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)
- Chicanery as Pringle Hewitt
- Undercover Grandpa as Harry
- Awakening the Zodiac as Ben
2016
- A Nutcracker Christmas as Dimitri
- The Void as Dr. Richard Powell
2015
- The Expanse as Franklin Degraaf
- The Ballad of Immortal Joe
2014
- Wet Bum as Ed
- The Best Laid Plans as Angus McLintock
2013
- The Blacklist as Werner von Hauser
- Cottage Country as Earl
- Rewind as President
- The Art of the Steal as 'Uncle' Paddy MacCarthy
- The Story of Luke as Jonas
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
- Grey Gardens as Max Gordon
- Adoration as Morris
- The Last Templar as Bill Vance
2008
- Kit Kittredge: An American Girl as Uncle Hendrick
- A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride as Jack
- The Trojan Horse as Randall Spear
2007
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer as Dr. Jeff Wagner
- Silk as Mayor Joncour
- Hamlet {Solo} as Self
- Bionic Woman as Prof. Howard Samuels
- Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks
2006
- The Covenant as Provost Higgins
- One Way as William Henderson
- Above and Beyond
- 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
- Our Fathers as Bishop Murphy
- Tilt as Seymour Annisman
- Category 7: The End of the World as Alan Horst
- The Snow Queen as King
- The Murdoch Mysteries: Under the Dragon's Tail as Inspector Ramsgate
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as professor Wójcik
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as Professor Wójcik
- Bailey's Billion$ as Mouse Delaney
2004
- Stargate Atlantis as Jamus
- The Day After Tomorrow as Vice President Becker
- Miracle as Doc Nagobads
- The Aviator as Dr. Hepburn
- ReGenesis as Shelby Sloane
- This Is Wonderland
- The Wild Guys as Andy
- H2O as Randall Spear
2003
- Eloise at Christmastime as Sir Wilkes
- Eloise at the Plaza as Sir Wilkes
- The Pentagon Papers as John McNaughon
2002
- The Man Who Saved Christmas as Newton Baker
- The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire as Dr. Watson
- Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher as Dr. James Franken
2001
- Smallville as Drunk Santa
- The Guardian
- Focus as Father Crighton
- Haven as Harry Truman
- Sanctuary as Sam Hathaway
- The Sign of Four as Dr. Watson
- Witchblade
- The Day Reagan Was Shot as James Baker
- The Royal Scandal as Dr. Watson
2000
- Cold Blooded as Chief Inspector Brodsky
- Deliberate Intent as Peder Lund
- Soul Food as Dr. Jackson Pruit
- The Hound of the Baskervilles as Dr. Watson
- Who Killed Atlanta's Children? as William Kunstler
- Love Come Down as Ira Rosen
- Love and Murder as Isaak Levin
- Witchblade as Joe Siri
- Sherlock Holmes as Dr. Watson
1998
- Thunder Point as Armstrong
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as Caz Hollowitz
- Edison : The Wizard of Light as Thomas Edison
- Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Sen. Shelby
- Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story
- Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
- Twitch City as Mr. Surdjic
- Dead Husbands as Chase Woodward
1997
- The Practice as Judge M. Harrod
- Absolute Power as Sandy Lord
- The Hunger as Hugo Lawery
- Habitat as Coach Marlowe
- The Wrong Guy as Mr. Nagel
- Dead Man's Gun as Dean Marley
- The Third Twin as Preston Barck
- Dead Silence as Sheriff Lenny Budd
- Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way as George Steinbrenner
1996
- Escape Clause as Owen Jessop
- Rowing Through as Harry Parker
- The Conspiracy of Fear as Captain Rose
- Turning April as Father
- Portraits of a Killer as Jim Miller
1995
- The Outer Limits as Dr. Vasquez
- Hiroshima as President Harry S Truman
- Vanished as Bill Palmer
- Margaret's Museum as Angus MacNeil
- Kissinger and Nixon as James 'Scotty' Reston
- Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story as Mr. Higgins
- Dancing In The Dark as Dr. Bel
- Hideaway as Detective Breech
- Hiroshima as President Harry S. Truman
1994
- Due South as Randal K. Bolt
- Legends of the Fall as Sheriff Tynert
- Getting Gotti as Bennett
- Death Wish V: The Face of Death as Lt. Mickey King
- Timecop as Utley
- Another Woman as Dr. Kenneth Holcross
- Whale Music as Kenneth Sexstone
- And Then There Was One as David Burns
- Boozecan as Tim
1993
- The X-Files as Simon Gates
- Dieppe as Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar
- Adrift as Guy Nast
- Bye Bye Love as David
- Bonds of Love as Judge
- Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story as Don Eisenberg
- Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story as Don Eisenberg
- The Great Dinosaur Hunt as Narrator
1992
- The Good Fight as Dick Chandler
- Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster as Sam Skinner - Presidential Delegation
- Cruel Doubt as Attorney Wade Smith
- Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story as Michael Schottland
- A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story as Paul Michel
1991
- Perfectly Normal as Charlie Glesby
- Christmas on Division Street as David Atwood
- The Big Slice as Lieutenant Bernard
- Grand Larceny as Virgil Klovitz
1990
- Law & Order as Ben O'Dell
- Twin Peaks as Windom Earle
- The Widowmaker as Atkinson
- The Freshman as Dwight Armstrong
- Murder Times Seven as Nick Ruggieri
- Murder in Black and White as Ruggieri
- The Last Best Year as Jerry
1989
- Champagne Charlie as John Whistlow
- Straight Line as Dr. Hammel
- Physical Evidence as Harry Norton
- The January Man as Roger Culver
- Christmas in America as Harry Morgan
- Dick Francis: Blood Sport
- Love & Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher as Colin Thatcher
1988
- Crocodile Dundee II as Brannigan
- Another Woman as Donald
- The House on Carroll Street as Hackett
- Liberace: Behind the Music
- The Murder of Mary Phagan as Luther Rosser
1987
- Loyalties as David Sutton
- Radio Days as Radio Voice (voice)
- A Stranger Waits as Richard Miller
- And Then You Die as Eddie Griffin
1986
- Heartburn as Dr. Appel
- The Climb as Walter Frauenberger
- Lost!
- Murder Sees the Light as Patten
- Loose Ends as Elder Seth
1985
- The Twilight Zone
- Perfect as Joe McKenzie
- The Ray Bradbury Theater as Crane
- The War Boy as Stephan Berecky
1984
- Covergirl as Harrison
- Falling in Love as Doctor
- Piaf as Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist
- Reno and the Doc as Reno
1983
- Hot Money as Parker
- Of Unknown Origin as James Hall
- Gary Carter Visits Japan as Narrator
- Tell Me That You Love Me as David
- No More Hibakusha! as (voice)
- Empire, Inc.
1980
- Phobia as Sergeant Wheeler
- Double Negative as Dr. Klifter
- F.D.R.: The Last Year as Thomas E. Dewey
1979
- Riel as McWilliams
1977
- For The Record as Premier Lougheed
1975
- The School for Scandal as Charles Surface
1974
1971
- Great Performances as Charles Surface