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Ken Jenkins

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For other people named Ken Jenkins, see Ken Jenkins (disambiguation).

Ken Jenkins
Born (1940-08-28) August 28, 1940 (age 85)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1974–present
Spouse(s)
Joan Patchen
​
​
(m. 1958; div. 1969)​
[1]
​
​
(m. 1970)​
Children3; including Daniel Jenkins
RelativesKatharine Hepburn (aunt-in-law)

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 (2001–2009).[2][3] He has also had notable appearances in many popular TV shows.

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 also sing and play the acoustic guitar, 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
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

References

  1. ^ "Father, son appear together on stage". The News and Courier. April 6, 1986. pp. 8–E. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  2. ^ Hopkins, Tom. "Ken Jenkins 'Scrubs' TV bias". dayton-daily-news. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "Is Ken Jenkins really gone ..." TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  4. ^ Hopkins, Tom (November 16, 1992). "For Father And Son, Prime-Time Roles Are As Easy As ABC". Dayton Daily News. p. 3B.
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