Severn Darden
Born
November 9, 1929
Died
May 27, 1995 (65 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Severn Teakle Darden Jr. (November 9, 1929 – May 27, 1995) was an American comedian and actor, and a founding member of The Second City Chicago-based comedy troupe as well as its predecessor, the Compass Players. He is known from his film appearances for playing the human leader Kolp in the fourth and fifth Planet of the Apes films. His live comedy improv skit under the character of "Walther von der Vogelweide" was influential with two generations of comic performers.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he attended the University of Chicago, where he was a "campus legend" according to poet Paul Carroll. Darden’s offbeat and intellectual sense of humor was a major element in the style of The Second City at that time, and is evident throughout his work. Carroll described him as a combination of surrealistic New Orleans and tough, caustic "Chicago Style" comedy. An example of his offbeat humor is the way he squeezed the phrase "Know thyself" into the seven-character limitation of a New Mexico license plate: NOYOSEF.
Darden was a core comedian in Paul Sills' Compass Players, the first improvisation theater in the US; it performed around the Chicago area during the mid-1950s. Sills went on to found The Second City in 1959 and brought in many of the comedians from Compass Players, including Darden.
Known For
The Telephone
1988
Beauty and the Beast
(1 episode)
1987
Take Five
(7 episodes)
1987
Back to School
Dr. Barazini
1986
Real Genius
Dr. Meredith
1985
Half Nelson
Morgue Attendant
1985
Quarterback Princess
Mr. Hobart
1983
Cheers
Professor DeWitt · (1 episode)
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Farmer Silas · (1 episode)
1982
Rooster
Conway
1982
The Fall Guy
(1 episode)
1981
Saturday the 14th
Van Helsing
1981
Evita Peron
Alfredo Suero
1981
A Cry for Love
Paul
1980
Hopscotch
Maddox
1980
In God We Tru$t
Priest
1980
Why Would I Lie?
Dr. Barbour
1980
A Small Circle of Friends
Art Professor
1980
Beyond Westworld
Foley · (5 episodes)
1980
Orphan Train
Mr. Barrington
1979
Love for Rent
Fred Hallem
1979
Once Upon a Midnight Scary
Jonathan Barnavelt
1979
Rendezvous Hotel
Albert Church
1979
Wanda Nevada
Merlin Bitterstix
1979
Outside Chance
Sheriff Dempsey
1978
Flying High
(1 episode)
1978
Never Con a Killer
Cap
1977
Victory at Entebbe
Moshe Meyer
1976
The Disappearance of Aimee
S.I. Gilbert
1976
Mother, Jugs & Speed
Moran
1976
Jackson County Jail
Sheriff Dempsey
1976
City of Angels
Winnie · (1 episode)
1976
The Practice
(1 episode)
1976
Laverne & Shirley
(1 episode)
1976
The Bionic Woman
(1 episode)
1976
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
Mr. Fletch / Dr. DeHart
1975
Starsky & Hutch
Mr. Wheeler · (1 episode)
1975
Barbary Coast
(1 episode)
1975
Barney Miller
Randolph Cook · (1 episode)
1975
Baretta
(1 episode)
1975
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Dr. Aaron Pollack · (1 episode)
1974
Harry O
(1 episode)
1974
The Legend of Hillbilly John
Mr. Marduke
1974
Skyway to Death
Steve Kramer
1974
The Six Million Dollar Man
Apploy · (3 episodes)
1974
The Day of the Dolphin
Schwinn
1973
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Kolp
1973
The Man Who Died Twice
Harry
1973
Dirty Little Billy
Big Jim McDaniel
1972
Play It as It Lays
Hypnotist
1972
Playmates
Roger, Man in Gallery
1972
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Kolp
1972
The War Between Men and Women
Dr. Harris
1972
Cisco Pike
Lawyer
1971
The Last Movie
Mayor
1971
Getting Together
(1 episode)
1971
The Man and the City
(1 episode)
1971
The Hired Hand
McVey
1971
Werewolves on Wheels
One
1971
Vanishing Point
J. Hovah
1971
Alias Smith and Jones
(1 episode)
1971
Barefoot in the Park
(1 episode)
1970
Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
Dr. Fahrquardt
1970
The Movie Murderer
Jimmy Apache
1970
Bongo Wolf’s Revenge
1970
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Cecil
1969
Fearless Frank
The Good Doctor / Claude
1969
To See or Not to See
1969
Justine
Bathazar
1969
The Mad Room
Nate
1969
Model Shop
Camera Shop Owner
1969
The Virgin President
U.S. President / Fillmard Millmore
1968
The Name of the Game
Cameron · (1 episode)
1968
P.J.
Shelton Quell
1968
The President's Analyst
Kropotkin
1967
Luv
Vandergist
1967
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
Miles Fisher
1966
Occasional Wife
(1 episode)
1966
The Monkees
J.B. Guggins Jr. · (1 episode)
1966
The Double-Barrelled Detective Story
H.S. Stevens
1965
I Dream of Jeannie
Milton · (1 episode)
1965
Honey West
Dr. Gregory Ames · (1 episode)
1965
Goldstein
Doctor
1965
Daniel Boone
Sir Hubert Spencer · (1 episode)
1964
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Franklin · (1 episode)
1955
Hallmark Hall of Fame
S.I. Gilbert, Aimee's lawyer · (1 episode)
1951