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
(2025)
Afterwards
as Garen
(2024)
Campton Manor
as Lawrence
(2022)
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 Story of Luke
as Jonas
(2013)
The Art of the Steal
as 'Uncle' Paddy MacCarthy
(2013)
Cottage Country
as Earl
(2013)
Rewind
as President
(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)
(2007)
Silk
as Mayor Joncour
(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)
Our Fathers
as Bishop Murphy
(2005)
Bailey's Billion$
as Mouse Delaney
(2005)
Karol: A Man Who Became Pope
as professor Wójcik
(2005)
Category 7: The End of the World
as Alan Horst
(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)
The Pentagon Papers
as John McNaughon
(2003)
Eloise at the Plaza
as Sir Wilkes
(2002)
The Man Who Saved Christmas
as Newton Baker
(2002)
Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher
as Dr. James Franken
(2002)
The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire
as Dr. Watson
(2001)
Haven
as Harry Truman
(2001)
The Sign of Four
as Dr. Watson
(2001)
Focus
as Father Crighton
(2001)
Sanctuary
as Sam Hathaway
(2001)
The Day Reagan Was Shot
as James Baker
(2001)
The Royal Scandal
as Dr. Watson
(2000)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
as Dr. Watson
(2000)
Witchblade
as Joe Siri
(2000)
Who Killed Atlanta's Children?
as William Kunstler
(2000)
Deliberate Intent
as Peder Lund
(2000)
Cold Blooded
as Chief Inspector Brodsky
(2000)
Love and Murder
as Isaak Levin
(2000)
Love Come Down
as Ira Rosen
(1999)
G-Saviour
as General Garneaux
(1999)
Vendetta
as Mayor Joe Shakspeare
(1999)
Mind Prey
as Tower Manette
(1998)
Thanks of a Grateful Nation
as Sen. Shelby
(1998)
(1998)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
as Caz Hollowitz
(1998)
Thunder Point
as Armstrong
(1998)
Dead Husbands
as Chase Woodward
(1997)
Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way
as George Steinbrenner
(1997)
Absolute Power
as Sandy Lord
(1997)
Habitat
as Coach Marlowe
(1997)
Dead Silence
as Sheriff Lenny Budd
(1997)
The Wrong Guy
as Mr. Nagel
(1996)
Portraits of a Killer
as Jim Miller
(1996)
Escape Clause
as Owen Jessop
(1996)
The Conspiracy of Fear
as Captain Rose
(1996)
Rowing Through
as Harry Parker
(1995)
Hideaway
as Detective Breech
(1995)
Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
as Mr. Higgins
(1995)
Margaret's Museum
as Angus MacNeil
(1995)
Kissinger and Nixon
as James 'Scotty' Reston
(1995)
Dancing In The Dark
as Dr. Bel
(1995)
Vanished
as Bill Palmer
(1995)
Hiroshima
as President Harry S Truman
(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)
And Then There Was One
as David Burns
(1994)
Harlequin: Another Woman
as Dr. Kenneth Holcross
(1994)
Getting Gotti
as Bennett
(1994)
Whale Music
as Kenneth Sexstone
(1994)
(1993)
Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story
as Don Eisenberg
(1993)
Adrift
as Guy Nast
(1993)
Bonds of Love
as Judge
(1993)
Dieppe
as Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar
(1993)
Bye Bye Love
as David
(1993)
The Great Dinosaur Hunt
as Narrator
(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)
The Good Fight
as Dick Chandler
(1992)
Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story
as Michael Schottland
(1991)
The Big Slice
as Lieutenant Bernard
(1991)
Perfectly Normal
as Charlie Glesby
(1991)
Christmas on Division Street
as David Atwood
(1991)
Grand Larceny
as Virgil Klovitz
(1990)
Murder Times Seven
as Nick Ruggieri
(1990)
The Widowmaker
as Atkinson
(1990)
Murder in Black and White
as Ruggieri
(1990)
The Freshman
as Dwight Armstrong
(1990)
The Last Best Year
as Jerry
(1989)
The January Man
as Roger Culver
(1989)
Straight Line
as Dr. Hammel
(1989)
Christmas in America
as Harry Morgan
(1989)
Love & Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher
as Colin Thatcher
(1989)
Physical Evidence
as Harry Norton
(1989)
Champagne Charlie
as John Whistlow
(1988)
Crocodile Dundee II
as Brannigan
(1988)
The House on Carroll Street
as Hackett
(1988)
(1988)
Another Woman
as Donald
(1987)
Radio Days
as Radio Voice (voice)
(1987)
And Then You Die
as Eddie Griffin
(1987)
Loyalties
as David Sutton
(1987)
A Stranger Waits
as Richard Miller
(1986)
Heartburn
as Dr. Appel
(1986)
Loose Ends
as Elder Seth
(1986)
Murder Sees the Light
as Patten
(1986)
The Climb
as Walter Frauenberger
(1986)
(1985)
Perfect
as Joe McKenzie
(1985)
The War Boy
as Stephan Berecky
(1984)
Falling in Love
as Doctor
(1984)
Piaf
as Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist
(1984)
Reno and the Doc
as Reno
(1984)
Covergirl
as Harrison
(1983)
Of Unknown Origin
as James Hall
(1983)
Gary Carter Visits Japan
as Narrator
(1983)
Hot Money
as Parker
(1983)
No More Hibakusha!
as (voice)
(1983)
Tell Me That You Love Me
as David
(1980)
Phobia
as Sergeant Wheeler
(1980)
F.D.R.: The Last Year
as Thomas E. Dewey
(1980)
Double Negative
as Dr. Klifter
(1979)
Riel
as McWilliams
(1975)
The School for Scandal
as Charles Surface
(1974)