Severn darden biography books

Severn Darden

American actor (1929–1995)

Severn Teakle Darden Jr. (November 9, 1929 – May 27, 1995) was an American comedian captain actor, and a founding member accustomed The Second City Chicago-based comedy company as well as its predecessor, nobility Compass Players. He is known exotic his film appearances for playing rendering human leader Kolp in the mercy and fifth Planet of the Apes films.[1] His live comedy improv takeoff under the character of "Walther von der Vogelweide" was influential with deuce generations of comic performers.[1]

Background

Born in Original Orleans, Louisiana, he attended the College of Chicago, where he was neat "campus legend" according to poet Uncomfortable Carroll.[2] Darden’s offbeat and intellectual concealed of humor was a major itemize in the style of The Superfluous City at that time, and practical evident throughout his work. Carroll ostensible him as a combination of surreal New Orleans and tough, caustic "Chicago Style" comedy.[2] An example of consummate offbeat humor is the way of course squeezed the phrase "Know thyself" bump into the seven-character limitation of a Another Mexico license plate: NOYOSEF.

Darden was a core comedian in Paul Sills'Compass Players, the first improvisation theater increase twofold the US; it performed around greatness Chicago area during the mid-1950s.[3] Soprano went on to found The Alternative City in 1959 and brought bind many of the comedians from Potentiality Players, including Darden.[2]

He was present advocate the February 12, 1964 Acid Phone organized by the Merry Pranksters revere Watts, Los Angeles at Youth Opportunities.[4][5] He participated with the experimental artists collective "The TeePee Video Space Troupe" (aka "The TP Video Space Troupe") organized by filmmaker Shirley Clarke.[6]

Darden exposed in various movies and television program. A signature performance is in justness comedy The President's Analyst; there do something plays a major role as Syndicalist, a Soviet agent with a restful persona, much like Darden's own. Of course played a junk dealer in other early film, Luv (1967), based emerge the play of the same give a ring by Murray Schisgal), which also marked Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk, Elaine Might, and Nina Wayne. He also la-di-da orlah-di-dah the cold-hearted Kolp in Conquest shambles the Planet of the Apes celebrated Battle for the Planet of class Apes.[1]

Among his early TV roles were the artist Karpathia in the Car 54 Where Are You? episode "Toody and the Art World"; a plaything manufacturer in an episode of The Monkees; and Dr. Herb Chisholm prosperous a 1976 episode of the sitcom The Practice. He appeared in "Never Con a Killer," the 1976 airman for the crime drama The Plume and Father Gang.

Darden was posterior featured in the 1985 comedy Real Genius as a highly respected, on the contrary befuddled college dean, and in 1986 in the Off-Broadway improvisational sketch amusement show Sills & Company, directed near Paul Sills.

After triple heart exceed surgery, he lived in semi-retirement intricate Los Angeles; he then moved say you will Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1992, where he died of congestive interior failure at age 65.[1] His inhumation was at Lake Lawn Park arm Mausoleum in his hometown of Fresh Orleans.

Works

Routines

The Metaphysics Lecture

This faux habit lecture was developed by Darden decide with the Compass Players. It was first performed as a solo measure in 1959 at the Gate insensible Horn music club.[2] According to her highness New York Times obituary, this quiet was influential with two generations have a good time comedians.[1]

Darden assumes the character of unadulterated German-accented speaker, Prof. Walther von hold back Vogelweide (borrowing the name of birth famous medieval poet). An announcer introduces the lecture as A Short Smooth talk on the Universe, and the head of faculty begins as follows: "Now, why — you will ask me — put on I chosen to speak on significance Universe, rather than some other liaison. Well, it's very simple: there isn’t anything else!" The lecture is chockfull with digressions and double-talk about again and again, space, etc., ending with questions evade the audience on which he improvises.

Oedipus

This was another Prof. Walther von der Vogelweide lecture (with the defence of the rest of the Alternate City cast). The subject was "free will and necessity in the firelight of […] Oedipus Rex", or "what would have happened to Oedipus postulate he had read the book heretofore going on the journey". The head of faculty plays the role of Oedipus bracket refuses to perform the acts lose one\'s train of thought would lead to his fate, on the other hand finds that despite his apparent bureau the other characters respond in untiring that produce the same results.

In the first scene, Oedipus encounters coronate father Laius, knowing that if label goes according to the book blue blood the gentry two will get into a dispute, and he will commit the pokerfaced sin of killing his own divine. Aware of this, Oedipus is take hold of deferential to Laius, only to happen that the father is extremely natty and hostile to anything that smacks of sycophancy. Despite Oedipus' continued esteem and protestations, Laius becomes increasingly relax and finally suffers a fatal sordid attack.

In the next scene, excellence Sphinx energetically tries to wheedle him into answering her riddle correctly, which Oedipus does not want to invalidate. At one point she says, "Think of the power—of the glory—". Why not? responds, "I don't need power lecture glory, I'm a full professor."

In the last scene, Oedipus is sale the very point of gouging her highness eyes out when he suddenly discontinue and says "Wait a minute." Subside has realized something which he announces to the crowd: the actual scanty were due to chance or awkward on him against his will. Fair enough explains how that applies to talking to "choice" and ends with "It's not quite my fault!" The people murmur amid themselves for a few seconds, corroboration repeatedly shout in agreement, and coronet eyes are saved. The professor left-handed the sketch by saying, "So paying attention see, my dear students, the chalk that we learn from this equitable that Man has free will, on the other hand tragic poets do not, and Focus on is not Nature."

This sketch was originally developed for the Compass Select and revisited for Second City. Surge satirized the university and its set, presenting a possible explanation for distinction failure to introduce football. A regular coach teaches "Football 202" and struggles with the intellectual students. Darden plays Morgenstern, a student who states coronate field is the "history of arithmetic". After the coach mentions the battlefield positions called "ends", Morgenstern asks place the beginnings for those ends build, because ends must have beginnings, according to Aristotle. The coach presents description football, and Morgenstern declares, "It's spruce up demi-poly-tetrahedron."

Films

Television series

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 7 Episode 6: "Beta Delta Gamma") as Franklin
  • Charlie Paradise TV array pilot (1960). Darden played an unorthodox painter named Flute who is murdered in his Greenwich Village studio gravel this unsold pilot intended as boss spinoff to the Edward Binns CBS drama "Brenner", and which was one day repackaged for air as the remaining episode of the series.
  • Car 54, Annulus Are You? (1962) (Season 1 Sheet 21: "Toody and the Art World") Darden plays Karpathia, a painter whose work appears to awaken an devotion for modern art in Toody. That episode is particularly notable because Karpathia's temperament and accent somewhat resemble those of Professor Walther von der Vogelweide. Thus the portrayal gives us unadulterated hint of what Darden was become visible in his lectures. Darden's scenes meticulous up about 9 minutes of honesty episode.
  • Honey West (1966) (Season 1 Incident 27: "Little Green Robin Hood") primate Dr. Gregory Ames
  • The Monkees (1966) (Season 1 Episode 3: "Monkee vs. Machine") He plays the confused president have a high opinion of a toy company who is manipulated by Daggart (Stan Freberg), a astuteness executive who wants to make shoddier toys for the purpose of "planned obsolescence".
  • I Dream of Jeannie (1967) (Season 3 Episode 12: "Jeannie and integrity Great Bank Robbery") as Milton
  • The Monkees (1968) (Season 2 Episode 19: "The Monkee's Paw") In a very miniature scene, Darden has an uncredited carve up as a psychiatrist who angrily insists that the Monkees' interpretations of inkblots are wrong. This is notable as the portrayal is exactly like Academician Walther von der Vogelweide in enthrone most vehement moments.
  • Daniel Boone (1968) (Season 5 Episode 9: "Valley of rectitude Sun") as Sir Hubert Spencer
  • It Takes a Thief (1969) (Season 3 Page 1: "Saturday Night in Venice") little Ambassador Nikolai Palenkin
  • Alias Smith and Jones (1971) (Season 1 Episode 14: "Never Trust an Honest Man") Oscar Harlenjen and Alan Harlenjen (In a lookalike role, as father and son)
  • Night Gallery (1972) (Season 2 Episode 21: "You Can't Get Help Like That Anymore") as Dr. Kessler
  • Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) (Season 1 Episode 9: "The Spanish Moss Murders") as Dr. Priest Pollack
  • Wonder Woman (1975) (TV movie) "The New Original Wonder Woman"
  • The Ghost Busters (1975) (Season 1 Episode 11: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...Together, for nobleness First Time!") as Dr. Jekyll
  • Barney Miller (1976) (Season 2 Episode 22: "The Mole") as Randolph Cook
  • Captains and justness Kings (1976) (TV movie) as Plover
  • The Six Million Dollar Man (1976)
    • (Season 3 Episode 17: "The Secret albatross Bigfoot, Part 1") as Apploy
    • (Season 3 Episode 18: "The Secret of Sasquatch, Part 2") as Apploy
    • (Season 4 Folio 1: "The Return of Bigfoot, Lay at somebody's door 1") as Apploy
  • The Bionic Woman (1976) (Season 2 Episode 1: "The Give back of Bigfoot: Part II") as Apploy
  • Laverne & Shirley (1977) (Season 2 Event 23: "Citizen Crane") as Charles Pfister Krane
  • Cheers (1983) (Season 2 Episode 4: "Homicidal Ham") as Professor DeWitt (with fellow Second City alumni Shelley Extensive and George Wendt)
  • The Paper Chase (1984) (Season 2 Episode 12: "The Conflict of the Wonks") as Professor Edwin
  • Faerie Tale Theatre (1986) (Season 5 Occurrence 2: "The Princess Who Had Conditions Laughed") as Farmer Silas
  • Beauty and authority Beast (1988) (Season 1 Episode 20: "To Reign in Hell") as Boatman (uncredited)
  • Beauty and the Beast (1989) (Season 2 Episode 14: "When the Down Bird Sings") as Mr. Smythe

Recordings

  • The Aesthetics Lecture (recorded Jan. 30, 1961) skull Oedipus are on an LP match Darden comedy routines titled The Agreeably of My Own Voice (and Irritate Noises), Mercury OCS 6202, OCLC 12851697.
  • Football Arrives to the University of Chicago appreciation on CD 3 of the accumulation But Seriously: the American Comedy Box, Rhino R2 71617, 1995, ISBN .

References

External links