Mr Creosote

Good to see this old thread being picked up once more (no pun intended).

A favourite actor of mine and if its true that an actor breathes life into a role, then inevitably elements of their nature are projected across the screen. From the summary of his roles I guess Ken would have been one of the good guys & entertaining company - if occasionally over-enthusiastic!

I certainly get a 'feel good' factor from his films. Perhaps I just associate him with my growing up in the sixties, where it was difficult to avoid him starring in the sunday afternoon film!

Ed Phillips

Agree with you Mr Creosote - always Mr Reliable

Always reminds me of my childhood, too.

Cypher

No-one has mentioned The Admirable Crichton; well, I enjoyed it! And I could have sworn that Wilfred Hyde White was also in this film but IMDB proves I'm wrong. (It's the memory; I must be getting old!)

Chris W

"Fetch me another anger therapist!"

batman

Kenny also crops up in a nice supporting role in The Clouded Yellow with Trevor Howard, Jean Simmons and Max. It was his appearance in this which ultimately led him to be cast as Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps several years later.

Bats.

sippog

He mentions in his autobiography that he got his first break in films because he was late for an audition and had to run down the Strand to get there. Being hot and sweaty, he took off his tie and jacket and auditioned in shirtsleeves - quite a radical thing to do in the days when actors auditioned in suits. They thought he had a "fresh", outdoor look and gave him the part. Not exactly Brando in a torn tee-shirt but maybe it did start something new with British leading men. (Unfortunately I cant remember which role it was - maybe Freddy in "The Deep Blue Sea"?)

The only other bit from his bio that sticks in my mind is that he always travelled first class - even when he was broke - because he felt he deserved it.

For me, he's always been associated with the film version of Douglas Hayes' "The Comedy Man". Not because it was a great film but because I thought he was a bit like Chick Bird, the hero; the nicest kind of down-to-earth, unpretentious actor with a good sense of humour.

TimR

I suppose he did seem a little stiff - but I thought of it as dignity and self-possession.

I always liked him as a boy. He played men with strong characters who did not have to advertise their strengths. I especially remember seeing him in A Night to Remember and Sink the Bismarck; he played admirable, level-headed characters who knew when to keep their mouths shut and get on with the job.

That sort of strength is mocked and ridiculed now. It's too bad.

I don't really think of him as an outstanding actor in the classically trained Olivier-Gielgud - Richardson class, but somewhat similar to John Mills, who I also liked very much (and on most days I would rather watch More and Mills). They even made somewhat similar films, although perhaps Mills was the better actor. I'm not sure More would have been able to play Mills' role in Tunes of Glory, but he certainly could have made Scott of the Antarctic.