- Born
- Died
- Birth nameKenneth Clifford Welsh
- Height5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- This latterly white-haired Canadian character actor had a natural predilection for portraying historical figures. Kenneth Welsh was born in Edmonton, Alberta. After college he studied drama at the National Theatre School in Montreal. He then acted on the Shakespearean stage in Ontario for several years before making his screen debut for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 1963. His early TV appearances displayed a natural affinity for period drama with appearances in Henry V (1966), The Great Detective (1979), The Three Musketeers (1969) (starring as D'Artagnan) and F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980) (as Thomas E. Dewey). As his accomplishments grew, he became more prolific: by the mid-80s, Welsh found himself in increasing demand as supporting player in mainstream U.S. TV shows like Spenser: For Hire (1985), The Twilight Zone (1985) and The X-Files (1993). Ultimately, the role for which he became best known was that of Windom Earle, the ex-FBI agent and partner of Dale Cooper in David Lynch's iconic series Twin Peaks (1990). Until his untimely passing in May 2022, the ever versatile Welsh continued to amass numerous TV and movie credits, alternating appearances in both the U.S. and Canada, his distinguished looks ideally suited to high ranking authority figures: General Harry Crerar in Dieppe (1993), Lord Beaverbrook in Above and Beyond (2006), Harry S. Truman in Hiroshima (1995) and (latterly) Admiral Senna Tal in Star Trek: Discovery (2017). On the big screen his many roles have included the (fictional) erstwhile Vice-President of the U.S. Raymond Becker in the apocalyptic science fiction drama The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and Dr. Jeff Wagner in Marvel's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). Among Welsh's other sci-fi credits have been The Outer Limits (1995) (Dr. Vazquez), Stargate: Atlantis (2004) (Jamus) and The Expanse (2015) (as the sympathetic Earth ambassador to Mars Franklin DeGraaf).
Welsh was awarded Canada's equivalent of the Emmy, the Gemini Award, on four occasions (1988, 1990, 1992 and 1998), among a total of six nominations. In October 2003, he received further honours by becoming a Member of the Order of Canada.- IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis
- SpousesLynne McIlvride(March 7, 2022 - May 5, 2022) (his death)Corinne Farago (divorced, 1 child)Donna Haley (divorced)
- Children
- Receding hairline
- White hair
- Frequently plays real-life figures on TV
- He was awarded the C.M. (Member of the Order of Canada) on October 30, 2004, for his services to Performing Arts in Canada.
- Received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Alberta in 1999.
- He was awarded the 1975 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for his performance in "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
- He was awarded the 1988 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance for "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
- He starred in two unrelated productions as real-life people who became antagonists of US Pres. Richard Nixon: journalist James "Scotty" Reston in Kissinger and Nixon, and constitutional lawyer William Kunstler in Who Killed Atlanta's Children.
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