Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
March 30, 1942
Place of Birth:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Social Media
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
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Afterwards | Garen |
| 2024 | Campton Manor | Lawrence |
| 2023 | Midnight at the Paradise | Max |
| 2021 | The Middle Man | Mr. Miller |
| 2020 | PG: Psycho Goreman | Narrator & Judicator (voice) |
| 2019 | And the Birds Rained Down | Boychuck |
| 2017 | Chicanery | Pringle Hewitt |
| 2017 | Awakening the Zodiac | Ben |
| 2017 | Undercover Grandpa | Harry |
| 2016 | The Void | Dr. Richard Powell |
| 2016 | A Nutcracker Christmas | Dimitri |
| 2015 | The Ballad of Immortal Joe | |
| 2014 | Wet Bum | Ed |
| 2013 | The Story of Luke | Jonas |
| 2013 | The Art of the Steal | 'Uncle' Paddy MacCarthy |
| 2013 | Cottage Country | Earl |
| 2013 | Rewind | President |
| 2012 | The Riverbank | Joe Mason |
| 2009 | Adoration | Morris |
| 2009 | Survival of the Dead | Patrick O'Flynn |
| 2009 | Grey Gardens | Max Gordon |
| 2008 | A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride | Jack |
| 2008 | Kit Kittredge: An American Girl | Uncle Hendrick |
| 2007 | Silk | Mayor Joncour |
| 2007 | Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks | |
| 2007 | Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer | Dr. Jeff Wagner |
| 2007 | Hamlet {Solo} | Self |
| 2006 | One Way | William Henderson |
| 2006 | The Covenant | Provost Higgins |
| 2006 | Above and Beyond | |
| 2005 | The Fog | Tom Malone |
| 2005 | The Exorcism of Emily Rose | Dr. Mueller |
| 2005 | Four Brothers | Robert Bradford |
| 2005 | Our Fathers | Bishop Murphy |
| 2005 | The Snow Queen | King |
| 2005 | Category 7: The End of the World | Alan Horst |
| 2005 | Bailey's Billion$ | Mouse Delaney |
| 2005 | The Murdoch Mysteries: Under the Dragon's Tail | Inspector Ramsgate |
| 2005 | Karol: A Man Who Became Pope | professor Wójcik |
| 2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | Vice President Becker |
| 2004 | Miracle | Doc Nagobads |
| 2004 | The Aviator | Dr. Hepburn |
| 2004 | The Wild Guys | Andy |
| 2003 | Eloise at the Plaza | Sir Wilkes |
| 2003 | Eloise at Christmastime | Sir Wilkes |
| 2003 | The Pentagon Papers | John McNaughon |
| 2002 | The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire | Dr. Watson |
| 2002 | Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher | Dr. James Franken |
| 2002 | The Man Who Saved Christmas | Newton Baker |
| 2001 | The Day Reagan Was Shot | James Baker |
| 2001 | The Sign of Four | Dr. Watson |
| 2001 | The Royal Scandal | Dr. Watson |
| 2001 | Sanctuary | Sam Hathaway |
| 2001 | Haven | Harry Truman |
| 2001 | Focus | Father Crighton |
| 2000 | Witchblade | Joe Siri |
| 2000 | The Hound of the Baskervilles | Dr. Watson |
| 2000 | Who Killed Atlanta's Children? | William Kunstler |
| 2000 | Deliberate Intent | Peder Lund |
| 2000 | Love and Murder | Isaak Levin |
| 2000 | Love Come Down | Ira Rosen |
| 2000 | Cold Blooded | Chief Inspector Brodsky |
| 1999 | Vendetta | Mayor Joe Shakspeare |
| 1999 | Mind Prey | Tower Manette |
| 1999 | G-Saviour | General Garneaux |
| 1998 | Thanks of a Grateful Nation | Sen. Shelby |
| 1998 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Caz Hollowitz |
| 1998 | Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story | |
| 1998 | Dead Husbands | Chase Woodward |
| 1998 | Thunder Point | Armstrong |
| 1997 | Habitat | Coach Marlowe |
| 1997 | Dead Silence | Sheriff Lenny Budd |
| 1997 | Absolute Power | Sandy Lord |
| 1997 | Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way | George Steinbrenner |
| 1997 | The Wrong Guy | Mr. Nagel |
| 1996 | Rowing Through | Harry Parker |
| 1996 | Escape Clause | Owen Jessop |
| 1996 | The Conspiracy of Fear | Captain Rose |
| 1996 | Portraits of a Killer | Jim Miller |
| 1995 | Hideaway | Detective Breech |
| 1995 | Dancing In The Dark | Dr. Bel |
| 1995 | Margaret's Museum | Angus MacNeil |
| 1995 | Hiroshima | President Harry S Truman |
| 1995 | Kissinger and Nixon | James 'Scotty' Reston |
| 1995 | Vanished | Bill Palmer |
| 1995 | Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story | Mr. Higgins |
| 1994 | Legends of the Fall | Sheriff Tynert |
| 1994 | Timecop | Utley |
| 1994 | Death Wish V: The Face of Death | Lt. Mickey King |
| 1994 | And Then There Was One | David Burns |
| 1994 | Whale Music | Kenneth Sexstone |
| 1994 | Boozecan | |
| 1994 | Harlequin: Another Woman | Dr. Kenneth Holcross |
| 1994 | Getting Gotti | Bennett |
| 1993 | Adrift | Guy Nast |
| 1993 | Bonds of Love | Judge |
| 1993 | Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story | Don Eisenberg |
| 1993 | Bye Bye Love | David |
| 1993 | Dieppe | Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar |
| 1992 | Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster | Sam Skinner - Presidential Delegation |
| 1992 | Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story | Michael Schottland |
| 1992 | The Good Fight | Dick Chandler |
| 1992 | A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story | Paul Michel |
| 1991 | The Big Slice | Lieutenant Bernard |
| 1991 | Christmas on Division Street | David Atwood |
| 1991 | Perfectly Normal | Charlie Glesby |
| 1990 | The Last Best Year | Jerry |
| 1990 | The Freshman | Dwight Armstrong |
| 1990 | The Widowmaker | Atkinson |
| 1990 | Murder Times Seven | Nick Ruggieri |
| 1990 | Murder in Black and White | Ruggieri |
| 1989 | Straight Line | Dr. Hammel |
| 1989 | Champagne Charlie | John Whistlow |
| 1989 | Christmas in America | Harry Morgan |
| 1989 | The January Man | Roger Culver |
| 1989 | Physical Evidence | Harry Norton |
| 1989 | Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher | Colin Thatcher |
| 1988 | Liberace: Behind the Music | |
| 1988 | Another Woman | Donald |
| 1988 | The House on Carroll Street | Hackett |
| 1988 | Crocodile Dundee II | Brannigan |
| 1987 | Loyalties | David Sutton |
| 1987 | And Then You Die | Eddie Griffin |
| 1987 | Radio Days | Radio Voice (voice) |
| 1987 | A Stranger Waits | Richard Miller |
| 1986 | Loose Ends | Elder Seth |
| 1986 | The Climb | Walter Frauenberger |
| 1986 | Lost! | |
| 1986 | Heartburn | Dr. Appel |
| 1986 | Murder Sees the Light | Patten |
| 1985 | The War Boy | Stephan Berecky |
| 1985 | Perfect | Joe McKenzie |
| 1984 | Reno and the Doc | Reno |
| 1984 | Piaf | Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist |
| 1984 | Covergirl | Harrison |
| 1984 | Falling in Love | Doctor |
| 1983 | Of Unknown Origin | James Hall |
| 1983 | Tell Me That You Love Me | David |
| 1983 | No More Hibakusha! | (voice) |
| 1983 | Gary Carter Visits Japan | Narrator |
| 1983 | Hot Money | Parker |
| 1980 | F.D.R.: The Last Year | Thomas E. Dewey |
| 1980 | Double Negative | Dr. Klifter |
| 1980 | Phobia | Sergeant Wheeler |
| 1975 | The School for Scandal | Charles Surface |
| 1974 | Piaf | |
| The Great Dinosaur Hunt | Narrator |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Lodge 49 | |
| 2017 | Star Trek: Discovery | Senna Tal (voice) |
| 2017 | Star Trek: Discovery | Senna Tal |
| 2015 | The Expanse | Franklin Degraaf |
| 2014 | The Best Laid Plans | Angus McLintock |
| 2013 | The Blacklist | Werner von Hauser |
| 2011 | XIII: The Series | Dr. Westlund |
| 2010 | Human Target | |
| 2010 | Haven | Cole Glendower |
| 2009 | The Last Templar | Bill Vance |
| 2009 | The Listener | Albert Jacoby |
| 2008 | The Trojan Horse | Randall Spear |
| 2007 | Bionic Woman | |
| 2006 | Above and Beyond | Lord Beaverbrook |
| 2005 | Tilt | Seymour Annisman |
| 2005 | Karol: A Man Who Became Pope | Professor Wójcik |
| 2004 | Stargate Atlantis | Jamus |
| 2004 | H2O | Randall Spear |
| 2004 | ReGenesis | Shelby Sloane |
| 2004 | This Is Wonderland | |
| 2001 | The Guardian | |
| 2001 | Smallville | Drunk Santa |
| 2001 | Witchblade | |
| 2000 | Soul Food | Dr. Jackson Pruit |
| 2000 | Sherlock Holmes | Dr. Watson |
| 1998 | Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension | |
| 1998 | Twitch City | Mr. Surdjic |
| 1997 | The Practice | Judge M. Harrod |
| 1997 | The Hunger | Hugo Lawery |
| 1997 | The Third Twin | Preston Barck |
| 1997 | Dead Man's Gun | Dean Marley |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Dr. Vasquez |
| 1995 | Hiroshima | President Harry S. Truman |
| 1994 | Due South | Randal K. Bolt |
| 1994 | Due South | Cyrus Bolt |
| 1993 | The X-Files | Simon Gates |
| 1992 | Cruel Doubt | Attorney Wade Smith |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks | Windom Earle |
| 1990 | Law & Order | Ben O'Dell |
| 1988 | The Murder of Mary Phagan | Luther Rosser |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | |
| 1985 | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Crane |
| 1985 | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Captain Wilder |
| 1983 | Empire, Inc. | |
| 1977 | For The Record | Premier Lougheed |
| 1977 | For The Record | Dipsi Doolan |
| 1977 | For The Record | |
| 1971 | Great Performances | Charles Surface |