Kenneth Welsh obit

Kenneth Welsh, Canadian Actor in ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘The Day After Tomorrow,’ Dies at 80

 

 He was not on the list.

Kenneth Welsh, a prolific Canadian character actor with more than 200 screen credits, died Thursday evening. He was 80 years old.

ACTRA, the Canadian film and television union, confirmed the news on Friday. “Ken was one of Canada’s all-time great performers, with hundreds of memorable roles spanning decades,” ACTRA wrote in a statement. “He will be greatly missed. Our condolences to his loved ones.”

Welsh is best known to American audiences for his role as Windom Earle, the crazed FBI agent in Season 2 of the groundbreaking television series “Twin Peaks.”

In his native Canada, he was a consistent figure on television, frequently starring in TV films. He portrayed several historical figures on the screen, with some of his roles including Harry S. Truman, Thomas E. Dewey, Colin Thatcher, Thomas Edison, James “Scotty” Reston and General Harry Crerar.

Born in 1942 in Edmonton, Alta., Welsh studied at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal. He then spent the first years of his career as a performer at the world-renowned Stratford Festival, which is recognized for its performances of Shakespeare plays. In 2006, he would play himself in an episode of “Slings & Arrows,” an acclaimed comedy series set in a fictional theater company modeled after Stratford.

Welsh’s first screen credit was as a performer in “Shoestring Theatre,” a 1963 CBC anthology series that saw a group of actors perform minimalist, experimental productions of plays. He made a few more television appearances in the ’60s, including television movie versions of “Henry V” (where he played Grey) and “The Three Musketeers” (where he played the central role of D’Artagnan).

Over the course of the ’70s and ’80s, Welsh worked primarily in his native Canada. He had notable roles in television films such as “Hedda Gabler,” “Brethren,” “Reno and the Doc,” “Love & Larceny,” “The Cuckoo Bird,” “Murder Sees the Light,” “Loose Ends,” “A Stranger Waits” and “Love and Hate.” He also had guest roles on shows such as “For the Record ,” “Seeing Things” and “Spenser: For Hire.” In 1988, he played a supporting role in “Crocodile Dundee II” and starred in an episode of the then-ongoing “Twilight Zone” revival.

Welsh was cast as Windom Earle, one of the central villains on “Twin Peaks” Season 2, in 1990. The former partner and mentor of main character special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), Earle went insane and murdered his wife. After escaping captivity, he traveled to the titular town of Twin Peaks in hopes of unleashing the power of the supernatural Black Lodge. Welsh cut a menacing presence as Earle, who was memorable for his cruel nature and obsession with chess. The actor starred in 10 episodes of the show and was a central figure in the show’s famously ambiguous finale.

After “Twin Peaks,” Welsh started working more in America, though he continued to make frequent appearances in Canadian productions. Notable television shows he guest starred in include “The X-Files,” “Law & Order,” “The Outer Limits,” “Soul Food,” “The Practice,” “Due South,” “Smallville,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “Human Target,” “The Expanse” and “Star Trek: Discovery.”

In 2018, Welsh took on a notable recurring role in “Lodge 49,” where he played Larry Loomis, the leader of the titular fraternal order. He also continued starring in television films, which included playing American president Harry S. Truman in two separate productions: “Hiroshima” in 1995 and “Haven” in 2001. From 2000 to 2002, Welsh played Dr. Watson opposite Matt Frewer as Sherlock Holmes in four television movies for the Hallmark Channel.

Theatrical films Welsh had supporting roles in include “Timecop,” “Legends of the Fall” and “Focus.” In 2004, he played Dr. Hepburn, the father to Cate Blanchett’s Katharine Hepburn, in Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator.” The same year, he also played the incompetent United States Vice President Raymond Becker in the Roland Emmerich disaster film “The Day After Tomorrow.” At the time of the film’s release, there was some criticism regarding how Welsh resembled then Vice President Dick Cheney, which Emmerich admitted was intentional. Other notable films Welsh had roles in include “The Fog,” “The Covenant” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”

At time of death, Welsh had several projects in post-production. He was set to make a guest appearance in the Prime Video revival of Canadian sketch comedy series “The Kids in the Hall,” which will release later this month. Other upcoming roles include appearances in films such as “Campton Manor,” “Midnight at the Paradise,” “Deadly Draw” and “Afterwards.”

Welsh is survived by his son, Devon Welsh, a singer-songwriter.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1965      The Overfamiliar Subordinate                     Short documentary

1974      Piaf                       

1976      Brethren              Ralph    

1980      Double Negative               Dr. Klifter            

Phobia Sergeant Wheeler           

1983      Tell Me That You Love Me            David    

Of Unknown Origin          James Hall          

Hot Money         Parker  

1984      Covergirl              Harrison              

Falling in Love    Doctor

1985      Perfect Joe McKenzie    

The War Boy      Stephan Berecky             

1986      Lost!      Jim        

The Climb            Walter Frauenberger     

Loyalties              David Sutton      Genie Award nominee for Best Actor at the 8th Genie Awards

Heartburn           Dr. Appel            

1987      Radio Days          Radio Voice         Voice

And Then You Die            Eddie Griffin      

1988      The House on Carroll Street         Hackett               

Crocodile Dundee II         Brannigan           

Another Woman               Donald

1989      The January Man              Roger Culver      Credited as Ken Welsh

Physical Evidence             Harry Norton     

1990      Straight Line       Dr. Hammel       

The Freshman   Dwight Armstrong          

Perfectly Normal              Charlie Glesby  

1991      The Big Slice       Lieutenant Bernard        

1992      Eli's Lesson          Uncle Yakub      

1993      Les amoureuses               David    

1994      Death Wish V: The Face of Death               Lieutenant Mickey King

Whale Music      Kenneth Sexstone          

Timecop               Senator Utley    

Legends of the Fall           Sheriff Tynert    

Boozecan             Tim       

1995      Hideaway            Detective Breech             

Margaret's Museum       Angus MacNeil

1996      Portraits of a Killer           Jim Miller           

Rowing Through               Harry Parker      

Turning April      Father  

1997      Habitat Coach Marlowe                

Absolute Power                Sandy Lord         

The Wrong Guy                 Mr. Nagel           

1999      External Affairs Michael Riordan              

2000      Love Come Down             Ira Rosen            

Bad Faith             Chief Inspector Brodsky                

2001      Focus     Father Crighton                

2004      Miracle                 George Nagobads           

The Wild Guys   Andy     

The Day After Tomorrow              Vice President / President Raymond Becker        

The Aviator         Dr. Hepburn       Credited as Kenneth Walsh

2005      Four Brothers    Robert Bradford               

Bailey's Billion$                 Mouse Delaney                

The Exorcism of Emily Rose          Dr. Mueller         (as Ken Welsh)

The Fog                Tom Malone      

2006      The Covenant    Provost Higgins

One Way              William Henderson        

2007      Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer   Dr. Jeff Wagner                

Silk         Mayor Joncour

2008      Adoration            Morris  

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl   Uncle Hendrick

Nothing Really Matters Joe        

2009      Survival of the Dead        Patrick O'Flynn

2012      The Riverbank   Joe Mason          

The Story of Luke             Grandpa Jonas  

2013      Cottage Country               Earl       

The Art of the Steal         Paddy "Uncle Paddy" McCarthy

2014      Wet Bum             Ed          

2015      The Ballad of Immortal Joe           The Narrator      Short

2016      The Void              Dr. Richard Powell          

2017      Chicanery            Pringle Hewitt   

Awakening the Zodiac    Ben       

Undercover Grandpa      Harry    

2019      And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux)         Boychuck            

2020      PG: Psycho Goreman      Narrator / Judicator       

2021      The Middle Man               Mr. Miller            Final film role

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1969      The Three Musketeers   D'Artagnan         TV movie

1975      Great Performances       Oliver Surface    Episode: "The School for Scandal"

1977–1984          For the Record Various                 3 episodes

1979      The Great Detective        Henry Lyall          Episode: "Murder at Blenheim Swamp"

Riel         McWilliams         TV movie

1980      F.D.R.: The Last Year       Thomas E. Dewey            TV movie

1981      CBS Children's Mystery Theatre Sergeant Hawkins            Episode: "Mystery at Fire Island"

1983      Empire, Inc.        Sir James Munroe            Miniseries

1984      Reno and the Doc             Reno      TV movie

1985      Love and Larceny             Ira Reynolds       TV movie

The Cuckoo Bird                Harry     TV movie

The Ray Bradbury Theater            Crane    Episode: "Marionettes, Inc."

1986      Seeing Things     Sutherland          Episode: "The Walls Have Eyes"

Murder Sees the Light    The Evangelist   TV movie

1987      Spenser: For Hire              Lt. Webster Bloom / Lt. Nicholas Webster             2 episodes

1988      The Murder of Mary Phagan        Luther Rosser     Miniseries, 2 episodes

Liberace: Behind the Music                          TV movie

T. and T.               Dr. Hammel        3 episodes

The Twilight Zone             Jack Simonson   Episode: "Acts of Terror"

1989      Champagne Charlie         John Whistlow   TV miniseries

Gideon Oliver     Father Brian Halloran     Episode: "By the Waters of Babylon"

Dick Francis: Blood Sport               Harry Teller         TV movie

Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher     Colin Thatcher   TV miniseries

1990      Murder Times Seven      Nick Ruggieri      TV movie

The Ray Bradbury Theater            Captain Wilder Episode: "And the Moon Be Still as Bright"

Street Legal        George Wilson   Episode: "Standard of Care"

The Last Best Year            Jerry      TV movie

The Widowmaker            Atkinson              TV movie

1990–1991          Twin Peaks          Windom Earle    10 episodes

1991      Love, Lies and Murder    Stanfield              2 episodes

Beyond Reality Joe / Revere       Episode: "The Doppelgänger"

1992      Cruel Doubt        Attorney Wade Smith     2 episodes

A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story     Paul Michel         TV movie

Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster Sam Skinner       TV movie

The Good Fight Dick Chandler    TV movie

1993      Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story        Don Eisenberg   TV movie

Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story Judge Norton     TV movie

Dieppe Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar   TV movie

1994      Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Vance Cavanaugh             Episode: "Temple"

And Then There Was One             David Burns        TV movie

Getting Gotti      Bennett                TV movie

The Diary of Evelyn Lau Larry      TV movie

Lonesome Dove: The Series         The Colonel        Episode: "Duty Bound"

1995      Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story               Mr. Higgins         TV movie

Vanished             Bill Palmer           TV movie

Hiroshima            President Harry S. Truman            TV movie

Kissinger and Nixon         James "Scotty" Reston   TV movie

The X-Files          Simon Gates       Episode: "Revelations"

1996      Escape Clause    Owen Jessop      TV movie

1996–1999          Due South           Randal K. Bolt / Cyrus Bolt            3 episodes

1997      Dead Silence      Sheriff Lenny Budd          TV movie

The Outer Limits               Dr. Vasquez        Episode: "Tempests"

The Hunger         Hugo Lawery      Episode: "The Secret Shih Tan"

Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way        George Steinbrenner      TV movie

The Third Twin Preston Barck    TV movie

1998      The Taking of Pelham One Two Three      Caz Hollowitz     TV movie

Dead Man's Gun               Dean Marley      Episode: "The Gambler"

Law & Order       Ben O'Dell           Episode: "Disappeared"

Thunder Point   Armstrong           TV movie

Thanks of a Grateful Nation         Sen. Shelby         TV movie

Dead Husbands                 Chase Woodward             TV movie

Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension        Buck Corona III Episode: "The Jackalope"

Edison: The Wizard of Light          Thomas Edison TV movie

1999      G-Saviour            General Garneaux           TV movie

Vendetta             Mayor Joe Shakspeare   TV movie

2000      Twitch City          Mr. Surdjic          2 episodes

Falcone                                 Episode: "Paying the Piper"

D.C.        Neil        3 episodes

Who Killed Atlanta's Children?    William Kunstler               TV movie

Deliberate Intent              Peder Lund         TV movie

Witchblade         Joe Siri TV movie

Murder Call        James Florie       Episode: "Done to Death"

The Hound of the Baskervilles     Dr. Watson         TV movie

2001      Haven   Harry Truman    TV movie

Sanctuary            Sam Hathaway TV movie

The Sign of Four                Dr. Watson         TV movie

Witchblade         Capt. Joe Siri      2 episodes

The Guardian                     Episode: "Reunion"; uncredited

The Royal Scandal            Dr. Watson         TV movie

The Day Reagan Was Shot            James Baker       TV movie

2002      Soul Food            Dr. Jackson Pruit               2 episodes

The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire     Dr. Watson         TV movie

The Man Who Saved Christmas Newton Baker   TV movie

2003      The Pentagon Papers     John McNaughton           TV movie

Ice Bound: A Woman's Survival at the South Pole               Dr. Ben Murdoch              TV movie

The Practice       Judge M. Harrod               3 episodes

Eloise at the Plaza            Sir Wilkes            TV movie

Eloise at Christmastime Sir Wilkes            TV movie

2004      ReGenesis           Dr. Shelby Sloane             3 episodes

H2O       Randall Spear     2 episodes

2005      This Is Wonderland                          Episode #2.3

Tilt          Seymour Annisman         2 episodes

Karol: A Man Who Became Pope               Professor Wójcik              TV movie

Our Fathers        Bishop Murphy TV movie

The Murdoch Mysteries                Inspector Ramsgate        Episode: "Under the Dragon's Tail"

Category 7: The End of the World              Chief of Staff Alan Horst                Miniseries, 2 episodes

Smallville             Drunk Santa        Episode: "Lexmas"

The Snow Queen              King       TV movie

2006      Covert One: The Hades Factor    General Keilburger          2 episodes

Above and Beyond          Lord Beaverbrook            Miniseries

Slings & Arrows                 Himself                 Episode: "Divided Kingdom"

2007      Stargate Atlantis               Jamus    Episode: "The Ark"

Superstorm        Richard Hughes                 Miniseries

Bionic Woman   Prof. Howard Samuels    Episode: "The Education of Jaime Sommers"

Booky and the Secret Santa         Mr. Eaton            TV movie

St. Urbain's Horseman    Justice Beale      Episode: "Part 1 & 2"

2008      The Trojan Horse              Randall Spear     Episode: "Part One"

A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride         Jack        TV movie

2009      Grey Gardens    Max Gordon       TV movie

The Last Templar              Bill Vance            2 episodes

2010      Human Target    Belvilacqua         Episode: "Corner Man"

2011      Haven   Cole Glendower               Episode: "The Tides That Bind"

Being Erica          Matthew Wexlar              Episode: "Sins of the Father"

2012      Less Than Kind   Henley Episode: "Coming Around"

The Listener       Albert Jacoby     Episode: "Captain Nightfall"

XIII: The Series   Dr. Westlund      Episode: "Tempest"

2013      Perfect Storm: Disasters That Changed The World             Narrator               6 episodes

Rewind President             TV movie

2014      The Best Laid Plans          Angus McClintock            6 episodes

The Divide           Stanley Zale        5 episodes

2015      Mr. D     Francis Duncan Episode: "Corporal Punishment"

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles       Lizzie's Lawyer   2 episodes

The Expanse       Frank Degraaf    Episode: "Remember the Cant"

2017      The Blacklist       Werner von Hauser         Episode: "Dr. Bogdan Krilov (No. 29)"

Saving Hope       Wilfred Jennings               Episode: "All Our Yesterdays"

Salvation              Andrew Bartok Episode: "From Russia, with Love"

2018–2019          Lodge 49              Larry Loomis       8 episodes

2020      Star Trek: Discovery        Senna Tal             Episodes: "People of Earth", "Forget Me Not"

2021      Charmed              Fenric the Vile   2 episodes