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Richard Kiley

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Richard Kiley
Kiley in 1960
Born
Richard Paul Kiley

(1922-03-31)March 31, 1922
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 1999(1999-03-05) (aged 76)
Middletown, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active1950–1999
Spouses
Mary Bell Wood
​
​
(m. 1948; div. 1967)​
Patricia Ferrier
​
​
(m. 1968)​
Children6

Richard Paul Kiley (March 31, 1922 – March 5, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor and singer. He is best-known for his distinguished theatrical career in which he twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[1] Kiley created the role of Don Quixote in the original 1965 production of the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and was the first to sing and record "The Impossible Dream", the hit song from the show. In the 1953 hit musical Kismet, he played the Caliph in the original Broadway cast and, as such, was one of the quartet who sang "And This Is My Beloved". Additionally, he won four Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards during his 50-year career[2] and his "sonorous baritone"[3] was also featured in the narration of a number of documentaries and other films. At the time of his death, Kiley was described as "one of theater's most distinguished and versatile actors" and as "an indispensable actor, the kind of performer who could be called on to play kings and commoners and a diversity of characters in between."[2]

Early life

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Kiley was born on March 31, 1922, in Chicago, and raised Catholic. He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1939, and after a year at Loyola University Chicago he left to study acting at Chicago's Barnum Dramatic School.[1] In the late 1940s, he performed in Chicago-area summer stock theaters with actors such as Alan Furlan.[4] Following his service in the Navy during World War II, he returned to Chicago working as an actor and announcer on radio before moving to New York City. In New York he studied singing with Ray Smolover.[5]

Career

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Kiley's work on stage included Kismet, No Strings (which was Richard Rodgers's first stage musical after the death of Oscar Hammerstein II, in which Rodgers wrote both music and lyrics), the Buddy Hackett vehicle I Had a Ball, and the lead roles in Redhead, Man of La Mancha, and the play The Incomparable Max.

Kiley later starred in the television play Patterns, which aired live on January 12, 1955. It caused a sensation and won an Emmy for its writer, Rod Serling. He played the role of John Malcolm Patterson, future Attorney General of Alabama (and later Governor of Alabama), in the 1955 film The Phenix City Story. Kiley also portrayed math teacher Joshua Edwards, whose phonograph records were smashed by delinquents in Blackboard Jungle in 1955.

Kiley won Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for Redhead in 1959 and Man of La Mancha in 1966. The dual role of middle-aged author Cervantes and his fictional creation Quixote is one of the few musical roles that requires the talents of both leading man and character actor.[6] Kiley said while La Mancha was on Broadway that despite the fact he had grown tired of playing leading men, he would always be grateful for having been given the chance to perform in La Mancha.[citation needed] He performed in the original production for over five years and returned for Broadway revivals in 1972 and 1977 saying he had become "very possessive" of the role.[7]

Kiley won three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for his work in television. He won both an Emmy and Golden Globe awards for The Thorn Birds (as Paddy, Rachel Ward's father) (1983) and A Year in the Life (1986, 1987–1988). His third Emmy win was for Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for an episode of Picket Fences, in which he had a recurring role as the father of main character Jill Brock (Kathy Baker). Kiley also received an Emmy nomination for portraying Chief Justice Earl Warren in the 1991 miniseries Separate but Equal dramatizing Brown vs. Board of Education.

Kiley with Peter Falk in Columbo, 1974.

Other television work included as the murderous police commissioner on Columbo (1974, the episode "A Friend In Deed"), his appearance as Gideon Seyetik in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Second Sight", as well as guest roles on Ally McBeal, Hawaii Five-O and Gunsmoke. He narrated the award-winning seven-part 1986 PBS documentary Planet Earth.

Kiley's baritone made him a favorite to narrate documentaries for television. Starting with ‘Land of the Tiger’ in 1985, Richard Kiley provided narration for multiple National Geographic Video television specials. Kiley also voiced two 1975 episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

In Jurassic Park, Kiley's voice narrates the park's vehicle tour. Kiley was introduced as the narrator for the tour first in the novel by Michael Crichton and later in the film adaptation by Steven Spielberg where the owner of the park said he "spared no expense" hiring Kiley.[6] Visitors to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida, and the former attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood hear Kiley as the narrator of the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride – making him the only person to appear in the book, the film, and the ride.

Kiley also narrated the A&E documentary television series Mysteries of the Bible, from 1994 to 1998. His final acting role was in the 1999 TV movie Blue Moon, which debuted the month after his death.[8]

Death

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Kiley died of an unspecified bone marrow disease at Horton Hospital in Middletown, New York, on March 5, 1999, less than a month before his 77th birthday. He was survived by his wife, dancer Patricia Ferrier,[9] and six children from his first marriage:[10] sons David and Michael Kiley and daughters Kathleen, Dorothea, Erin and Deirdre. His remains were interred in Warwick, New York. Broadway's lights went dark in his honor.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1951 The Mob Thomas Clancy
1952 The Sniper Dr. James G. Kent
Eight Iron Men Private Coke
1953 Pickup on South Street Joey
1955 Blackboard Jungle Joshua Y. Edwards
The Phenix City Story John Patterson
1957 Spanish Affair Merritt Blake
1958 The Power of the Resurrection Peter
1969 Pendulum Woodrow Wilson King
1970 A.k.a. Cassius Clay Narrator
1974 The Little Prince The Pilot
1977 Looking for Mr. Goodbar Mr. Dunn
1981 Endless Love Arthur Axelrod
1986 Howard the Duck The Cosmos Voice
1989 To the Limit Narrator
Miami Cops
The Final Days J. Fred Buzhardt
1993 Jurassic Park Tour Guide Voice Voice
The Gospel According to St. Matthew Old Matthew
1996 Phenomenon Dr. Wellin
1997 Time to Say Goodbye? Dr. Gerald Klooster
1998 Patch Adams Dr. Titan
2002 Jesus the Christ Matthew Final role (posthumous release)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1953 The United States Steel Hour Sergeant Lucky Dover Episode: "P.O.W."
1954 Justice Unknown 2 episodes
1955 Kraft Television Theatre Fred Staples Episode: "Patterns"
1956 Studio One Mr. Dean Episode: "The Landlady's Daughter"
1958 Decision Paul Scott Season 1 Episode 6: "Indemnity"
1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Harry Adams Season 4 Episode 4: "The Crooked Road"
1963 Alfred Hitchcock Hour Jim Derry Season 2 Episode 5: "Blood Bargain"
1969 Night Gallery Joseph Strobe Television film ("The Escape Route" segment)
1970–1973 Gunsmoke Lewis Stark
Tom Lynott
Bohannon
Will Stambridge 		Episode: "Stark"
Episode: "Lynott"
Episode: "Bohannon"
Episode: "Kitty's Love Affair"
1970 Bonanza Gideon Yates Episode: "Gideon the Good"
The Ceremony of Innocence King Ethelred II Television film
1971 Murder Once Removed Frank Manning Television film
1974 Columbo: A Friend in Deed Mark Halperin
1975 Friendly Persuasion Jess Birdwell Television film
1976 How the West Was Won Timothy Macahan
1980 Angel on My Shoulder Nick Television film
1981 Isabel's Choice Lyman Jones Television film
Golden Gate Thomas J. Kingsley Television film
1983 The Thorn Birds Paddy Cleary 2 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television (1984)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (1983)
1984 George Washington George Mason Television film
1985 A.D. Claudius Television film
The Canterville Ghost Sir Simon de Canterville Television film
Do You Remember Love George Hollis Television film
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (1985)
1986 Planet Earth Narrator 7 episodes
The Twilight Zone Lancelot Episode: "The Last Defender of Camelot (The Twilight Zone)"
If Tomorrow Comes Gunther Hartog 3 episodes
1986–1988 A Year in the Life Joe Gardner 22 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama (1987)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1988)
1988 My First Love Sam Morrissey Television film
1990 Aladdin The Magician Television film
1991 Absolute Strangers Dr. R.J. Cannon Television film
Separate but Equal Chief Justice Earl Warren Television film
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television (1991)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (1991)
The Ray Bradbury Theater Douglas Spaulding Episode: "The Utterly Perfect Murder"
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1992)
1992–1994 Picket Fences Hayden Langston 2 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1994)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (1993)
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Dr. Gideon Seyetik Episode: "Second Sight"
1994–1998 Mysteries of the Bible Narrator
1995 The Great Defender Joe Dewitt 8 episodes
1996 Mary & Tim Ron Melville Television film
1997 Time to Say Goodbye? Dr. Gerald Klooster Television film
Tigers of the Snow Narrator
1998 Ally McBeal Seymore Little Episode: "Once in a Lifetime"
Blue Moon Jimmy Keating Television film

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
1953 Misalliance Joey Percival Theatre World Award (1953)
1953–1955 Kismet The Caliph
1956 Time Limit Major Harry Cargill
1959–1960 Redhead Tom Baxter Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1959)
1960–1961 Advise and Consent Brig Anderson
1962–1963 No Strings David Jordan Nominated—Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1962)
1963–1964 Here's Love Fred Gaily
1964–1965 I Had a Ball Stan the Shpieler
1965–1971 Man of La Mancha Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (1966)
1968 Her First Roman Caesar
1971 The Incomparable Max Enoch Soames
1972 Voices Robert
Man of La Mancha Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote
1974–1976 Absurd Person Singular Ronald
1975 Ah, Wilderness! Nat Miller Academy Festival Theatre, Drake Theatre at Barat College, Lake Forest, Illinois
1976 The Heiress Dr. Austin Sloper Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (1976)
1977 Man of La Mancha Don Quixote Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (1978)
1987 All My Sons Joe Keller Nominated—Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play (1987)

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref.
1976 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actor in a Play The Heiress Nominated [11]
1978 Outstanding Actor in a Musical Man of La Mancha Nominated [12]
1966 Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Award — Won [13]
1983 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television The Thorn Birds Won [14]
1987 Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama A Year in the Life Won
1991 Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Separate but Equal Nominated
1967 Grammy Awards Best Recording for Children Jungle Books Nominated [15]
Magic Fishbone/Happy Prince/Potted Princess (with Julie Harris) Nominated
1983 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special The Thorn Birds Won [16]
1985 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special Do You Remember Love Nominated
1988 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series A Year in the Life Won
1991 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special Separate but Equal Nominated
1992 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series The Ray Bradbury Theater (Episode: "The Utterly Perfect Murder") Nominated
1993 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Picket Fences (Episode: "Thanksgiving") Nominated
1994 Picket Fences (Episode: "Buried Alive") Won
1995 Outstanding Informational Special 30 Years of National Geographic Specials Nominated
1997 National Geographic Special: Tigers of the Snow Won[a]
1953 Theatre World Awards — Misalliance Won [17]
1959 Tony Awards Best Leading Actor in a Musical Redhead Won [18]
1962 No Strings Nominated [19]
1966 Man of La Mancha Won [20]
1987 Best Leading Actor in a Play All My Sons Nominated [21]
1975 Western Heritage Awards Factual Television Program The American Parade (Episode: "The 34th Star") Won [22]
1976 Fictional Television Drama How the West Was Won (Episode: "The Macahans") Won [23]
1991 Factual Narrative World of Discovery (Episode: "Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies") Won [24]

Notes

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  1. ^ Tied with Without Pity: A Film About Abilities.

References

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  1. ^ a b Vallance, Tom (March 11, 1999). "Obituary: Richard Kiley". The Independent. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Gussow, Mel (March 6, 1999). "Richard Kiley, the Man of La Mancha, Is Dead at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  3. ^ "Overview for Richard Kiley". TCM. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  4. ^ "The Milwaukee Journal". July 30, 1985.[dead link‍]
  5. ^ Wilson, Earl (September 22, 1977). "Off the Grapevine". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio.
  6. ^ a b Thurber, Jon (March 6, 1999). "Richard Kiley; Epitomized 'Man of La Mancha'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2020. Kiley won over the critics with his deft ability to bounce between the demanding roles of the knight errant and the author.
  7. ^ Geller, Andy (March 6, 1999). "'Man of La Mancha' Star Kiley Dies at 76". New York Post. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  8. ^ "Richard Kiley biography - Yahoo TV". December 16, 2013. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013.
  9. ^ "Washington Post". The Washington Post.
  10. ^ "Obituary: Richard Kiley". The Independent. March 11, 1999. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1978 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  12. ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1978 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  13. ^ "Awards History – The Drama League". Drama League Awards. March 25, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "Richard Kiley". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  15. ^ "Richard Kiley". Grammy Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  16. ^ "Richard Kiley". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  17. ^ "Theatre World Award Recipients". Theatre World Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  18. ^ "1959 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  19. ^ "1962 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "1966 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  21. ^ "1987 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "The American Parade: The 34th Star". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  23. ^ "The Macahans (How the West Was Won)". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  24. ^ "Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved February 16, 2024.

Sources

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  • Man of La Mancha – original theatrical program, for Kiley's personal comments on playing Don Quixote
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