Kenneth Welsh
Born: 1942-03-30 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Died: 2022-05-05
Known For: Acting
Biography
Kenneth Welsh, CM (March 30, 1942 – May 5, 2022) was a Canadian film and television actor (sometimes credited as Ken Welsh). He was known to Twin Peaks fans as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle, and had more recently played the father of Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator. In 1984 he was nominated for a Genie Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of Reno Colt in the film "Reno and the Doc", written and directed by Charles Dennis. In 1997 Welsh directed Dennis in the latter's play "SoHo Duo" at the West Bank Theatre in New York City. Welsh was born in Edmonton, Alberta to a father who worked for the Canadian National Railway. He grew up in Alberta and studied drama at school. He later moved to Montreal and attended the National Theatre School. Following graduation, he auditioned for the Stratford Festival in Ontario and then spent the first seven years of his career on stage. Welsh has portrayed historical figures including Thomas E. Dewey, Colin Thatcher, Harry S. Truman (twice), Thomas Edison, James "Scotty" Reston, General Harry Crerar and James Baker. He has made guest appearances on the acclaimed TV series Due South and Slings and Arrows. In 2003, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. His role as the Vice-President of the United States in the 2004 environmental disaster film The Day After Tomorrow sparked some controversy due to his physical resemblance to Dick Cheney, who at the time was the real Vice President. Director Roland Emmerich later confirmed that he deliberately chose Welsh for that very reason. Emmerich stated that the character of the Vice-President in the film was intended to be a not-so-subtle criticism of the environmental policies of the Presidency of George W. Bush. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenneth Welsh, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
2025
- Afterwards as Garen
2024
- Campton Manor as Lawrence
2022
- Midnight at the Paradise as Max
2021
- The Middle Man as Mr. Miller
2020
- PG: Psycho Goreman as Narrator & Judicator (voice)
2019
- And the Birds Rained Down as Boychuck
2018
2017
- Star Trek: Discovery as Senna Tal (voice)
- Undercover Grandpa as Harry
- Awakening the Zodiac as Ben
- Chicanery as Pringle Hewitt
2016
- The Void as Dr. Richard Powell
- A Nutcracker Christmas as Dimitri
2015
- The Expanse as Franklin Degraaf
- The Ballad of Immortal Joe
2014
- The Best Laid Plans as Angus McLintock
- Wet Bum as Ed
2013
- The Blacklist as Werner von Hauser
- The Art of the Steal as 'Uncle' Paddy MacCarthy
- Cottage Country as Earl
- The Story of Luke as Jonas
- Rewind as President
2012
- The Riverbank as Joe Mason
2011
- XIII: The Series as Dr. Westlund
2010
- Haven as Cole Glendower
- Human Target as Tony Belvilacqua
- Survival of the Dead as Patrick O'Flynn
2009
- The Listener as Albert Jacoby
- The Last Templar as Bill Vance
- Grey Gardens as Max Gordon
- Adoration as Morris
2008
- Kit Kittredge: An American Girl as Uncle Hendrick
- The Trojan Horse as Randall Spear
- A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride as Jack
2007
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer as Dr. Jeff Wagner
- Bionic Woman as Prof. Howard Samuels
- Silk as Mayor Joncour
- Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks as Self
- Hamlet {Solo} as Self
2006
- The Covenant as Provost Higgins
- One Way as William Henderson
- Above and Beyond as Lord Beaverbrook
2005
- Four Brothers as Robert Bradford
- The Exorcism of Emily Rose as Dr. Mueller
- The Fog as Tom Malone
- Tilt as Seymour Annisman
- Our Fathers as Bishop Murphy
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as professor Wójcik
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as Professor Wójcik
- Bailey's Billion$ as Mouse Delaney
- The Murdoch Mysteries: Under the Dragon's Tail as Inspector Ramsgate
- The Snow Queen as King
2004
- Stargate Atlantis as Jamus
- The Day After Tomorrow as Vice President Becker
- ReGenesis as Shelby Sloane
- The Aviator as Dr. Hepburn
- This Is Wonderland
- Miracle as Doc Nagobads
- H2O as Randall Spear
- The Wild Guys as Andy
2003
- Ice Bound
- Eloise at the Plaza as Sir Wilkes
- The Pentagon Papers as John McNaughon
- Eloise at Christmastime as Sir Wilkes
2002
- The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire as Dr. Watson
- The Man Who Saved Christmas as Newton Baker
- Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher as Dr. James Franken
2001
- Smallville as Drunk Santa
- The Guardian
- Witchblade
- Haven as Harry Truman
- The Sign of Four as Dr. Watson
- Haven as Harry Truman
- The Royal Scandal as Dr. Watson
- The Day Reagan Was Shot as James Baker
- Sanctuary as Sam Hathaway
- Focus as Father Crighton
2000
- Soul Food as Dr. Jackson Pruit
- Who Killed Atlanta's Children? as William Kunstler
- Sherlock Holmes as Dr. Watson
- Love and Murder as Isaak Levin
- The Hound of the Baskervilles as Dr. Watson
- Witchblade as Joe Siri
- Love Come Down as Ira Rosen
- Cold Blooded as Chief Inspector Brodsky
- Deliberate Intent as Peder Lund
1998
- Twitch City as Mr. Surdjic
- Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
- Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Sen. Shelby
- Thunder Point as Armstrong
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as Caz Hollowitz
- Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story
- Dead Husbands as Chase Woodward
- Edison: The Wizard of Light as Thomas Edison
1997
- The Practice as Judge M. Harrod
- The Hunger as Hugo Lawery
- Dead Man's Gun as Dean Marley
- Absolute Power as Sandy Lord
- The Wrong Guy as Mr. Nagel
- The Third Twin as Preston Barck
- Dead Silence as Sheriff Lenny Budd
- Dawn of the Eye as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way as George Steinbrenner
- Habitat as Coach Marlowe
1996
- Escape Clause as Owen Jessop
- The Conspiracy of Fear as Captain Rose
- Portraits of a Killer as Jim Miller
- Rowing Through as Harry Parker
- Turning April as Father
1995
- The Outer Limits as Dr. Vasquez
- Hideaway as Detective Breech
- Hiroshima as President Harry S. Truman
- Dancing in the Dark as Dr. Bel
- Vanished as Bill Palmer
- Hiroshima as President Harry S Truman
- Margaret's Museum as Angus MacNeil
- Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story as Mr. Higgins
- Kissinger and Nixon as James 'Scotty' Reston
1994
- Due South as Randal K. Bolt
- Legends of the Fall as Sheriff Tynert
- Timecop as Utley
- Death Wish V: The Face of Death as Lt. Mickey King
- Getting Gotti as Bennett
- Whale Music as Kenneth Sexstone
- Another Woman as Dr. Kenneth Holcross
- Boozecan as Tim
- And Then There Was One as David Burns
1993
- The X-Files as Simon Gates
- Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story as Don Eisenberg
- Bye Bye Love as David
- Bonds of Love as Judge
- Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story as Don Eisenberg
- Adrift as Guy Nast
- Dieppe as Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar
- The Great Dinosaur Hunt as Narrator
1992
- Cruel Doubt as Attorney Wade Smith
- Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster as Sam Skinner
- The Good Fight as Dick Chandler
- Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story as Michael Schottland
- A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story as Paul Michel
1991
- Love, Lies and Murder as Stanfield
- Grand Larceny as Virgil Klovitz
- Christmas on Division Street as David Atwood
- The Big Slice as Lieutenant Bernard
- Perfectly Normal as Charlie Glesby
1990
- Law & Order as Ben O'Dell
- Twin Peaks as Windom Earle
- The Freshman as Dwight Armstrong
- The Widowmaker as Atkinson
- Murder Times Seven as Nick Ruggieri
- The Last Best Year as Jerry
- Murder in Black and White as Ruggieri
1989
- The January Man as Roger Culver
- Physical Evidence as Harry Norton
- Love & Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher as Colin Thatcher
- Champagne Charlie as John Whistlow
- Christmas in America as Harry Morgan
- Straight Line as Dr. Hammel
- Dick Francis: Blood Sport
1988
- Crocodile Dundee II as Brannigan
- Another Woman as Donald
- The Murder of Mary Phagan as Luther Rosser
- The House on Carroll Street as Hackett
- Liberace: Behind the Music
1987
- Radio Days as Radio Voice (voice)
- A Stranger Waits as Richard Miller
- And Then You Die as Eddie Griffin
- Loyalties as David Sutton
1986
- Heartburn as Dr. Appel
- Lost!
- Murder Sees the Light as Patten
- Loose Ends as Elder Seth
- The Climb as Walter Frauenberger
1985
- The Twilight Zone
- The Ray Bradbury Theater as Crane
- Perfect as Joe McKenzie
- The Cuckoo Bird as Harry
- The War Boy as Stephan Berecky
1984
- Falling in Love as Doctor
- Covergirl as Harrison
- Piaf as Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist
- Reno and the Doc as Reno
1983
- Of Unknown Origin as James Hall
- Empire, Inc.
- Tell Me That You Love Me as David
- Hot Money as Parker
- No More Hibakusha! as (voice)
- Gary Carter Visits Japan as Narrator
1980
- Phobia as Sergeant Wheeler
- Double Negative as Dr. Klifter
- F.D.R.: The Last Year as Thomas E. Dewey
1979
- Riel as McWilliams
1976
- For the Record as Premier Lougheed
1975
- The School for Scandal as Charles Surface
1974
1971
- Great Performances as Charles Surface