Kenneth Welsh
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1942-03-30
Day of Death
2022-05-05 (80 years old)
Place of Birth
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Kenneth Welsh
Biography
Kenneth Welsh, CM (March 30, 1942 – May 5, 2022) was a Canadian film and television actor (sometimes credited as Ken Welsh). He was known to Twin Peaks fans as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle, and had more recently played the father of Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator.
In 1984 he was nominated for a Genie Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of Reno Colt in the film "Reno and the Doc", written and directed by Charles Dennis. In 1997 Welsh directed Dennis in the latter's play "SoHo Duo" at the West Bank Theatre in New York City.
Welsh was born in Edmonton, Alberta to a father who worked for the Canadian National Railway. He grew up in Alberta and studied drama at school. He later moved to Montreal and attended the National Theatre School. Following graduation, he auditioned for the Stratford Festival in Ontario and then spent the first seven years of his career on stage.
Welsh has portrayed historical figures including Thomas E. Dewey, Colin Thatcher, Harry S. Truman (twice), Thomas Edison, James "Scotty" Reston, General Harry Crerar and James Baker.
He has made guest appearances on the acclaimed TV series Due South and Slings and Arrows.
In 2003, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
His role as the Vice-President of the United States in the 2004 environmental disaster film The Day After Tomorrow sparked some controversy due to his physical resemblance to Dick Cheney, who at the time was the real Vice President. Director Roland Emmerich later confirmed that he deliberately chose Welsh for that very reason. Emmerich stated that the character of the Vice-President in the film was intended to be a not-so-subtle criticism of the environmental policies of the Presidency of George W. Bush.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenneth Welsh, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Acting
The Great Dinosaur Hunt
as Narrator
(2024)
Afterwards
as Garen
(2024)
Campton Manor
as Lawrence
(2023)
Midnight at the Paradise
as Max
(2021)
The Middle Man
as Mr. Miller
(2020)
PG: Psycho Goreman
as Narrator & Judicator (voice)
(2019)
And the Birds Rained Down
as Boychuck
(2017)
Awakening the Zodiac
as Ben
(2017)
Undercover Grandpa
as Harry
(2017)
Chicanery
as Pringle Hewitt
(2016)
The Void
as Dr. Richard Powell
(2016)
A Nutcracker Christmas
as Dimitri
(2015)
(2014)
Wet Bum
as Ed
(2013)
The Art of the Steal
as 'Uncle' Paddy MacCarthy
(2013)
Cottage Country
as Earl
(2013)
Rewind
as President
(2013)
The Story of Luke
as Jonas
(2012)
The Riverbank
as Joe Mason
(2010)
Survival of the Dead
as Patrick O'Flynn
(2009)
Grey Gardens
as Max Gordon
(2009)
Adoration
as Morris
(2008)
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
as Uncle Hendrick
(2008)
(2007)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
as Dr. Jeff Wagner
(2007)
Silk
as Mayor Joncour
(2007)
(2007)
Hamlet {Solo}
as Self
(2006)
The Covenant
as Provost Higgins
(2006)
One Way
as William Henderson
(2006)
(2005)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
as Dr. Mueller
(2005)
Four Brothers
as Robert Bradford
(2005)
The Fog
as Tom Malone
(2005)
Karol: A Man Who Became Pope
as professor Wójcik
(2005)
Category 7: The End of the World
as Alan Horst
(2005)
Our Fathers
as Bishop Murphy
(2005)
Bailey's Billion$
as Mouse Delaney
(2005)
The Snow Queen
as King
(2005)
The Murdoch Mysteries: Under the Dragon's Tail
as Inspector Ramsgate
(2004)
The Day After Tomorrow
as Vice President Becker
(2004)
The Aviator
as Dr. Hepburn
(2004)
Miracle
as Doc Nagobads
(2004)
The Wild Guys
as Andy
(2003)
Eloise at Christmastime
as Sir Wilkes
(2003)
Eloise at the Plaza
as Sir Wilkes
(2003)
The Pentagon Papers
as John McNaughon
(2002)
The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire
as Dr. Watson
(2002)
The Man Who Saved Christmas
as Newton Baker
(2002)
Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher
as Dr. James Franken
(2001)
The Royal Scandal
as Dr. Watson
(2001)
Haven
as Harry Truman
(2001)
The Sign of Four
as Dr. Watson
(2001)
Focus
as Father Crighton
(2001)
The Day Reagan Was Shot
as James Baker
(2001)
Sanctuary
as Sam Hathaway
(2000)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
as Dr. Watson
(2000)
Love Come Down
as Ira Rosen
(2000)
Who Killed Atlanta's Children?
as William Kunstler
(2000)
Witchblade
as Joe Siri
(2000)
Love and Murder
as Isaak Levin
(2000)
Cold Blooded
as Chief Inspector Brodsky
(2000)
Deliberate Intent
as Peder Lund
(1999)
Vendetta
as Mayor Joe Shakspeare
(1999)
G-Saviour
as General Garneaux
(1999)
Mind Prey
as Tower Manette
(1998)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
as Caz Hollowitz
(1998)
Thanks of a Grateful Nation
as Sen. Shelby
(1998)
Thunder Point
as Armstrong
(1998)
(1998)
Dead Husbands
as Chase Woodward
(1997)
Absolute Power
as Sandy Lord
(1997)
The Wrong Guy
as Mr. Nagel
(1997)
Dead Silence
as Sheriff Lenny Budd
(1997)
Habitat
as Coach Marlowe
(1997)
Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way
as George Steinbrenner
(1996)
Escape Clause
as Owen Jessop
(1996)
Rowing Through
as Harry Parker
(1996)
The Conspiracy of Fear
as Captain Rose
(1996)
Portraits of a Killer
as Jim Miller
(1995)
Hideaway
as Detective Breech
(1995)
Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
as Mr. Higgins
(1995)
Hiroshima
as President Harry S Truman
(1995)
Kissinger and Nixon
as James 'Scotty' Reston
(1995)
Vanished
as Bill Palmer
(1995)
Margaret's Museum
as Angus MacNeil
(1995)
Dancing In The Dark
as Dr. Bel
(1994)
Legends of the Fall
as Sheriff Tynert
(1994)
Timecop
as Utley
(1994)
Death Wish V: The Face of Death
as Lt. Mickey King
(1994)
Getting Gotti
as Bennett
(1994)
Harlequin: Another Woman
as Dr. Kenneth Holcross
(1994)
Whale Music
as Kenneth Sexstone
(1994)
And Then There Was One
as David Burns
(1994)
(1993)
Adrift
as Guy Nast
(1993)
Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story
as Don Eisenberg
(1993)
Bonds of Love
as Judge
(1993)
Dieppe
as Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar
(1993)
Bye Bye Love
as David
(1992)
The Good Fight
as Dick Chandler
(1992)
A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story
as Paul Michel
(1992)
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster
as Sam Skinner - Presidential Delegation
(1992)
Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story
as Michael Schottland
(1991)
Perfectly Normal
as Charlie Glesby
(1991)
The Big Slice
as Lieutenant Bernard
(1991)
Christmas on Division Street
as David Atwood
(1990)
The Freshman
as Dwight Armstrong
(1990)
The Widowmaker
as Atkinson
(1990)
The Last Best Year
as Jerry
(1990)
Murder Times Seven
as Nick Ruggieri
(1990)
Murder in Black and White
as Ruggieri
(1989)
The January Man
as Roger Culver
(1989)
Physical Evidence
as Harry Norton
(1989)
Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher
as Colin Thatcher
(1989)
Champagne Charlie
as John Whistlow
(1989)
Christmas in America
as Harry Morgan
(1989)
Straight Line
as Dr. Hammel
(1988)
Crocodile Dundee II
as Brannigan
(1988)
Another Woman
as Donald
(1988)
The House on Carroll Street
as Hackett
(1988)
(1987)
Radio Days
as Radio Voice (voice)
(1987)
A Stranger Waits
as Richard Miller
(1987)
Loyalties
as David Sutton
(1987)
And Then You Die
as Eddie Griffin
(1986)
Heartburn
as Dr. Appel
(1986)
The Climb
as Walter Frauenberger
(1986)
Loose Ends
as Elder Seth
(1986)
(1986)
Murder Sees the Light
as Patten
(1985)
Perfect
as Joe McKenzie
(1985)
The War Boy
as Stephan Berecky
(1984)
Falling in Love
as Doctor
(1984)
Covergirl
as Harrison
(1984)
Piaf
as Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist
(1984)
Reno and the Doc
as Reno
(1983)
Of Unknown Origin
as James Hall
(1983)
Hot Money
as Parker
(1983)
Tell Me That You Love Me
as David
(1983)
Gary Carter Visits Japan
as Narrator
(1983)
No More Hibakusha!
as (voice)
(1980)
Double Negative
as Dr. Klifter
(1980)
F.D.R.: The Last Year
as Thomas E. Dewey
(1980)
Phobia
as Sergeant Wheeler
(1975)
The School for Scandal
as Charles Surface
(1974)