Changes: Kenneth Mars

Revision as of 10:13, 28 November 2009

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Kenneth Mars (born 14 April 1936; age 88) is the veteran comic actor and voice actor who played the role of Colyus in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Shadowplay". He hails from Chicago, Illinois.

Film work

A veteran of farcical comedy, Mars is perhaps best recognized for his zany, over-the-top performances in two of Mel Brooks' most well-known films, The Producers in 1968 and Young Frankenstein in 1974. In the former, he portrayed Franz Liebkind, the Nazi playwright of Springtime for Hitler; in the latter, he played Inspector Kemp, a police officer with a creaky wooden arm, an eyepatch, and a very thick accent. Mars' co-stars in The Producers included one-time TOS guest actress Teri Garr.

His comedic talents were also utilized by director Peter Bogdanovich for his films What's Up, Doc? (1972, with Stefan Gierasch, Graham Jarvis, and Sean Morgan) and Illegally Yours (1988, with Leon Rippy). He was additionally directed by filmmaker Woody Allen in two comedies, 1987's Radio Days and 1991's Shadows and Fog. Both of these films co-starred Robert Joy and Wallace Shawn, while Mike Starr appeared in the former and Richard Riehle, Camille Saviola, Kurtwood Smith, and David Ogden Stiers had roles in the latter.

Mars has played numerous dramatic roles, as well. He had a supporting role as a marshal in the acclaimed, Academy Award-winning 1969 western adventure Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, along with Ted Cassidy, Jeff Corey, Charles Dierkop, and Don Keefer. He then had the lead male role in the 1971 drama Desperate Characters, in which he and Shirley MacLaine play a middle-aged, middle class, childless Brooklyn couple trapped in a loveless marriage. Mars afterward landed roles in a pair of thrillers; the first was 1974's The Parallax View, which also featured an uncredited performance by Star Trek: Insurrection actor Anthony Zerbe. The following year, Mars co-starred in Night Moves with Harris Yulin.

Despite his dramatic film work, Mars maintained a propensity for comedic roles. Some of his other comedic films in addition to those with Brooks, Bogdanovich, and Allen include 1969's The April Fools (with Sally Kellerman), 1979's The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (directed by Vincent McEveety and co-starring Ted Gehring, Ed McCready, Robert Pine, and Nick Ramus), 1983's Yellowbeard (with production designed by Joseph R. Jennings), and 1984's Protocol (with Ed Begley, Jr., Joel Brooks, Cliff deYoung, Chris Sarandon, Gail Strickland, and Keith Szarabajka). He also had a supporting role in the hit 1985 comic thriler Fletch, in which he worked with Bruce French and fellow DS9 guest actor Richard Libertini.

He later appeared in 1989's Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, along with Arthur Batanides, David Graf, Gerrit Graham, Darryl Henriques, and Matt McCoy. Mars again worked with David Graf, as well as the aforementioned Kurtwood Smith, in the 1996 comic drama Citizen Ruth. Mars and Kurtwood again appeared together in the 2002 comedy Teddy Bears' Picnic, which also featured Henry Gibson, Michael McKean, Robert Mandan, and Brenda Strong. This has been Mars' most recent feature film to date.

Television work

On television, aside from voice work, Mars was a regular on the short-lived (1968-69) CBS comedy series He & She, as was his fellow DS9 guest star Hamilton Camp. Mars later played W. D. "Bud" Prize on the talk show parody series Fernwood 2 Night (1977) and America 2-Night (1978). Mars then briefly became a regular skit performer on Carol Burnett & Company in 1979.

Mars has also made guest appearances on such classic TV series as Gunsmoke (in an episode directed by Marc Daniels and co-starring Michael Ansara and Richard Webb), Get Smart (with William Schallert), Mannix (with Paul Carr and Warren Stevens), McMillan & Wife (with Michael Ansara, David Huddleston, and John Schuck), Police Woman (directed by Alexander Singer), Wonder Woman (in the pilot movie, co-starring Henry Gibson and Ian Wolfe), Barney Miller (starring Ron Glass), Baa Baa Black Sheep (starring John Larroquette), Barnaby Jones (starring Lee Meriwether), Alice (starring Vic Tayback), and even a stint on The Carol Burnett Show. Some of the more contemporary series on which has appeared are Trapper John, M.D. (with Bibi Besch), Magnum P.I. (two episodes, including one with Samantha Eggar), Murder, She Wrote (working alongside Diana Muldaur), and Simon & Simon (three episodes: one directed by Mike Vejar, one with Gary Lockwood and Bebe Neuwirth, and a third with Parley Baer and Darleen Carr).

In 1985, Mars guest-starred in an episode of Remington Steele with DS9 regular Nana Visitor. He also guest-starred in two episodes of Hardcastle and McCormick, starring Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly in the title roles; one of these episodes co-starred Leslie Bevis, Claudette Nevins, Phil Rubenstein, and Voyager's Robert Picardo. More recent guest appearances include an episode of L.A. Law with Armin Shimerman (and series regulars Corbin Bernsen and Larry Drake), an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (starring Teri Hatcher), an episode Nash Bridges with Melinda Clarke and Richard Libertini, and three episodes of Becker, alongside his DS9 co-star Terry Farrell. More recently, Mars had a recurring role as Otto Mankusser on the series Malcolm in the Middle.

Voice-over work

In recent years, Mars has become most recognizable supplying his voice to several animated characters, most notably King Triton in the 1989 Walt Disney film The Little Mermaid (a role Patrick Stewart was forced to decline due to his TNG schedule), which also featured the voice of DS9 star Rene Auberjonois. Mars and Auberjonois have also collaborated as voice actors on such animated shows as The Jetsons, Challenge of the GoBots, and Pirates of Dark Water. Mars has voiced characters on several television shows for Disney, as well, including TaleSpin (as Heimlich Menudo), Darkwing Duck (as Tuskerninni), and the TV series spin-off of The Little Mermaid (again voicing King Triton).

Mars has also been voicing Littlefoot the dinosaur's grandfather in the countless Land Before Time direct-to-video sequels. In addition, Mars and Star Trek: Voyager star Kate Mulgrew voiced characters in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "The Lion and the Unicorn". Mars' other TV voice-over credits include episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and Freakazoid! Some of his feature film voice credits include We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story (1993) and Thumbelina (1994). Mars can also be heard in the 2003 video game Freelancer, along with George Takei, and he continued voicing King Triton in the Kingdom Hearts video games.

Other Trek connections

Film

Viva Max (1969) with Ted Gehring and Larry Hankin
Goin' Coconuts (1978) with Ted Cassidy and Marc Lawrence
Rented Lips (1988) with Michael Shamus Wiles
Rough Magic (1995) with Michael Ensign
Prince Jack (1985) with Theodore Bikel and William Windom

External links

Template:IMDb-link
Kenneth Mars at Wikipedia

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Mars has played numerous dramatic roles, as well. He had a supporting role as a marshal in the acclaimed, Academy Award-winning 1969 western adventure ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'', along with [[Ted Cassidy]], [[Jeff Corey]], [[Charles Dierkop]], and [[Don Keefer]]. He then had the lead male role in the 1971 drama ''Desperate Characters'', in which he and Shirley MacLaine play a middle-aged, middle class, childless Brooklyn couple trapped in a loveless marriage. Mars afterward landed roles in a pair of thrillers; the first was 1974's ''The Parallax View'', which also featured an uncredited performance by {{film|9}} actor [[Anthony Zerbe]]. The following year, Mars co-starred in ''Night Moves'' with [[Harris Yulin]].
-Despite his dramatic film work, Mars maintained a propensity for comedic roles. Some of his other comedic films in addition to those with Brooks, Bogdanovich, and Allen include 1969's ''The April Fools'' (with [[Sally Kellerman]]), 1979's ''''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again'' (directed by [[Vincent McEveety]] and co-starring [[Ted Gehring]], [[Ed McCready]], [[Robert Pine]], and [[Nick Ramus]]), and 1984's ''Protocol'' (with [[Ed Begley, Jr.]], [[Joel Brooks]], [[Cliff deYoung]], [[Chris Sarandon]], [[Gail Strickland]], and [[Keith Szarabajka]]). He also had a supporting role in the hit 1985 comic thriler ''Fletch'', in which he worked with [[Bruce French]] and fellow [[DS9]] guest actor [[Richard Libertini]].
+Despite his dramatic film work, Mars maintained a propensity for comedic roles. Some of his other comedic films in addition to those with Brooks, Bogdanovich, and Allen include 1969's ''The April Fools'' (with [[Sally Kellerman]]), 1979's ''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again'' (directed by [[Vincent McEveety]] and co-starring [[Ted Gehring]], [[Ed McCready]], [[Robert Pine]], and [[Nick Ramus]]), 1983's ''Yellowbeard'' (with production designed by [[Joseph R. Jennings]]), and 1984's ''Protocol'' (with [[Ed Begley, Jr.]], [[Joel Brooks]], [[Cliff deYoung]], [[Chris Sarandon]], [[Gail Strickland]], and [[Keith Szarabajka]]). He also had a supporting role in the hit 1985 comic thriler ''Fletch'', in which he worked with [[Bruce French]] and fellow [[DS9]] guest actor [[Richard Libertini]].
 He later appeared in 1989's ''Police Academy 6: City Under Siege'', along with [[Arthur Batanides]], [[David Graf]], [[Gerrit Graham]], [[Darryl Henriques]], and [[Matt McCoy]]. Mars again worked with David Graf, as well as the aforementioned Kurtwood Smith, in the 1996 comic drama ''Citizen Ruth''. Mars and Kurtwood again appeared together in the 2002 comedy ''Teddy Bears' Picnic'', which also featured [[Henry Gibson]], [[Michael McKean]], [[Robert Mandan]], and [[Brenda Strong]]. This has been Mars' most recent feature film to date.