Ken Jenkins
American actor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ken Jenkins (born August 28, 1940) is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the chief of medicine on the American comedy series Scrubs (2001–2010).[2][3] He has also had notable appearances in many popular TV shows.
Ken Jenkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 28, 1940 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Joan Patchen
(m. 1958; div. 1969) |
| Children | 3; including Daniel Jenkins |
| Relatives | Katharine Hepburn (aunt-in-law) |
Early life
Jenkins was born in Dayton, Ohio and graduated from Wilbur Wright High School, Ohio in 1958.[4]
Career
In 1969, Jenkins joined Actors Theatre of Louisville under the leadership of Jon Jory, where he served as a company member for three years.
Jenkins appeared on episodes of Homefront, The X-Files, Babylon 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wiseguy, Early Edition, and Beverly Hills, 90210, and starred in Scrubs in the first eight seasons as a main cast member and guest-starred in the ninth and final season. His character, Dr. Bob Kelso, is his most recognizable role to date.
Jenkins has appeared in many films throughout his career, including The Wizard of Loneliness, Executive Decision, The Abyss, Air America, Last Man Standing, Fled, Gone in 60 Seconds, I Am Sam, The Sum of All Fears, Matewan, Courage Under Fire, and the 1998 remake of Psycho. He appeared as Fran Goldsmith's father in Stephen King's TV miniseries, The Stand. Jenkins also had a role in Clockstoppers.
Jenkins also had a recurring role on Cougar Town, as Jules' (Courteney Cox) father. Jenkins appears in The Blanks' music video for "Guy Love" as the owner of an L.A. bar, as he appeared with The Blanks in Scrubs, most prominently band member Sam Lloyd, who starred as regular Ted Buckland.
Jenkins portrayed U.S. Representative Howard W. Smith in the 2016 HBO TV movie All the Way, in which Smith's segregationist views posed as a central and divisive opposition to President Lyndon B. Johnson's proposal of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Jenkins was the voice of Blister on Harvey Beaks.
Jenkins can sing and play the acoustic guitar,[citation needed] and is seen doing so on the Scrubs episodes "My Tuscaloosa Heart" and "My Musical", and in the Cougar Town episode "You Don't Know How It Feels".
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | What Comes Around | Larry | |
| 1987 | Matewan | Sephus Purcell | |
| 1988 | The Wizard of Loneliness | Joel Spender | |
| 1989 | The Abyss | Gerard Kirkhill | |
| 1989 | In Country | Jim Holly | |
| 1990 | Air America | Major Donald Lemond | |
| 1991 | Edge of Honor | Bo Dubs | [5] |
| 1992 | Crossing the Bridge | Lou Morgan | |
| 1996 | Executive Decision | General Wood | |
| 1996 | Last Dance | Warden Laverty | |
| 1996 | Courage Under Fire | Joel Walden | |
| 1996 | Fled | Warden Nichols | |
| 1996 | Last Man Standing | Capt. Tom Pickett | |
| 1998 | Where's Marlowe? | Linguist | |
| 1998 | Psycho | District Attorney | |
| 1999 | The Last Marshal | Judge Wooley | |
| 2000 | Gone in 60 Seconds | Televangelist | Uncredited |
| 2000 | Lucky Numbers | Dan Schuff | |
| 2001 | The Tailor of Panama | Morecombe | |
| 2001 | I Am Sam | Judge McNeily | |
| 2002 | Clockstoppers | NSA Agent Moore | |
| 2002 | Home Room | Police Captain | |
| 2002 | The Sum of All Fears | Admiral Pollack | |
| 2007 | Welcome to Paradise | Reverend McNamara | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Great Performances | Aubin | Episode: "In Fashion" |
| 1985 | The Equalizer | Sheriff | Episode: "The Children's Song" |
| 1988 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Dwayne Pewe | Episode: "Whattley by the Bay" |
| 1988 | Amen | The Pilot | Episode: "Fear of Flying" |
| 1988 | Newhart | Al Griswold | Episode: "Town Without Pity" |
| 1988 | Knots Landing | Border Thug #1 | Episode: "Borderline" |
| 1988 | Disaster at Silo 7 | Clarence | TV movie |
| 1988 | Dallas | Captain | Episode: "Road Work" |
| 1988–1990 | Wiseguy | Paul Beckstead | Recurring role (seasons 2–4) |
| 1989 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Echer | Episode: "Words to Live By" |
| 1989 | Unconquered | Dr. Smith | TV movie |
| 1989 | Hard Time on Planet Earth | Sergeant Burdick | Episode: "Losing Control" |
| 1989 | Roe vs. Wade | TV movie | |
| 1989 | Breaking Point | Col. Lowe | TV movie |
| 1989 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Dr. Paul Stubbs | Episode: "Evolution" |
| 1989 | One Life to Live | Howard McGillis | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Family of Spies | 2 episodes | |
| 1990 | Mancuso, F.B.I. | 3 episodes | |
| 1990 | By Dawn's Early Light | Looking Glass Colonel Sam | TV movie |
| 1990 | Shattered Dreams | Hal Witt | TV movie |
| 1990 | Gabriel's Fire | Potter | Episode: "I'm Nobody" |
| 1990 | Descending Angel | Sam Murray | TV movie |
| 1991 | In Broad Daylight | Bob Webb | TV movie |
| 1991 | Evening Shade | Judge | Episode: "The Trials of Wood Newton" |
| 1991 | Love, Lies and Murder | Rubright | Miniseries |
| 1991 | Thirtysomething | Lars Durstin | Episode: "A Stop at Willoughby" |
| 1991 | A Private Matter | Frank Kearns | TV movie |
| 1991–1993 | Homefront | Mike Sloan Sr. | 42 episodes |
| 1993 | And the Band Played On | Dr. Dennis Donohue | TV movie |
| 1993 | Sisters | Judge Guisewite | Episode: "Back on Track" |
| 1993 | Mad About You | Jack Farrer | Episode: "Married to the Job" |
| 1994 | In the Best of Families | Bob Newsom | Miniseries |
| 1994 | A Time to Heal | Don Peterson | TV movie |
| 1994 | Hearts Afire | Mr. Conway | Episode: "The Big Yes" |
| 1994 | The Stand | Peter Goldsmith | Miniseries, episode: "The Plague" |
| 1994 | White Mile | Jerry Taggart | TV movie |
| 1995 | Cybill | Ed | Episode: "As the World Turns to Crap" |
| 1995 | Legend | Ethan Catridge Steele | Episode: "Legend on His President's Secret Service" |
| 1995 | Past the Bleachers | Milton | TV movie |
| 1995 | Hiroshima | James F. Byrnes | TV movie |
| 1995–2000 | Chicago Hope | Health Marshal Stanley McGee / Jim Carroll | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | The Lazarus Man | Preacher | Episode: "The Penance" |
| 1997 | High Incident | Burt | Episode: "No Money Down" |
| 1997 | NYPD Blue | Marshall Hastings | Episode: "I Love Lucy" |
| 1997 | Babylon 5 | Captain Trevor Hall | Episode: "No Surrender, No Retreat" |
| 1997 | Murphy Brown | Sen. Paul Cookson | Episode: "Tempus Fugit" |
| 1998 | The Magnificent Seven | Frank | Episode: "Witness" |
| 1998 | Thirst | Lou Wolford | TV movie |
| 1998 | Early Edition | Winston Thorpe | Episode: "Deadline" |
| 1998–1999 | Oh Baby | Fred Calloway | 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Vengeance Unlimited | Jack Humphrey | Episode: "Legalese" |
| 1999 | Balloon Farm | Banker | TV movie |
| 1999 | Mutiny | TV movie | |
| 1999 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | General Mitchell Burke | Episode: "Burke's Breach" |
| 1999–2000 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Pastor Neal | 3 episodes (season 10) |
| 1999–2000 | Sliders | Robert Clark / Professor Jack Bigelow | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Brutally Normal | Mr. Kirschner / Thomas Jefferson | Episode: "Barricade" |
| 2000 | Family Law | Judge William Jankowski | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | The X-Files | Deputy Chief Karras | Episode: "Medusa" |
| 2001 | All Souls | Dr. Lohman | Episode: "Running Scared" |
| 2001–2010 | Scrubs | Doctor Robert Kelso | Main cast |
| 2002 | Fidel | Herbert Matthews | TV movie |
| 2010–2015 | Cougar Town | Chick | Recurring role (seasons 2–6) |
| 2012–2015 | Gravity Falls | Pa Duskerton (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Back in the Game | Warden | Episode: "Stay in or Bail Out" |
| 2014 | Black-ish | Bernie | Episode: "Colored Commentary" |
| 2016 | All the Way | Howard W. Smith | TV movie |
| 2017 | Harvey Beaks | Blister / Old Man #1 (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | A Series of Unfortunate Events | Elder Sam | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Girls Weekend | Tom | TV movie |
