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Brian Keith (November 14, 1921 - June 24, 1997) was an American stage, film and television actor.

Biographical Information

Brian Keith was born Robert Keith Richey, Jr. in Bayonne, New Jersey to actor Robert Keith and stage actress Helena Shipman (born in Aberdeen, Washington). He made his acting debut in a silent film, Pied Piper Malone (1924) at the age of 3.

After high school, he joined the U.S. Marines (1942-1945) where he served during World War II as an aerial gunner and received an Air Medal. After the war, he became a stage actor, branching into television and films in the late 1940s. During the later part of his life he suffered from emphysema and lung cancer. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 24, 1997 at the age of 75, just two months after his daughter had committed suicide.

He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California.

Career

Keith was a strong and capable actor who spent many years playing second leads and gruff sidekicks, He may be best known for his role as "Uncle Bill" on the television series Family Affair (1966-1971).

On the Stage (Partial List)

• Da (199?)
• Darkness at Noon (1951)
• Mister Roberts (1948)
• Heyday (1946)

On Television

Keith worked steadily in television from the 1950s until the end of his life and made numerous guest appearances. Series in which he had a starring role are listed here.

• Walter and Emily (NBC, 1991-1992)
• Heartland (CBS, 1989)
• Pursuit of Happiness (ABC, 1987)
• Hardcastle and McCormick (ABC, 1983-1986)
• Archer (NBC, 1975)
• The Brian Keith Show (NBC, 1972-1974)
• Family Affair (CBS, 1966-1971)
• The Westerner (NBC, 1960)
• The Crusader (CBS, 1955-1956)

In Film

• Follow Your Heart (1998)
• Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story (1996)
• Under a Killing Moon (1994)
• Wind Dancer (1993)
• After the Rain (1990)
• Welcome Home (1989)
• Young Guns (1988)
• Death Before Dishonor (1987)
• Sharkey's Machine (1981)
• Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981)
• The Mountain Men (1980)
• Meteor (1979)
• Centennial (1978)
• Hooper (1978)
• Nickelodeon (1976)
• Joe Panther (1976)
• The Wind and the Lion (1975)
• The Yakuza (1975)
• Scandalous John (1971)
• Something Big (1971)
• The MacKenzie Break (1970)
• Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? (1970)
• Gaily, Gaily (1969)
• Krakatoa, East of Java (1969)
• With Six You Get Eggroll (1968)
• Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)
• Way… Way Out (1966)
• Nevada Smith (1966)
• The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966)
• The Rare Breed (1966)
• The Hallelujah Trail (1965)
• Those Calloways (1965)
• The Pleasure Seekers (1964)
• The Raiders (1964)
• A Tiger Walks (1964)
• With Six You Get Eggroll (1963)
• Savage Sam (1963)
• Moon Pilot (1962)
• The Deadly Companions (1961)
• The Parent Trap (1961)
• Ten Who Dared (1960)
• The Young Philadelphians (1959)
• Appointment with a Shadow (1959)
• Villa! (1958)
• Violent Road (1958)
• Sierra Baron (1958)
• Desert Hell (1958)
• Fort Dobbs (1958)
• Hell Canyon Outlaws (1957)
• Chicago Confidential (1957)
• Run of the Arrow (1957)
• Dino (1957)
• Nightfall (1957)
• Storm Center (1956)
• 5 Against the House (1955)
• Tight Spot (1955)
• The Violent Men (1955)
• The Bamboo Prison (1954)
• Jivaro (1954)
• Alaska Seas (1954)
• Arrowhead (1953)
• The Other Kind of Love (1924)
• Pied Piper Malone (1924)

Trivia

Keith's father was married to actress Peg Entwhistle from 1927-1929 who jumped to her death from the Hollywood sign in 1933.

External links

• Hollywood.com biography

• Brian Keith at IMDb

• America's "Uncle Bill" Ends His Own Life

• Camels And Brian Keith Ad 1955

• 1921 births
• 1997 deaths
• People from New Jersey
• American actors
• American World War II veterans
• Television actors
• Entertainers who committed suicide in their 70s