The White Shadow

Background:

An American leading actor during the late 1960s to the 1980s who later evolved into a character player, Ken Howard remains famous for playing basketball coach and ex-Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves on the classic TV series “The White Shadow,” which ran on CBS from 1978 to 1981. Prior to that, he starred in the soon-canceled shows “Adam's Rib” (1973) and “Manhunter” (1974-1975), and continued to have regular roles in “It's Not Easy” (1983), as well as “Dynasty” and “The Colbys” (both during 1985 to 1986). More recently, Howard returned to series TV in NBC's “Crossing Jordan,” in which he portrayed world-wise retried Detective Lieutenant Max Cavanaugh from 2001 to 2005. He now portrays Joe Samuels on “Cane” (2007-?). The burly performer also has acted in a number of TV films and in miniseries and has guested in numerous TV shows. He won a 1981 Daytime Emmy Award for his presentation as the ideal father in the ABC special “The Body Human: Facts for Boys” (1980). On the big screen, Howard has dotted his resume with starring or supporting roles in such projects as his debut, “Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon” (1970), “Such Good Friends” (1971), “The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie” (1972), “Clear and Present Danger” (1994), “The Net” (1995) and “At First Sight” (1999). His recent and upcoming credits include “Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story” (2005), “In Her Shoes” (2005), “Arc” (2006), “Michael Clayton” (2007), “Rambo” (2008), “Two:Thirteen” (2008) and “Grey Gardens” (2008). On the stage, Howard is most known with his Tony-winning role as a young gym coach in the Broadway production of “Child's Play” (1970). He netted a Theatre World Award in “1776” (1969), playing Thomas Jefferson, a role he recreated in the 1972 movie version. Other Broadway credits include “Seesaw” (1973), “Little Black Sheep” (1975), “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue” (1976) and “Rumor” (1988).

As for his private life, Howard has shared his life outside the spotlight with his wife of 15 years, Linda Fetters. He was previously married to Margo Coleman (together from 1977 to 1991) and TV actress Louise Sorel (together from 1973 to 1976). Howard is an active supporter of the National Kidney Foundation. In 2000, he had to undergo a kidney transplant because of a blockage that was misdiagnosed. Howard stands 6-foot-6-inch and is the owner of a dog named Shadow.

Basketball

Childhood and Family:

Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr., professionally known as Ken Howard, was born in El Centro, California, on March 28, 1944. His father, Kenneth J Howard Sr., passed away due to complication from Alzheimer's disease on May 14, 1995, at the age of 79. His mother's name is Martha Carey. His younger brother, Donald Howard, died on August 14, 1999 of liver disease, at age 47. Ken was raised in the Long Island community of Manhasset, New York, and enrolled at Manhasset High School, in which he joined the basketball team. Thanks to his athletic prowess, he was offered numerous athletic scholarships, but he declined them in favor of a liberal arts studies at Amherst College. It was there that he developed a passion for theater. Ken then attended the Yale School of Drama, but left after two years to pursue a stage career.

In 1973, Ken married TV soap opera actress Louise Sorel, but the marriage only lasted for three years, when they divorced in 1976. He next married Margo Coleman, the daughter of Ann Landers, a popular newspaper advice columnist, in 1977, but the bond later also ended in separation in 1991. Currently, Ken is married to Linda Fetters, a stunt woman whom he married in 1992, and they live in Los Angeles, California.

Child's Play

Career:

Long Island-raised Ken Howard made his stage debut at age age 16, when he landed a part in a local production of “Annie Get Your Gun.” Seven years later, he decided to quit from Yale to take a small part in the Broadway musical “Promises, Promises” (1967), by Neil Simon. His work paid off in 1969, when he picked up a Theatre World Award after originating the role of Thomas Jefferson in the Tony-Award winning musical “1776,” helmed by Peter H. Hunt. He later reprised the role for the 1972 movie version of the same name. His stage career gained additional boost in 1970 when he won rave reviews and eventually a Tony for Best Featured Actor for his work in the thriller “Child's Play” (1970), playing a young gym coach at a Catholic boys school.

Soon afterwards, Howard kicked off his film career by playing the costarring role of Arthur, the sort-of-epileptic member of a trio of friends including Robert Moor and Liza Minnelli, in the comedy “Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon” (1970). He went on to star in “Such Good Friends” (1971), with Dyan Cannon, and “The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie” (1972), opposite Bonnie Bedelia, but he never truly emerged as an established figure in features. In 1973, Howard headed to Hollywood to star as a young assistant DA A named Adam Bonner on the TV series adaptation of the Tracy/Hepburn classic, “Adam's Rib,” opposite Blythe Danner, his costar in 1972's movie version “1776.” The ABC sitcom failed to find an audience and he then returned to Broadway with 1973's “Seesaw,”playing Jerry Ryan, opposite Michele Lee as Gittel Mosca. The following year, the actor added to his TV credits another starring role, this time playing the title character action hero on the CBS series “Manhunter.” The show, however, was also a flop and was canceled after a season.

In 1978, Howard eventually found TV success when he was cast in the starring role of Ken Reeves, an bruised pro basketball player who becomes the high school coach of a racially mixed team, in the classic drama “The White Shadow,” which he also co-created, based on his own experiences as the only white player on his high school basketball team. The sport-themed series ran on CBS for two and a half season (1978-1981) and was said to be a personal favorite of the network chairman William S Paley, despite never becoming a huge hit.

Howard went on to make several TV films, including “The Critical List” (1978) and “Father Damien: The Leper Priest” (1980), and even took home a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming (Performers) for his performance as the ideal father in the CBS afternoon special “The Body Human: Facts for Boys” (1980). When “The White Shadow” was axed, the actor offered strong performances in two miniseries in 1983, NBC's “Rage of Angels,” as Adam Warner, and ABC's “The Thorn Birds,” as Rainer Hartheim, before revisiting the realm of series TV with “It's Not Easy” (also 1983). The sitcom, however, had a short life. From 1985 to 1986, Howard could be seen playing Garrett Boydston on both ABC series “Dynasty” and “The Colbys.” He served as a host in the syndicated beauty pageant series “Dream Girl USA” in 1986, and later that same year he reprised his role as Adam Warner for the sequel “Rage of Angels: The Story Continues.” He next appeared in the TV films Agatha Christie's “The Man in the Brown Suit” and “Strange Interlude” (both 1988).

After a withdrawal to Harvard in the 1980s, in which he taught oral argument at the Law School and theater to undergraduates, Howard became far more selective in his work, stating he would act only when the role was right, and emerged as a movie character player. From 1990-1995, he could be seen playing roles in such projects as the TV films “Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story” (1990, as Helen Hunt's father-in-law), Sidney Sheldon's “Memories of Midnight” (1991), “Mastergate” (1992), “Hart to Hart: Hart to Hart Returns” (1993) and “Her Hidden Truth” (1995), as well as the motion pictures “Oscar” (1991, with Sylvester Stallone), “Ulterior Motives” (1992), “Clear and Present Danger” (1994, starred Harrison Ford) and Sandra Bullock's vehicle, “The Net” (1995), playing one of villainous blackmailers. Meanwhile, he co-penned and co-produced the independent film “Challenge the Wind” (1990), hosted the reality series “What Happened?” (NBC, 1992-93) and then in 1994, he began his recurring role as George Andrews on Fox's drama, “Melrose Place,” a part he hold until 1998.

Howard continued to work on both TV and films throughout the rest of the decade. He supported as Senator John Farrell on the TV film adaptation of “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” (1997), based on books by Jillian Karr and Karen Katz, portrayed Gen Horace White on the indie-action/thriller “Tactical Assault” (1998), starred as a business executive whose life turned upside-down after his wife contracts a debilitating disease in the made-for-TV drama “A Vow to Cherish” (1999) and was cast as the father of Val Kilmer in the Irwin Winkler-directed drama/romance “At First Sight” (1999). In addition, he had two different roles in two episodes of the TV series “Diagnosis Murder” (1996-1997) and guested as Judge Peyton Cabot Harrison III in a 1999 episode of the now-defunct “The West Wing.”

In the early 2000s, Howard had guest stints in such shows as “The Practice,” “Family Law,” “Arli$$” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as well as acted in the TV miniseries “Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder” (2000). However, he did not return to series work until he was cast as the retired policeman/bar owner father of Jill Hennesey's title character on the NBC series “Crossing Jordan” (2001-2005). After leaving the series in 2005, he appeared with Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning and Kris Kristofferson in the Dreamworks film “Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story,” supported Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, and Shirley MacLaine in the Curtis Hanson-helmed comedy “In Her Shoes” (both 2005) and acted in “Arc” (2006), an arresting debut from first-time filmmaker Robert Ethan Gunnerson which starred Peter Facinelli as a former cop turned drug dealer and addict named Paris Pritchert. He also made a series of guest appearances in series like “George Lopez,” “The Office,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Conviction,” “Huff” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (all 2006).

Recently, in 2007, Howard portrayed the father of Melissa Gilbert in the TV film “Spring Thaw,” supported George Clooney for the Warner Bros. drama film “Michael Clayton,” directed and written by Tony Gilroy, and has completed filming Vince Di Meglio's “Smother,” opposite Dax Shepard and Mike White. In September 2007, he joined the cast of the ABC new drama series “Cane,” about a Latino family works together to run a rum business. He plays Joe Samuels.

63-year-old Howard has four films under his belt scheduled for 2008 release. He will rejoin Stallone in the sequel “Rambo,” costar with Jason Clarke, Lake Bell and Clifton Collins Jr. in the thriller “Still Waters,” for writer/director Carolyn Miller, and play Sheriff Sedgewick on“Two:Thirteen,” a horror/thriller starring Mark Thompson and Mark Pellegrino. He also has a supporting role in “Grey Gardens,” opposite Justin Louis, Drew Barrymore, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Jessica Lange and Daniel Baldwin.

Awards:

• Daytime Emmy: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming – Performers, “The Body Human: Facts for Boys,” 1981

• Tony: Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic), “Child's Play,” 1970

• Theatre World: “1776,” 1969