Of the latter he joked " "I only did the picture because it had a long title, and I seem to specialize in those". He had support roles in ''
Sharky's Machine ''Sharky's Machine'' is a 1981 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Burt Reynolds, who stars in the title role. It is an adaptation of William Diehl's first novel ''Sharky's Machine'' (1978) with a screenplay by Gerald Di Pego. It ...
'' (1981) with Burt Reynolds and '' Cry for the Strangers'' (1982).


''Hardcastle and McCormick'', ''Pursuit of Happiness'', and ''Heartland''

Keith once again returned to series television in 1983, with ''Hardcastle and McCormick'', in the role of a cranky retired judge named Milton C. Hardcastle.
Daniel Hugh Kelly Daniel Hugh Kelly (born August 10, 1952) is an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the 1980s ABC TV series ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' (1983–86) as the ex-con Mark "Skid" McCormick, co-starring with act ...
co-starred as ex-con Mark McCormick in this ABC crime drama with elements of comedy. The chemistry of Keith and Kelly was a hit, and the series lasted three years until its cancellation in 1986. During the series run, Keith was in '' Murder, She Wrote'' and ''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' (1986). Keith starred in '' The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory'' (1987) (as Davy Crockett), and '' Death Before Dishonor'', then did another TV series '' Pursuit of Happiness'' (1987–88), which ran 10 episodes. He was in ''After the Rain'' (1988), '' Young Guns'' (1988), and ''Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson'' (1989). He starred in another short-lived series ''
Heartland Heartland or Heartlands may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution * Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States * Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...
'' (1989). He had roles in '' Welcome Home'' (1989), and '' Lady in the Corner'' (1989).


Later career

Keith made a guest appearance in the ''
Evening Shade ''Evening Shade'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from September 21, 1990, to May 23, 1994. The series stars Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns t ...
'', season-one episode "Chip Off The Old Brick" (1991), as the loud-mouthed father of Herman Stiles (played by actor
Michael Jeter Robert Michael Jeter (; August 26, 1952 – March 30, 2003) was an American actor. His television roles included Herman Stiles on the sitcom ''Evening Shade'' from 1990 until 1994 and Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle, on the ''Elmo's World'' ...
). He reprised his character from ''The Westerner'' in '' The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' (1991) (which featured numerous actors from 1950s TV series playing their original roles in brief cameos), had the lead in ''
Walter & Emily ''Walter & Emily'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from November 16, 1991 to February 22, 1992. The series was created by Paul Perlove, and produced by Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Touchstone Television. Plot Retired salesm ...
'' (1991), a short-lived sitcom, and ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (1992), a pilot. Brian Keith appeared on a two-part episode of '' Major Dad'', season four "The People's Choice" as the Major's (
Gerald McRaney Gerald Lee McRaney (born August 19, 1947) is an American television and film actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows '' Simon & Simon'', ''Major Dad'', ''Promised Land'' and '' House of Cards''. He currently stars ...
) domineering father who pays a visit to the family. The episode aired on September 25, 1992. Keith performed the role of Mullibok on the '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' season-one episode entitled "Progress" (1993), in which an elderly farmer resists forcible relocation by Bajoran authorities. Among his last performances were ''The Secrets of Lake Success'', ''
Wind Dancer Sofia Elizabeth Mantega, also known as Wind Dancer and formerly known as Renascence, is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. One of the student body in the Xavier Institute, she is a member of the N ...
'', ''
The Commish ''The Commish'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC in the United States from September 28, 1991, to January 11, 1996. The series focuses on the work and home life of a suburban police commissioner in Eastbridge, New ...
'', ''
Under a Killing Moon ''Under a Killing Moon'' is a 1994 point-and-click adventure interactive movie video game. It is the third installment in the '' Tex Murphy'' series of adventure games produced by Access Software. In it, the detective Tex Murphy finds himself un ...
'' (1994), ''The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A. '' (1995), '' The Monroes'', ''
Favorite Deadly Sins ''National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins'' is a 1995 comedy TV-film. It is a trilogy of short episodes about the foundation of show business: Lust, Greed and Anger. It stars Andrew Clay, Denis Leary and Joe Mantegna. Lust was written by Leary's w ...
'' (1995), '' Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story'' (1996), ''
Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film '' Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the ...
'', ''
Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...
'', and ''
The Second Civil War ''The Second Civil War'' is a satirical black comedy film made for the HBO cable television network and first shown on March 15, 1997. Directed by Joe Dante, the film is a satire about anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. The film ...
'' (1997). Keith guest starred in an episode of the TV series ''
The Marshal ''The Marshal'' is an American action-drama television series that aired on ABC for two seasons in 1995. The show starred Jeff Fahey as the title character, a United States Marshal charged with pursuing fugitives across the nation. In 1995, the ...
'' titled "The Bounty Hunter" (1995) in which he played then
Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...
, Police Chief Rick Stone under the stage name of Chief Skoblow. The
Wichita Police Department The Wichita Police Department (WPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving Wichita, Kansas. Wichita Police Department's jurisdiction overlaps with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. Current chief of the Wichita Police Department is Jos ...
cooperated with the Canadian TV production company by providing details of Chief Stone's actual police dress uniform for Keith to wear during the episode. Keith also provided the voice of Ben Parker on '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series''. In his last film, Keith played President
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
in the film ''
Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and di ...
'' (1997). Director John Milius dedicated the film to "Brian Keith, Actor, Marine, Raconteur."


Personal life

Keith married three times, first to Frances Helm; then, in 1954, to actress Judy Landon (who made a guest appearance on ''Family Affair''); and finally, in 1970, to Hawaiian actress Victoria Young (née Leialoha), who later appeared on ''The Brian Keith Show'' as Nurse Puni. Keith had two children with Landon (Michael and Mimi), and together, they adopted three children (Barbra, Betty, and Rory). Keith also had two children with Young (Bobby and Daisy). Daisy became an actress and appeared with her father in the series ''Heartland'', in 1989.


Death

On June 24, 1997, at the age of 75, Keith died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in
Malibu, California Malibu ( ; es, Malibú; Chumash: ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its strip of the Malib ...
. He suffered from emphysema and lung cancer during the latter part of his life, despite having quit smoking ten years earlier. He reportedly also struggled with financial problems, and suffered from depression throughout his final days. Keith's death occurred two months after the death of his daughter Daisy, who also died by suicide. Maureen O'Hara stated in an interview not long after Keith died that she believed he did not commit suicide. She stated that he had a large gun collection, and enjoyed cleaning them and showing them to people. She believed he might have been cleaning the gun or looking at it when it went off, and that his death was an accident and definitely not a suicide. She had just visited him and said he was in good spirits. She also stated that he would not have committed suicide given his Catholic beliefs. Keith's family was joined by many mourners at a private funeral, including ''
Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...
'' co stars
Kathy Garver Kathleen Marie Garver is an American actress most remembered for having portrayed the teenaged orphan, Catherine "Cissy" Davis, on the popular 1960s CBS sitcom, ''Family Affair''. Before that, she was cast by Cecil B. DeMille in the film ''T ...
and
Johnny Whitaker John Orson Whitaker, Jr. (born December 13, 1959) is an American actor notable for several film and television performances during his childhood. The redheaded Whitaker played Jody Davis on ''Family Affair'' from 1966 to 1971. He also originated ...
, and ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' co-star
Daniel Hugh Kelly Daniel Hugh Kelly (born August 10, 1952) is an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the 1980s ABC TV series ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' (1983–86) as the ex-con Mark "Skid" McCormick, co-starring with act ...
. Keith's ashes were interred next to those of his daughter Daisy at
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...
in Los Angeles.


Legacy

On June 26, 2008, Brian Keith received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Work


Film

* '' Pied Piper Malone'' (1924) as Little Boy * ''The Other Kind of Love'' (1924) as Child (uncredited) * ''
Knute Rockne, All American ''Knute Rockne, All American'' is a 1940 American biographical film that tells the story of Knute Rockne, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame's legendary football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan as pl ...
'' (1940) as Student at Train Station (uncredited) * ''
Portrait of Jennie ''Portrait of Jennie'' is a 1948 American fantasy film based on the 1940 novella by Robert Nathan. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced by David O. Selznick. It stars Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten. At the 21st Academy A ...
'' (1948) as Ice-Skating Extra (uncredited) * ''
Fourteen Hours ''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel. The film won critical accla ...
'' (1951) as Extra (uncredited) * ''
Arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...
'' (1953) as Capt. Bill North * ''
Alaska Seas ''Alaska Seas'' is a 1954 American crime film noir directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Robert Ryan and Brian Keith. The supporting cast features Jan Sterling, Gene Barry and Aaron Spelling. The picture is a loose remake of the 1938 film '' Sp ...
'' (1954) as Jim Kimmerly * '' Jivaro'' (1954) as Tony * ''
The Bamboo Prison ''The Bamboo Prison'' is a 1954 American Korean War film–drama film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Robert Francis, Brian Keith, Dianne Foster, and Jerome Courtland. The working title was ''I Was a Prisoner in Korea''. The US Army denied ...
'' (1954) as Cpl. Brady * ''
The Violent Men ''The Violent Men'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Rudolph Maté and starring Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Dianne Foster, Brian Keith, and May Wynn. Based on the 1955 novel '' Smoky Valley'' by Donald Hamil ...
'' (1955) as Cole Wilkison * '' Tight Spot'' (1955) as Vince Striker * ''
5 Against the House ''5 Against the House'' is a 1955 American heist film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Guy Madison, Kim Novak and Brian Keith. The supporting cast includes William Conrad. The screenplay is based on Jack Finney's 1954 novel of the same nam ...
'' (1955) as Brick * '' Storm Center'' (1956) as Paul Duncan * '' Nightfall'' (1956) as John * ''
Run of the Arrow ''Run of the Arrow'' is a 1957 American Western film written, directed, and produced by Samuel Fuller and starring Rod Steiger, Sara Montiel, Brian Keith, Ralph Meeker, Jay C. Flippen, and a young Charles Bronson. Set at the end of the America ...
'' (1957) as Capt. Clark * '' Dino'' (1957) as Larry Sheridan * ''
Chicago Confidential ''Chicago Confidential'' is a 1957 American crime film noir directed by Sidney Salkow, starring Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Dick Foran. It is based on the 1950 book ''Chicago: Confidential!'' by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer. ''Chicago Confid ...
'' (1957) as Dist. Atty. Jim Fremont * '' Appointment with a Shadow'' (1957) as Lt. Spencer * ''
Hell Canyon Outlaws ''Hell Canyon Outlaws'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Paul Landres and written by Allan Kaufman and Max Glandbard. The film stars Dale Robertson, Brian Keith, Rossana Rory, Dick Kallman, Don Megowan and Mike Lane. The film wa ...
'' (1957) as Happy Waters * ''
Fort Dobbs ''Fort Dobbs'' is a 1958 American Western film, the first of three directed by Gordon Douglas to star Clint Walker. The other two were: ''Yellowstone Kelly'' in 1959 and ''Gold of the Seven Saints'' in 1961. Released by Warner Brothers and ba ...
'' (1958) as Clett * ''
Violent Road ''Violent Road'', also known as ''Hell's Highway'', is a 1958 American film directed by Howard W. Koch, written by Richard H. Landau, and starring Brian Keith, Dick Foran, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Merry Anders, Sean Garrison and Joanna Barnes. A ...
'' (1958) as Mitch Barton * ''
Desert Hell ''Desert Hell'' is a 1958 American adventure film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and written by Charles Marquis Warren and Endre Bohem. The film stars Brian Keith, Barbara Hale, Richard Denning, Johnny Desmond, Phillip Pine, Richard Shannon ( ...
'' (1958) as Capt. Robert Edwards * ''
Sierra Baron ''Sierra Baron'' is a 1958 American Western CinemaScope color film directed by James B. Clark and starring Brian Keith, Rick Jason and Rita Gam, from the novel by Thomas W. Blackburn. Plot summary In 1848, a rancher, Miguel Delmonte (Rick Jas ...
'' (1958) as Jack McCracken * ''
Villa!! ''Villa!!'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by James B. Clark, written by Louis Vittes, and starring Brian Keith, Cesar Romero, Margia Dean, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Carlos Múzquiz and Mario Navarro. The film was released in October 1958, ...
'' (1958) as Bill Harmon * ''
The Young Philadelphians ''The Young Philadelphians'' is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel ''The Philadelphian'', by Richard P. Powell. ...
'' (1959) as Mike Flanagan * '' Ten Who Dared'' (1960) as William 'Bill' Dunn * ''
The Deadly Companions ''The Deadly Companions'' is a 1961 American Western and war film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, Steve Cochran, and Chill Wills. Based on the novel of the same name by A. S. Fleischman, the film is abo ...
'' (1961) as Yellowleg * '' The Parent Trap'' (1961) as Mitch Evers * ''
Moon Pilot ''Moon Pilot'' is a 1962 American Technicolor science fiction comedy film from Walt Disney Productions, released through Buena Vista Distribution, directed by James Neilson, and starring Tom Tryon, Brian Keith, Edmond O'Brien, Dany Saval, and ...
'' (1962) as Maj. Gen. John M. Vanneman * '' Savage Sam'' (1963) as Uncle Beck Coates * '' The Raiders'' (1963) as John G. McElroy / Narrator * '' A Tiger Walks'' (1964) as Sheriff Pete Williams * '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964) as Paul Barton * ''
Those Calloways ''Those Calloways'' is a 1964 American family drama film, adapted from the 1950 children's novel ''Swiftwater'' by Paul Annixter. The film was produced by Walt Disney and directed by Norman Tokar. It was the last credit for veteran film composer ...
'' (1965) as Cam Calloway * ''
The Hallelujah Trail ''The Hallelujah Trail'' is a 1965 American Western mockumentary spoof directed by John Sturges, with top-billed stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton and Pamela Tiffin. It was based on the book of the same title (originally released as ...
'' (1965) as Frank Wallingham * ''
The Rare Breed ''The Rare Breed'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith in Panavision. Loosely based on the life of rancher Col. John William Burgess, the film follows Ma ...
'' (1966) as Bowen * ''
Nevada Smith ''Nevada Smith'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy and Suzanne Pleshette. The film was made by Embassy Pictures and Solar Productions, in association ...
'' (1966) as Jonas Cord * ''
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming ''The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed and produced by Norman Jewison for the United Artists. It is based on the 1961 Nathaniel Benchley novel ''The Off-Islanders'', and was adapted for the s ...
'' (1966) as Police Chief Link Mattocks * '' Way...Way Out'' (1966) as Gen. 'Howling Bull' Hallenby * '' Reflections in a Golden Eye'' (1967) as Lt. Col. Morris Langdon * ''
With Six You Get Eggroll ''With Six You Get Eggroll'' is a 1968 American romantic comedy film directed by Howard Morris and starring Doris Day, Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey, George Carlin, and Pat Carroll. It was the first film that was produced by the CBS Television Ne ...
'' (1968) as Jake Iverson * ''
Krakatoa, East of Java ''Krakatoa, East of Java'' is a 1968 American disaster film starring Maximilian Schell and Brian Keith. During the 1970s, the film was re-released under the title ''Volcano''. The story is loosely based on events surrounding the 1883 eruption ...
'' (1969) as Connerly * ''
Gaily, Gaily ''Gaily, Gaily'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Chicago, Chicago'') is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. It is a fictionalized adaptation of a 1963 memoir of the same name by Ben Hecht and stars Beau Bridges, Brian ...
'' (1969) as Francis Sullivan * '' Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'' (1970) as Officer Michael M. Nace * ''
The McKenzie Break ''The McKenzie Break'' is a 1970 British war drama film starring Brian Keith as Jack Connor, an intelligence officer investigating recent disturbances at a prisoner of war (POW) camp in Scotland. The Nazi German POWs are led by the charismatic ...
'' (1970) as Capt. Jack Connor * '' Scandalous John'' (1971) as John McCanless * '' Something Big'' (1971) as Col. Morgan * ''
The Yakuza ''The Yakuza'' is a 1974 neo-noir crime drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura and Brian Keith. The screenplay by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne is from a story by Schrader's brother, Leonard Schrader. ...
'' (1975) as George Tanner * ''
The Wind and the Lion ''The Wind and the Lion'' is a 1975 American epic adventure film written and directed by John Milius and starring Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith, and John Huston. Made in Panavision and Metrocolor and produced by Herb Jaffe and Phil ...
'' (1975) as President Theodore Roosevelt * ''Joe Panther'' (1976) as Capt. Harper * ''
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
'' (1976) as H.H. Cobb * '' Hooper'' (1978) as Jocko * ''
Meteor A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space. Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...
'' (1979) as Dr. Dubov * ''
The Mountain Men ''The Mountain Men'' is a 1980 American Adventure Western film directed by Richard Lang and starring Charlton Heston and Brian Keith. Heston's son, Fraser Clarke Heston authored the screenplay. Plot Bill Tyler is an argumentative, curmudgeon ...
'' (1980) as Henry Frapp * ''
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen ''Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen'' is a 1981 comedy–mystery film directed by Clive Donner that stars Peter Ustinov, Angie Dickinson and Lee Grant. Plot Retired detective Charlie Chan is asked for his help by the San Francisco p ...
'' (1981) as Police Chief * ''
Sharky's Machine ''Sharky's Machine'' is a 1981 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Burt Reynolds, who stars in the title role. It is an adaptation of William Diehl's first novel ''Sharky's Machine'' (1978) with a screenplay by Gerald Di Pego. It ...
'' (1981) as Papa * '' Death Before Dishonor'' (1987) as Col. Halloran * '' Young Guns'' (1988) as Buckshot Roberts * ''After the Rain'' (1988) * ''Lady in a Corner'' (1989) as David Henderson * '' Welcome Home'' (1989) as Harry Robins * ''Wind Dancer'' (1993) as Truman Richards * '' Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story'' (1996) as Cardinal * ''
The Second Civil War ''The Second Civil War'' is a satirical black comedy film made for the HBO cable television network and first shown on March 15, 1997. Directed by Joe Dante, the film is a satire about anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. The film ...
'' (1997) as Maj. Gen. Charles Buford * ''
Walking Thunder ''Walking Thunder'' is a 1994 film starring James Read, John Denver and David Tom and Bart the Bear, written and directed by Craig Clyde. It relates the memoirs of a young boy Jacob McKay who travels with his family on a wagon on their way to Cal ...
'' (1997) as Narrator (voice) * ''
Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and di ...
'' (1997) as President William McKinley * ''Follow Your Heart'' (1999) as Roddy Thompson (final film role)


Television

* '' Suspense'' (CBS, "Set-Up for Death" (1949), starring John Marley & Brian Keith) * '' Police Story'' (CBS, guest star) * ''Tales Of Tomorrow: Appointment On Mars'' (1952) Television Series (as Robert Keith, Jr.) * '' Target: The Corruptors!'' (ABC, guest star) * ''
Sam Benedict ''Sam Benedict'' is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman. The character Sam Benedict is based on real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, who served as t ...
'' (NBC, guest star) * ''Crusader'' (CBS, 1955–56; 52 episodes in title role) as Matt Anders * '' The Westerner'' (NBC, 1960) as Dave Blassingame * '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (Cell 227) 1960 * '' Outlaws'' (NBC, 1961–62; 2 episodes as guest star) as Sven Johannsen / Jim Whipple * ''
The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...
'' ("The Jamaica Ginger Story") (1961) as Jim Martinson * ''
Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...
'': "Night of the Owl" (CBS, 1962) as Vernon Wedge / Herbert Morrison / Dave Rainey / Arnold Shawn * '' The Virginian'' ("Duel at Shiloh") (1963) as Johnny Wade * ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'' (1963, 2 episodes as guest star) as First Sgt. Gault / Tom Tuesday * ''Fear in a Desert City'' (Pilot for '' The Fugitive'') (1963) as Edward Welles * ''
Kraft Suspense Theatre The ''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced and broadcast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's '' Kraft ...
'': "A Cause of Anger" S1/Ep 19 (NBC, 1964) as Andy Bastian * '' The Tenderfoot'' (1964), a three-part television miniseries comedy
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
for
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's '' Wonderful World of Color'' * ''
Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...
'' (CBS, 1966–71) as Uncle Bill Davis * ''
Password A password, sometimes called a passcode (for example in Apple devices), is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of ...
'' (CBS, 1966) as Himself, Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star * ''The Bull of the West'' (TV movie, 1972) as Johnny Wade (archive footage) * ''
The Brian Keith Show ''The Brian Keith Show'' (titled ''The Little People'' during its first season) is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1972 to March 1974. The series stars Brian Keith and Shelley Fabares. Synopsis Keith plays Dr. Sean Jamison, ...
'' (NBC, 1972–74) as Dr. Sean Jamison * ''
The Zoo Gang ''The Zoo Gang'' is a 1974 ITC Entertainment drama series that ran for six one-hour colour episodes, based on the 1971 book of the same name by Paul Gallico. Plot Five French Resistance fighters, known by their animal-based code names (the Wo ...
'' (
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
, 1974) as Steven 'The Fox' Halliday * ''
Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
'' (NBC, six episodes, 1975) as Lew Archer * ''
The Loneliest Runner ''The Loneliest Runner'' is an semi-autobiographical made-for-television film written, produced and directed by '' Bonanza'' star Michael Landon. It first aired on December 20, 1976 on NBC and starred Lance Kerwin, Brian Keith, DeAnn Mears, and ...
'' (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
, 1976) as Arnold Curtis * ''In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan'' (TV movie, 1977) as Joe Quinlan * '' How the West Was Won'' (originally titled ''The Macahans'') (ABC, 1977) as General Stonecipher * ''
Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at ...
'' (NBC, 1978–79) as Sheriff Axel Dumire * ''
The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk-influenced pop quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were ...
'' (1979) as Elijah Weatherby * ''
The Chisholms ''The Chisholms'' is a CBS western miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used inter ...
'' (CBS, 1979) as Andrew Blake * ''
World War III (miniseries) ''World War III'' is a miniseries that aired on the NBC television network on January 31, 1982. Plot The miniseries begins in 1987. At the critical point of the Cold War, two US Air Force airmen monitor their radar screens at a quiet and rem ...
'' as Soviet premiere * '' Cry for the Strangers'' (TV movie, 1982) as Chief Whalen * ''
Hardcastle and McCormick ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' is an American action crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 18, 1983, through May 5, 1986. The series stars Brian Keith as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle and Daniel Hugh Kelly as ex-con and rac ...
'' (ABC, 1983–86) as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle * '' The Murder of Sherlock Holmes'' (Pilot for '' Murder, She Wrote'') (CBS, 1984) as Caleb McCallum * ''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' (Disney Made for TV movie ABC, 1986) * '' Pursuit of Happiness'' (
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
, 1987) as Prof. Roland G. Duncan * ''Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson'' (CBS, 1989) as Frank Wellman Sr. * ''
Heartland Heartland or Heartlands may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution * Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States * Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...
'' (
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, 1989) as B.L. McCutcheon * ''
The Young Riders ''The Young Riders'' is an American western television series created by Ed Spielman that presents a fictionalized account of a group of young Pony Express riders (some of whom are young versions of legendary figures in Old West history) based at ...
'': "Star Light, Star Bright" (ABC, 1991) as Cyrus Happy * ''
Walter & Emily ''Walter & Emily'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from November 16, 1991 to February 22, 1992. The series was created by Paul Perlove, and produced by Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Touchstone Television. Plot Retired salesm ...
'' (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
, 1991–92) as Walter Collins * ''
Evening Shade ''Evening Shade'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from September 21, 1990, to May 23, 1994. The series stars Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns t ...
'': "Chip Off the Old Brick" (
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, 1991–94) * ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (pilot) ABC (1992) * '' Major Dad'': "The People's Choice; parts I & II" (season 4, episodes 1 & 2) (CBS, 1992) as Jake MacGillis * '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'': "Progress" ( syndicated, 1993) as Mullibok * '' Spider-Man'' (1995) as
Uncle Ben Benjamin Franklin Parker, usually referred to as Uncle Ben, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in association with the superhero Spider-Man. He is the husband of May Parker and the pat ...
(voice) * ''
The Commish ''The Commish'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC in the United States from September 28, 1991, to January 11, 1996. The series focuses on the work and home life of a suburban police commissioner in Eastbridge, New ...
'': "The Iceman Cometh" (ABC, 1994) as Phil 'Iceman' Greene / Lou Parslow * ''
Cybill ''Cybill'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre, which aired on CBS from January 2, 1995, to July 13, 1998. Starring Cybill Shepherd, the show revolves around the life of Cybill Sheridan, a twice-divorced single mother of tw ...
'': "Who's Who for What's His Name?" (season 2, episode 16) (CBS, 1996) as Arthur Minnow * '' Pacific Blue'': "First Shoot" (season 1, episode 2) (
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, 1996) as Mac McNamara * ''
Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...
'' (CBS, 1996) as Leonard Pound * ''
Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film '' Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the ...
'': "Ghost Rider" (season 5, episode 3) (CBS, 1996) as Del Forman * ''
Duckman ''Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man'' is an American adult animated sitcom that aired on the USA Network from March 5, 1994, through September 6, 1997. It was created and developed by Everett Peck, and is based on characters he created in his 19 ...
'': "Kidney, Popsicle, and Nuts" (season 4, episode 18) (USA, 1997) as Duckman's Father (voice)


Stage

*''Heyday'' (1946) *''Mr. Roberts'' as First Mate (c. 1950 as Robert Keith, Jr.) N.B. Robert Keith, Sr. was the Doctor in it. * ''
Darkness at Noon ''Darkness at Noon'' (german: link=no, Sonnenfinsternis) is a novel by Hungarian-born novelist Arthur Koestler, first published in 1940. His best known work, it is the tale of Rubashov, an Old Bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried ...
'' (1951) * '' Da'' (1978)


Video Games

* ''
Under a Killing Moon ''Under a Killing Moon'' is a 1994 point-and-click adventure interactive movie video game. It is the third installment in the '' Tex Murphy'' series of adventure games produced by Access Software. In it, the detective Tex Murphy finds himself un ...
'' (1994) as The Colonel


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Keith, Brian 1921 births 1997 deaths 20th-century American male actors Male actors from New Jersey American male child actors American male film actors United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II American male silent film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American television directors Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Recipients of the Air Medal Suicides by firearm in California Actors from Bayonne, New Jersey People from East Rockaway, New York Military personnel from New Jersey Western (genre) television actors Catholics from New Jersey 1997 suicides East Rockaway High School alumni