Thursday, June 2, 2011

Happy 70th Birthday Stacy Keach

Walter Stacey Keach, Jr. was born June 2, 1941 in Savannah, Georgia. Son of actors Stacy Keach [1914-2003] and actress Mary Cain and the older brother of director, actor James Keach [1947- ]. Stacy was born with a cleft lip and had multiple operations as a child. He wears a mustache today to cover the scars. Keach graduated from Van Nuys High School in Van Nuys, California in 1959 and then earned two BA degrees from the University of California Berkeley in English and Drama. He then attended Yale University earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dramatic Art. He was also a Fulbright Scholar at the London Academy of Music and Fine Art. Stacy’s first role was the lead in the Off Broadway play "MacBird" (1966), followed in 1967 with another Off Broadway production the "Niggerlovers" with Morgan Freeman. In 1969 he made his Broadway debut as Buffalo Bill in "Indians". Keach won numerous acting awards such as an Obie, Drama Desk Award and Vernon Rice Award. In the 1980s he starred and toured in the play "Barnum" and in 2006 he had the lead role in "King Lear". He’s also played Hamlet on three occasions. In 2008-2009 he played Richard M. Nixon in "Frost/Nixon". In 1972 Keach made his film debut in "The New Centurians" followed by "Fat City". Stacy turned down the role of Damien Karras in 1973's "Exorcist" and started a career in narration featured in "Champions Forever" (1973). Stacy also showed his comic side as Sgt. Stedenko in Cheech and Chong’s "Up in Smoke" (1978) and "Nice Dreams" (1981). One of his best roles was as Frank James opposite his brother James ‘Jesse’ in 1980s "The Long Riders". His TV appearances date back to 1958's "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1957-1959) and he starred as Mike Hammer in the series "Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer" (1984-1985) and the "New Mike Hammer" (1984-1987). Keach made his only Euro-western as Doc Holliday in 1971's "Doc". Stacy suffered a mild stroke in 2009 but has made a full recovery. Today we celebrate Stacy Keach’s 70th birthday.

No comments:

Post a Comment