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
- Rewind as President
- The Story of Luke as Jonas
- Cottage Country as Earl
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
- Adoration as Morris
- Grey Gardens as Max Gordon
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
- Above and Beyond as Lord Beaverbrook
- One Way as William Henderson
2005
- The Exorcism of Emily Rose as Dr. Mueller
- Four Brothers as Robert Bradford
- Tilt as Seymour Annisman
- The Fog as Tom Malone
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as Professor Wójcik
- Karol: A Man Who Became Pope as professor Wójcik
- Our Fathers as Bishop Murphy
- 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
- ReGenesis as Shelby Sloane
- The Day After Tomorrow as Vice President Becker
- The Aviator as Dr. Hepburn
- This Is Wonderland
- Miracle as Doc Nagobads
- H2O as Randall Spear
- The Wild Guys as Andy
2003
- Eloise at Christmastime as Sir Wilkes
- Eloise at the Plaza as Sir Wilkes
- The Pentagon Papers as John McNaughon
- Ice Bound
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
- Focus as Father Crighton
- Haven as Harry Truman
- The Day Reagan Was Shot as James Baker
- The Royal Scandal as Dr. Watson
- Sanctuary as Sam Hathaway
- The Sign of Four as Dr. Watson
2000
- Soul Food as Dr. Jackson Pruit
- The Hound of the Baskervilles as Dr. Watson
- Deliberate Intent as Peder Lund
- Who Killed Atlanta's Children? as William Kunstler
- Witchblade as Joe Siri
- Love Come Down as Ira Rosen
- Cold Blooded as Chief Inspector Brodsky
- Sherlock Holmes as Dr. Watson
- Love and Murder as Isaak Levin
1998
- Twitch City as Mr. Surdjic
- Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as Caz Hollowitz
- Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Sen. Shelby
- Thunder Point as Armstrong
- Dead Husbands as Chase Woodward
- Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story
- Edison : The Wizard of Light as Thomas Edison
1997
- The Practice as Judge M. Harrod
- The Hunger as Hugo Lawery
- Absolute Power as Sandy Lord
- Dead Man's Gun as Dean Marley
- The Wrong Guy as Mr. Nagel
- The Third Twin as Preston Barck
- Dead Silence as Sheriff Lenny Budd
- Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way as George Steinbrenner
- Habitat as Coach Marlowe
1996
- Escape Clause as Owen Jessop
- Rowing Through as Harry Parker
- Portraits of a Killer as Jim Miller
- The Conspiracy of Fear as Captain Rose
- Turning April as Father
1995
- The Outer Limits as Dr. Vasquez
- Hideaway as Detective Breech
- Hiroshima as President Harry S. Truman
- Hiroshima as President Harry S Truman
- Vanished as Bill Palmer
- Margaret's Museum as Angus MacNeil
- Dancing in the Dark as Dr. Bel
- Kissinger and Nixon as James 'Scotty' Reston
- Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story as Mr. Higgins
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
- And Then There Was One as David Burns
- Boozecan as Tim
- Another Woman as Dr. Kenneth Holcross
1993
- The X-Files as Simon Gates
- Adrift as Guy Nast
- Dieppe as Maj. Gen. Harry Crerar
- 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
- Bye Bye Love as David
- 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
- A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story as Paul Michel
- Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis Story as Michael Schottland
1991
- Love, Lies and Murder as Stanfield
- Perfectly Normal as Charlie Glesby
- The Big Slice as Lieutenant Bernard
- Christmas on Division Street as David Atwood
- Grand Larceny as Virgil Klovitz
1990
- Law & Order as Ben O'Dell
- Twin Peaks as Windom Earle
- The Freshman as Dwight Armstrong
- The Last Best Year as Jerry
- Murder in Black and White as Ruggieri
- The Widowmaker as Atkinson
- Murder Times Seven as Nick Ruggieri
1989
- The January Man as Roger Culver
- Physical Evidence as Harry Norton
- Champagne Charlie as John Whistlow
- Straight Line as Dr. Hammel
- Love & Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher as Colin Thatcher
- Christmas in America as Harry Morgan
- Dick Francis: Blood Sport
1988
- Crocodile Dundee II as Brannigan
- The Murder of Mary Phagan as Luther Rosser
- Another Woman as Donald
- 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
- Loose Ends as Elder Seth
- Murder Sees the Light as Patten
- The Climb as Walter Frauenberger
- Lost!
1985
- The Twilight Zone
- The Ray Bradbury Theater as Crane
- Perfect as Joe McKenzie
- The War Boy as Stephan Berecky
1984
- Falling in Love as Doctor
- Covergirl as Harrison
- Reno and the Doc as Reno
- Piaf as Police Inspector / Georges / Physiotherapist
1983
- Of Unknown Origin as James Hall
- Hot Money as Parker
- Empire, Inc.
- No More Hibakusha! as (voice)
- Gary Carter Visits Japan as Narrator
- Tell Me That You Love Me as David
1980
- F.D.R.: The Last Year as Thomas E. Dewey
- Phobia as Sergeant Wheeler
- Double Negative as Dr. Klifter
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