Brian Keith
   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 John Lincoln Clem (nicknamed Johnny Shiloh; August 13, 1851 – May 13, 1937) was an American general officer who served as a drummer boy in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He gained fame for his bravery on the battlefield, b ...
'' (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 th ...
'' (1966); and the adventure saga '' The Wind and the Lion'' (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 attemp ...
'', and a tough retired judge in the 1980s lighthearted crime drama '' Hardcastle and McCormick''. He also starred in '' The Brian Keith Show'', which aired on NBC 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 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 ...
''.


Early life

Robert Alba Keith was born in
Bayonne, New Jersey Bayonne ( ) is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is situated on a peninsula located between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. As ...
, on November 14, 1921, to actor Robert Keith and stage actress Helena Shipman, a native of
Aberdeen, Washington Aberdeen () is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,013 at the 2020 census. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. Aberdeen is occasi ...
. 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 th ...
. 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 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 with three battle stars and World War II Victory Medal.


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 ''Hands of Murder'' (also known as ''Hands of Mystery'' and ''Hands of Destiny'') is an American mystery/anthology series that aired on the DuMont Television Network. Broadcast history Initially titled ''Hands of Destiny'', the show aired from A ...
'', '' Shadow of the Cloak'', 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''. He was in '' Police Story'', ''
Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being Decision-making, undecided, or being Doubt, doubtful. In a Drama, dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the wikt:outcome, outcome of a plot (narrative), plot or of the solution t ...
'', '' Eye Witness'', ''
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'', and '' The Motorola Television Hour''. 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'' (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 Campbell Playhouse'' (also known as ''Campbell Soundstage'', ''TV Soundstage'', and ''Campbell Summer Soundstage'', (summer hiatus only, see ''below'')) was an American anthology series and television drama that originally aired on NBC from ...
'', '' The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse'', ''
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 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 dis ...
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'' (1954), '' The Violent Men'' (1955), ''
Tight Spot ''Tight Spot'' is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson and Brian Keith. The story was inspired by Senator Estes Kefauver's tactics in coercing Virginia Hill to testify in th ...
'' (1955), and '' 5 Against the House'' (1955), the last two directed by
Phil Karlson Phil Karlson (born Philip N. Karlstein; July 2, 1908 – December 12, 1982) was an American film director. Karlson directed ''99 River Street'', ''Kansas City Confidential'' and '' Hell's Island'', all with actor John Payne, in the early 1950s ...
. He was meant to support Joan Crawford in '' Queen Bee'', but did not appear in the final film. He guest starred on '' The Elgin Hour'', '' Mystery Is My Business'', '' Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre'', '' The Box Brothers'', '' The Ford Television Theatre'', '' Climax!'', '' Wire Service'' 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 ''Storm Center'' is a 1956 American film noir drama directed by Daniel Taradash. The screenplay by Taradash and Elick Moll focuses on what were at the time two very controversial subjects— Communism and book banning—and took a strong stance a ...
'' (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 p ...
and '' Nightfall'' (1956) with
Aldo Ray Aldo Ray (born Aldo Da Re; September 25, 1926 – March 27, 1991) was an American actor of film and television. He began his career as a contract player for Columbia Studios before achieving stardom through his roles in ''The Marrying Kind ...
. 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, and '' Run of the Arrow'' (1957) with
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...
. He was top billed in '' Chicago Confidential'' (1957), but returned to supporting parts with ''
Appointment with a Shadow ''Appointment with a Shadow'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Richard Carlson and starring George Nader, Joanna Moore, Brian Keith and Virginia Field. It is not to be confused with the Tony Curtis film '' The Mid ...
'' (1957) '' Hell Canyon Outlaws'' (1957), and '' Fort Dobbs'' (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 r ...
'' (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'' (1958), and '' Villa!!'' (1958). The last two were shot back-to-back in Mexico. He guest starred on '' Studio One in Hollywood'', '' Rawhide'', '' Laramie'', ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''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 r ...
'', 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'' (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'', ''
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'', ''
Outlaws An outlaw is a person living outside the law. Outlaws or The Outlaws may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Outlaws'' (1950 film), an Italian crime film * ''Outlaws'' (1985 film), a French film * ''The Outlaws'' (2017 film), a Sou ...
'', '' Follow the Sun'', and ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''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 r ...
'' again. Keith made a second film for Disney, playing the father of twins in the film '' The Parent Trap'' (1961), costarring
Hayley Mills Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills (born 18 April 1946) is an English actress. The daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and younger sister of actress Juliet Mills, she began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising ...
and
Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...
, 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 abou ...
'' (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'', '' The Virginian'' (1963), '' Sam Benedict'', '' Dr. Kildare'', '' 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'', '' Kraft Suspense Theatre'', '' The Great Adventure'', '' Profiles in Courage''. Keith did a Western for Universal, '' The Raiders'' (1963) then returned to Disney for ''
Johnny Shiloh John Lincoln Clem (nicknamed Johnny Shiloh; August 13, 1851 – May 13, 1937) was an American general officer who served as a drummer boy in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He gained fame for his bravery on the battlefield, b ...
'' (1963), ''Bristle Face'' (1964), '' The Tenderfoot'' (1964), ''
A Tiger Walks ''A Tiger Walks'' is a 1964 American drama film directed by Norman Tokar and starring Brian Keith and Vera Miles. Based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Ian Niall, it was produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was Indian actor Sabu's last ...
'' (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'' (1965), '' The Rare Breed'' (1966) (again with O'Hara), and '' Nevada Smith'' (1966), co-starring with
Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and ...
as traveling gunsmith Jonas Cord. Keith did the comedies '' The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!'' (1966) for Norman Jewison, '' Way... Way Out'' (1966) with
Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...
, 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 Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
.


''Family Affair''

In 1966, Keith landed the role of Uncle Bill Davis on CBS'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 attemp ...
''. This role earned him three
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
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 issues as: ''
The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American sitcom, 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 colo ...
'', '' My Three Sons'', '' The Beverly Hillbillies'', '' Petticoat Junction'', '' One Day at a Time'', ''
Here's Lucy ''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's th ...
'', '' Julia'', ''
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 Partridge Family'', and ''
Sanford and Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom '' Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC One in the Unit ...
''. During its first season in 1966, ''Family Affair'' was an immediate hit, ranking number 15 in the
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. By the end of its fifth season, in 1971, ''Family Affair'' still had high ratings, but was cancelled after 138 episodes. Kathy Garver, 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. Frenchhad 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 Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
, ''
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 Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
, '' 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 K ...
'' (1969) for Norman Jewison. He had leading roles in '' Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'' (1970) for Cinemrama and '' The McKenzie Break'' (1970). In 1970, Keith moved to Hawaii. Keith made ''
Scandalous John ''Scandalous John'' is a 1971 American comedy-drama western film directed by Robert Butler and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It stars Brian Keith and Alfonso Arau. The music was scored by Rod McKuen. Plot John McCanless is a rip-sno ...
'' (1971) for Disney, '' Something Big'' (1972) with Dean Martin and director Andrew McLaglen, and the TV movie '' Second Chance'' (1972).


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

Keith went on to star as
pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
Dr. Sean Jamison in the NBC sitcom '' The Brian Keith Show'' (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 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 interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...
, '' The Zoo Gang'' (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, and Barry Morse, 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'' (1974) starring
Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – 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'' (1975) starring
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
, 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 John Frederick Milius (; born April 11, 1944) is an American screenwriter, film director, and producer. He was a writer for the first two '' Dirty Harry'' films, received an Academy Award nomination as screenwriter of '' Apocalypse Now'' (1979), ...
. He starred in the TV series '' Archer'' (1975) as Lew Archer, replacing Peter Graves 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'' franc ...
'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'' (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 Lan ...
'' (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 ''The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer'' is a 1977 American telemovie produced by Norman Rosemont. It was based on a book by Douglas Jones. The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "marvellous drama".Blythe Spirit of 'Custer' Smith, Cecil. Los ...
'' (1977). He was in '' How the West Was Won'' (1978), '' Hooper'' (1978) with
Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
, ''
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 a ...
'' (1979), and '' The Chisholms'' (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 (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 Gold ...
. 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 m ...
on Broadway in '' Da'' and was on ''
The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk music, folk-influenced pop music, 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 Un ...
'' (1979), '' Power'' (1980), '' The Silent Lovers'' (1980), '' The Mountain Men'' (1980) with
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...
, and '' Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen'' (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'' (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 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 ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...
'' and ''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' (1986). Keith starred in '' The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory'' (1987) (as
Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...
), 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 ...
'' (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'', season-one episode "Chip Off The Old Brick" (1991), as the loud-mouthed father of Herman Stiles (played by actor Michael Jeter). 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'' (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 ''Major Dad'' is an American sitcom television series created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens, developed by Earl Pomerantz, that originally ran from September 17, 1989, to May 17, 1993 on CBS, starring Gerald McRaney as Major John D. ...
'', season four "The People's Choice" as the Major's ( Gerald McRaney) 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 ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...
'' 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'', '' The Commish'', ''
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 unwi ...
'' (1994), ''The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A. '' (1995), '' The Monroes'', '' Favorite Deadly Sins'' (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'', 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 s ...
'' (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 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 t ...
in the film '' Rough Riders'' (1997). Director
John Milius John Frederick Milius (; born April 11, 1944) is an American screenwriter, film director, and producer. He was a writer for the first two '' Dirty Harry'' films, received an Academy Award nomination as screenwriter of '' Apocalypse Now'' (1979), ...
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 Judith Brenna Landon (born 1928-died 2021) was an actress and dancer who primarily played uncredited bit parts in films in the early 1950s, particularly a background dancer in movie musicals. Career Particularly notable roles include Eras in th ...
(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 Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alv ...
and lung cancer during the latter part of his life, despite having quit
smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have b ...
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 Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...
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 attemp ...
'' co stars Kathy Garver and Johnny Whitaker, and ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' co-star Daniel Hugh Kelly. Keith's ashes were interred next to those of his daughter Daisy at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.


Legacy

On June 26, 2008, Brian Keith received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
.


Work


Film

* ''
Pied Piper Malone ''Pied Piper Malone'' is a 1924 American silent comedy drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Thomas Meighan. The Famous Players-Lasky produced the film and Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American fi ...
'' (1924) as Little Boy * ''The Other Kind of Love'' (1924) as Child (uncredited) * '' Knute Rockne, All American'' (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 Awa ...
'' (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'' (1954) as Jim Kimmerly * '' Jivaro'' (1954) as Tony * '' The Bamboo Prison'' (1954) as Cpl. Brady * '' The Violent Men'' (1955) as Cole Wilkison * ''
Tight Spot ''Tight Spot'' is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson and Brian Keith. The story was inspired by Senator Estes Kefauver's tactics in coercing Virginia Hill to testify in th ...
'' (1955) as Vince Striker * '' 5 Against the House'' (1955) as Brick * ''
Storm Center ''Storm Center'' is a 1956 American film noir drama directed by Daniel Taradash. The screenplay by Taradash and Elick Moll focuses on what were at the time two very controversial subjects— Communism and book banning—and took a strong stance a ...
'' (1956) as Paul Duncan * '' Nightfall'' (1956) as John * '' Run of the Arrow'' (1957) as Capt. Clark * '' Dino'' (1957) as Larry Sheridan * '' Chicago Confidential'' (1957) as Dist. Atty. Jim Fremont * ''
Appointment with a Shadow ''Appointment with a Shadow'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Richard Carlson and starring George Nader, Joanna Moore, Brian Keith and Virginia Field. It is not to be confused with the Tony Curtis film '' The Mid ...
'' (1957) as Lt. Spencer * '' Hell Canyon Outlaws'' (1957) as Happy Waters * '' Fort Dobbs'' (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 r ...
'' (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'' (1958) as Jack McCracken * '' Villa!!'' (1958) as Bill Harmon * '' The Young Philadelphians'' (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 abou ...
'' (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 ''A Tiger Walks'' is a 1964 American drama film directed by Norman Tokar and starring Brian Keith and Vera Miles. Based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Ian Niall, it was produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was Indian actor Sabu's last ...
'' (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'' (1965) as Frank Wallingham * '' The Rare Breed'' (1966) as Bowen * '' Nevada Smith'' (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 th ...
'' (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 o ...
'' (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 K ...
'' (1969) as Francis Sullivan * '' Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'' (1970) as Officer Michael M. Nace * '' The McKenzie Break'' (1970) as Capt. Jack Connor * ''
Scandalous John ''Scandalous John'' is a 1971 American comedy-drama western film directed by Robert Butler and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It stars Brian Keith and Alfonso Arau. The music was scored by Rod McKuen. Plot John McCanless is a rip-sno ...
'' (1971) as John McCanless * '' Something Big'' (1971) as Col. Morgan * '' The Yakuza'' (1975) as George Tanner * '' The Wind and the Lion'' (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'' (1980) as Henry Frapp * '' Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen'' (1981) as Police Chief * '' Sharky's Machine'' (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 s ...
'' (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 Ca ...
'' (1997) as Narrator (voice) * '' Rough Riders'' (1997) as President William McKinley * ''Follow Your Heart'' (1999) as Roddy Thompson (final film role)


Television

* ''
Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being Decision-making, undecided, or being Doubt, doubtful. In a Drama, dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the wikt:outcome, outcome of a plot (narrative), plot or of the solution t ...
'' (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'' (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 ''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 r ...
'' (Cell 227) 1960 * ''
Outlaws An outlaw is a person living outside the law. Outlaws or The Outlaws may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Outlaws'' (1950 film), an Italian crime film * ''Outlaws'' (1985 film), a French film * ''The Outlaws'' (2017 film), a Sou ...
'' (NBC, 1961–62; 2 episodes as guest star) as Sven Johannsen / Jim Whipple * '' The Untouchables'' ("The Jamaica Ginger Story") (1961) as Jim Martinson * '' Alfred Hitchcock Hour'': "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'': "A Cause of Anger" S1/Ep 19 (NBC, 1964) as Andy Bastian * '' The Tenderfoot'' (1964), a three-part television miniseries comedy Western 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 The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 to the present. The pr ...
'' * ''
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 attemp ...
'' (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'' (NBC, 1972–74) as Dr. Sean Jamison * '' The Zoo Gang'' ( ITV, 1974) as Steven 'The Fox' Halliday * '' Archer'' (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 Lan ...
'' ( NBC, 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 a ...
'' (NBC, 1978–79) as Sheriff Axel Dumire * ''
The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk music, folk-influenced pop music, 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 Un ...
'' (1979) as Elijah Weatherby * '' The Chisholms'' (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 re ...
'' as Soviet premiere * '' Cry for the Strangers'' (TV movie, 1982) as Chief Whalen * '' Hardcastle and McCormick'' (ABC, 1983–86) as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle * '' The Murder of Sherlock Holmes'' (Pilot for ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...
'') (CBS, 1984) as Caleb McCallum * ''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' (Disney Made for TV movie ABC, 1986) * '' Pursuit of Happiness'' ( ABC, 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 ...
'' ( CBS, 1989) as B.L. McCutcheon * '' The Young Riders'': "Star Light, Star Bright" (ABC, 1991) as Cyrus Happy * '' Walter & Emily'' ( NBC, 1991–92) as Walter Collins * '' Evening Shade'': "Chip Off the Old Brick" ( CBS, 1991–94) * ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (pilot) ABC (1992) * ''
Major Dad ''Major Dad'' is an American sitcom television series created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens, developed by Earl Pomerantz, that originally ran from September 17, 1989, to May 17, 1993 on CBS, starring Gerald McRaney as Major John D. ...
'': "The People's Choice; parts I & II" (season 4, episodes 1 & 2) (CBS, 1992) as Jake MacGillis * ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...
'': "Progress" ( syndicated, 1993) as Mullibok * ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
'' (1995) as Uncle Ben (voice) * '' The Commish'': "The Iceman Cometh" (ABC, 1994) as Phil 'Iceman' Greene / Lou Parslow * '' Cybill'': "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, 1996) as Mac McNamara * '' Touched by an Angel'' (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'': "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 unwi ...
'' (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