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Ken Murray

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
37

Gender
Male

Birthday
July 14, 1903 (122 years old)

Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA

Ken Murray

Biography

Ken Murray (born Kenneth Abner Doncourt, July 14, 1903 – October 12, 1988) was an American comedian, actor, radio and television personality and author.

After finding success on the vaudeville stage, Murray moved to Hollywood and made his film debut in the 1929 romantic drama Half Marriage, followed by a role in Leathernecking in 1930. Murray was the host of a weekly radio variety show (The Ken Murray Show) on NBC 1932-33 and on CBS 1936–37. He later was the original host (1945-57) of Queen for a Day, on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio show, which was simulcast on KTSL (now KCBS-TV), Channel 2 in Los Angeles.

During World War II, Murray was one of the many celebrities to volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen. In 1947, he produced Bill and Coo, a feature film using trained birds and other animals as actors. Bill and Coo won a special Academy Award for "novel and entertaining use of the medium of motion picture" and "artistry and patience" .

He was also the host of The Ken Murray Show, a weekly music and comedy show on CBS Television that ran from 1950 to 1953. The show was the first to win a Freedom Foundation Award. Murray also guest starred on several television series, including The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford and The Bing Crosby Show.

Murray produced and co-starred as "Smiling Billy Murray" in a 1953 film, The Marshal's Daughter, a western that featured his protege Laurie Anders in the title role, her sole film performance. In 1962, Murray portrayed the top hat wearing, cigar chewing, drunken Doc Willoughby in John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring John Wayne and James Stewart, arguably his most memorable screen role. Paired off for most of the picture with Edmond O'Brien as an alcoholic newspaper editor, he drunkenly rolls over the gunshot corpse of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) with his boot, looks around off-handedly, and says "Dead" to the surrounding crowd of euphoric Mexicans.

In 1964, Murray played Whipsaw, the operator of a stagecoach depot in the episode "Little Cayuse" of the television series Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. He and his partner take in a Cayuse orphan (Larry Domasin), who demonstrates his loyalty to the men during an Indian attack. In 1965, Murray played a THRUSH financier and owner of a caribbean casino in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1966, Murray was cast as Melody Murphy in the Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys! starring Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles and Kurt Russell.

Known For

Acting

1997Frank Capra's American Dreamas Self (archive footage)
1976Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywoodas Souvenir Salesman
1968The Poweras Grover
1966Follow Me, Boys!as Melody Murphy
1965Hollywood My Home Townas Self
1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.as Anton Korbel
1964The Bing Crosby Showas
1964The Hollywood Palaceas Self
1963The Judy Garland Showas Self
1963Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatreas
1963Burke's Lawas Charles P. Banner
1963The Greatest Show on Earthas
1963Hollywood Without Make-Upas Self - Host
1963Son of Flubberas Mr. Hurley
1962The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceas Doc Willoughby
1957The Lux Showas Self
1953The Marshal's Daughteras 'Smiling Billy' Murray
1952This Is Your Lifeas Self
1950What's My Line?as Self
1950The Ken Murray Showas
1949Red Lightas Ken Murray
1948The Ed Sullivan Showas Self
1948Bill and Cooas Ken Murray
1946Peeks at Hollywoodas
1942Juke Box Jennyas Malcolm Hammond
1941Swing It Soldieras Jerry Traynor
1941Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1as Self
1940A Night at Earl Carroll'sas Barney Nelson
1938Swing, Sister, Swingas Nap Sisler
1937You're a Sweetheartas Don King
1933From Headquartersas Mac
1933A Preferred Listas
1933Disgraced!as Jim McGuire
1932Crooneras Peter Sturgis
1932Ladies of the Juryas Spencer B. Dazy
1930Leatherneckingas Frank
1929Half Marriageas Charles Turner

Production

1983Zelig...Thanks
1979Ken Murray Shooting Stars...Director
1965Hollywood My Home Town...Editor
1963Hollywood Without Make-Up...Producer
1948Bill and Coo...Producer