Editing Brian Keith

{{Short description|American actor (1921–1997)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Brian Keith
| image         = Brian Keith - still.jpg
| caption       = Keith in ''[[Dino (film)|Dino]]'', 1957
| birth_name    = Robert Alba Keith
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1921|11|14|mf=yes}}
| birth_place   = [[Bayonne, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1997|6|24|1921|11|14|mf=yes}}
| death_place   = [[Malibu, California]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]]
| occupation    = Actor
| years_active  = 1924-1997
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
*{{marriage|[[Frances Helm]]|1948|1954|reason=divorced}}
*{{marriage|[[Judy Landon]]|1954|1969|reason=divorced}} 
*{{marriage|Victoria Young-Keith|1970}}
 }}
| children      = 7
| father        = [[Robert Keith (actor)|Robert Keith]]
| website       = {{URL|briankeith.com}}
| module        = {{Infobox military person
| embed         = yes
| allegiance    = United States
|branch         = {{tree list}}
* [[United States Marine Corps]]
** {{nowrap|[[VMSB-243]]}}
{{tree list/end}}
| serviceyears = 1942–1945
| battles      = {{tree list}}
* [[World War II]]
** [[Asia-Pacific War|Pacific Theater of Operations]], [[United States Marine Corps]]
{{tree list/end}}
| rank        = Sergeant E-5
}}
}}

'''Robert Alba Keith'''<ref name="keith">{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://www.briankeith.com/aboutus.html|author=Keith, Victoria Y.|date=2014|website=BrianKeith.com|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> (November 14, 1921 &ndash; June 24, 1997), known professionally as '''Brian Keith''', was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his six-decade career gained recognition for his work in films such as the [[Disney]] family film ''[[The Parent Trap (1961 film)|The Parent Trap]]'' (1961); ''[[Johnny Shiloh (film)|Johnny Shiloh]]'' (1963); the comedy ''[[The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming]]'' (1966); and the adventure saga ''[[The Wind and the Lion]]'' (1975), in which he portrayed President [[Theodore Roosevelt]].

On television, two of his best-known roles were those of bachelor-uncle-turned-reluctant-parent Bill Davis in the 1960s sitcom ''[[Family Affair]]'', and a tough retired judge in the lighthearted 1980s crime drama ''[[Hardcastle and McCormick]]''. He also starred in ''[[The Brian Keith Show]]'', which aired on [[NBC]] from 1972 to 1974, where he portrayed a pediatrician who operated a free clinic on [[Oahu]], and in the [[CBS]] comedy series ''[[Heartland (1989 TV series)|Heartland]]''.

==Early life==
Robert Alba Keith was born in [[Bayonne, New Jersey]], on November 14, 1921, to actor [[Robert Keith (actor)|Robert Keith]] and stage actress Helena Shipman, a native of [[Aberdeen, Washington]].  Some sources also list his full name as Brian Robert Keith.<ref name="lawrence">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/25/arts/brian-keith-hardy-actor-75-played-dads-and-desperadoes.html|title=Brian Keith, Hardy Actor, 75; Played Dads and Desperadoes|author=Van Gelder, Lawrence|date=June 25, 1997|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> He was [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]].<ref name="mirror">{{cite news|url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/2006/072706/dc5.html|title=It's a Family Affair|first=Matthew|last=Hays|newspaper=[[Montreal Mirror]]|quote=I was surprised at Brian, who was Catholic, ...|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630173150/http://www.montrealmirror.com/2006/072706/dc5.html|archive-date=June 30, 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> In 1941, he graduated from [[East Rockaway High School]] in [[East Rockaway, New York]].

He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942 completing his service in 1945. He served during World War II as a radioman/tail gunner in the rear cockpit of a two-man [[Douglas SBD Dauntless]] dive bomber in a U.S. Marine squadron. He was awarded a [[Aircrew Badge#Combat Aircrew Insignia|Combat Aircrew Insignia]], [[Air Medal]], [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]] with three battle stars and [[World War II Victory Medal]].<ref>p. 30 ''Naval Aviation News'' Nov-Dec 1988 Vol 71 No 1</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Brian Keith the Crusader 1955.JPG|thumb|right|Keith in his TV series ''Crusader'' (1955)]]
[[File:Brian Keith The Westerner 1960.JPG|thumb|right|Keith and [[Spike (dog actor)|Spike]] in ''[[The Westerner (TV series)|The Westerner]]'' (1960)]]

===Theatre===
Keith made his Broadway debut in 1948 in the ensemble of ''[[Mister Roberts (play)|Mister Roberts]]'', which starred his father as "Doc". He was a guard in ''[[Darkness at Noon]]'' (1951) by Sidney Kingsley, and was in ''Out West of Eighth'' (1951), which had only a short run.

===Television and films===
Keith made his film debut at age 3 in ''[[Pied Piper Malone]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bowles |first=Jennifer |title=Brian Keith, 'Family Affair' star, dead of apparent suicide |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/1997/06/25/brian-keith-family-affair-star/50609100007/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=New Bedford Standard-Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He began to guest star on shows such as ''[[Hands of Mystery]]'', ''[[Shadow of the Cloak]]'', and an adaptation of ''[[Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas]]'' in ''[[Tales of Tomorrow]]''. He was in ''[[Police Story (1952 TV series)|Police Story]]'', ''[[Suspense (American TV series)|Suspense]]'', ''[[Eye Witness (TV series)|Eye Witness]]'', ''[[The United States Steel Hour]]'', ''[[Robert Montgomery Presents]]'', and ''[[The Motorola Television Hour]]''.<ref name="ind">{{cite news|title=Obituary: Brian Keith|author=Vosburgh, Dick|work=The Independent|date=June 26, 1997|page=18}}</ref> Keith's feature film debut was in a Western for Paramount, ''[[Arrowhead (1953 film)|Arrowhead]]'' (1953). He stayed at that studio for ''[[Alaska Seas]]'' (1954), replacing [[Van Heflin]], and ''[[Jivaro (film)|Jivaro]]'' (1954).<ref>{{cite news|title=DISNEY IS TESTING FOX' CINEMASCOPE: ' Pleased' With Film Process, but Isn't Sure He Will Use It on Dog Cartoon Feature|author= THOMAS M. PRYOR|work=THE NEW YORK TIMES|date=June 27, 1953|page=7}}</ref>

Keith guest starred on ''[[Campbell Summer Soundstage]]'', ''[[The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse]]'', ''[[Lux Video Theatre]]'', and ''The Mask'' and also played [[Mike Hammer (character)|Mike Hammer]] in a [[television pilot]] directed by [[Blake Edwards]], but the series was not picked up.

He went to Columbia for ''[[The Bamboo Prison]]'' (1954), ''[[The Violent Men]]'' (1955), ''[[Tight Spot]]'' (1955), and ''[[5 Against the House]]'' (1955), the last two directed by [[Phil Karlson]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Brian Keith Set for 'Five Against House'|author=Hopper, Hedda|date=October 14, 1954|work=Los Angeles Times|page=A13}}</ref> He was meant to support Joan Crawford in ''[[Queen Bee (1955 film)|Queen Bee]]'', but did not appear in the final film.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Brian Keith to Star With Joan Crawford|author=Hopper, Hedda|date=February 5, 1955|work=Los Angeles Times|page=14}}</ref>

He guest starred on ''[[The Elgin Hour]]'', ''[[Mystery Is My Business]]'', ''[[Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre]]'', ''[[The Box Brothers]]'', ''[[The Ford Television Theatre]]'', ''[[Climax!]]'', ''[[Wire Service]]'' and ''[[Studio 57]]''.

In 1955, Keith starred in his own series, ''[[Crusader (TV series)|Crusader]]'', as fictional journalist Matt Anders. He continued to appear in films for Columbia, such as ''[[Storm Center]]'' (1956) co-starring with [[Bette Davis]] and ''[[Nightfall (1956 film)|Nightfall]]'' (1956) with [[Aldo Ray]].

In June 1956, he announced he had formed his own company, Michael Productions, and had optioned a story by Robert Blees called ''Cairo''.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Drama: John Wayne Revives Batjac; Heston to Tour Straw Hat Show Circuit|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=June 4, 1956|work=Los Angeles Times|page=A9}}</ref>

===Film stardom===
Keith was second billed in ''[[Dino (film)|Dino]]'' (1957) with [[Sal Mineo]], and ''[[Run of the Arrow]]'' (1957) with [[Rod Steiger]]. He was top billed in ''[[Chicago Confidential]]'' (1957), but returned to supporting parts with ''[[Appointment with a Shadow]]'' (1957) ''[[Hell Canyon Outlaws]]'' (1957), and ''[[Fort Dobbs (film)|Fort Dobbs]]'' (1958).  He announced he would make ''Alien Virus'' for his Michael Productions, but it was not made.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Modern 'Sergeant York' Type Aimed at Sinatra; Rome Fashion Fete Due|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=August 5, 1957|work=Los Angeles Times|page=C11}}</ref> Keith was top billed in some low-budget action movies: ''[[Violent Road]]'' (1958), ''[[Desert Hell]]'' (1958), ''[[Sierra Baron]]'' (1958), and ''[[Villa!!]]'' (1958). The last two were shot back-to-back in Mexico.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://fiftieswesterns.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/highway-to-hollywood1.pdf|title=Highway to Hollywood|first=Maury|last=Dexter|date=2012|page=92}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=THOMAS M PRYOR|date=November 19, 1957|title=REGAL TO START TEN FILMS SOON|work= New York Times}}</ref> He guest starred on ''[[Studio One in Hollywood]]'', ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'', ''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]'', ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'', and an episode of ''[[Zane Grey Theater]]'', which was written and directed by [[Sam Peckinpah]] and later led to ''The Westerner''.

===''The Westerner'' and Disney===
Keith supported Paul Newman in ''[[The Young Philadelphians]]'' (1959), and had the lead in two productions for Disney, the TV show ''Elfego Baca: Move Along, Mustangers'' (1959) and the feature ''[[Ten Who Dared]]'' (1960). In 1960, he won acclaim for his starring role in [[Sam Peckinpah]]'s extremely hard-bitten, adult, and short-lived series ''[[The Westerner (TV series)|The Westerner]]'' (1960). The show aired for only 13 episodes. "Only four or five of those were any good", said Keith later. "But those four or five were as good as anything anybody has ever done."<ref name="archer"/> Keith guest starred in: ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[The Americans (1961 TV series)|The Americans]]'', ''[[Frontier Circus (TV series)|Frontier Circus]]'', ''[[Alcoa Premiere]]'', ''[[Outlaws (1960 TV series)|Outlaws]]'', ''[[Follow the Sun (TV series)|Follow the Sun]]'', and ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' again. Keith made a second film for Disney, playing the father of twins in the film ''[[The Parent Trap (1961 film)|The Parent Trap]]'' (1961), costarring [[Hayley Mills]] and [[Maureen O'Hara]], which was a huge hit.  Critical acclaim was given to ''[[The Deadly Companions]]'' (1961), a Western with O'Hara, which marked Peckinpah's feature directorial debut. Keith did two more films for Disney, ''[[Moon Pilot]]'' (1962) and ''[[Savage Sam (film)|Savage Sam]]'' (1963).

He guest starred on ''[[Target: The Corruptors]]'', ''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'', ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'', ''[[Sam Benedict]]'', ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Dr. Kildare]]'', ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', ''[[77 Sunset Strip]]'', ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]'', ''[[The Great Adventure (U.S. TV series)|The Great Adventure]]'', and ''[[Profiles in Courage (TV series)|Profiles in Courage]]''. Keith did a Western for Universal, ''[[The Raiders (1963 film)|The Raiders]]'' (1963), then returned to Disney for ''[[Johnny Shiloh (film)|Johnny Shiloh]]'' (1963), ''Bristle Face'' (1964), ''[[The Tenderfoot (miniseries)|The Tenderfoot]]'' (1964), ''[[A Tiger Walks]]'' (1964), and ''[[Those Calloways]]'' (1965).

He went to Fox for ''[[The Pleasure Seekers (1964 film)|The Pleasure Seekers]]'' (1964) and had support roles in ''[[The Hallelujah Trail]]'' (1965), ''[[The Rare Breed]]'' (1966) (again with O'Hara), and ''[[Nevada Smith]]'' (1966), co-starring with [[Steve McQueen]] as traveling gunsmith Jonas Cord. Keith did the comedies ''[[The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!]]'' (1966) for [[Norman Jewison]], ''[[Way... Way Out]]'' (1966) with [[Jerry Lewis]], and ''[[With Six You Get Eggroll]]'' (1968) with [[Doris Day]].

===''Family Affair''===
[[File:Family affair 1967.JPG|thumb|right|Keith (center right) with [[Sebastian Cabot (actor)|Sebastian Cabot]] (top) and the other costars of ''[[Family Affair]]'']]
In 1966, Keith landed the role of Uncle Bill Davis on [[CBS]]'s popular television situation comedy ''[[Family Affair]]''.  This role earned him three [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series|Best Actor in a Comedy Series]].<ref name="TVguide">{{Cite web
| url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-keith/bio/142765
| title=Brian Keith Biography
| website=[[TV Guide]]
| access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> The show made him a household name. It was in the vein of successful 1960s and 1970s sitcoms that dealt with widowhood and/or many [[single-parent]] issues, such as ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'', ''[[My Three Sons]]'', ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'', ''[[Petticoat Junction]]'', ''[[One Day at a Time (1975 TV series)|One Day at a Time]]'', ''[[Here's Lucy]]'', ''[[Julia (1968 TV series)|Julia]]'', ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV series)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]'', ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'', ''[[The Partridge Family]]'', and ''[[Sanford and Son]]''. During its first season in 1966, ''Family Affair'' was an immediate hit, ranking number 15 in the [[Nielsen ratings]].<ref name="dvd">{{cite web
| url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/31556/family-affair-season-four/
| title=Family Affair-Season Four
| author=Mavis, Paul 
| date=December 1, 2007
| website=[[DVD Talk]]
| access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>  By the end of its fifth season, in 1971, ''Family Affair'' still had high ratings, but was cancelled after 138 episodes.

[[Kathy Garver]], who co-starred as Keith's teenaged niece, Cissy, on ''Family Affair'', indicated that Keith said: "I'm a cultural Irishman, don't you know, I'm a cultural Irishman."  Garver explained: "But he went through many manifestations and changes of character, during the five years that we shot. At first, he was up and then his second year, he was going through a divorce, and then, the third year, he met somebody else, and he became more anecdotal and told stories that he loved kids, and he was very outspoken about those that he did not like. So, he was a very interesting character and it was Brian and Sebastian Cabot [who played Mr. French] had such a different style of acting and that's another reason I think that ''Family Affair'' was so popular and stayed as it did. Both excellent actors, both coming from very different methods and styles of acting with Sebastian was more from the classical style and he would take home his script and he would dutifully look at every single word and have it to perfection, and then Brian would come in and say, 'Oh what do we have today? Let me see the scene, uh-huh, uh-huh, let's go!' So he was very improvisational, motion of the moment. And those two different styles really worked out for each of them very well."<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://onscreenandbeyond.com/OSBseason3Reruns.htm
| title=OSB Episode 120
| date=July 11, 2010
| website=On Screen & Beyond
| access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

During the series' run Keith appeared in ''[[Reflections in a Golden Eye (film)|Reflections in a Golden Eye]]'' (1967) with [[Marlon Brando]], ''[[With Six You Get Eggroll]]'' (1968) with [[Doris Day]], ''[[Krakatoa: East of Java]]'' (1968) for Cinerama, and ''[[Gaily, Gaily]]'' (1969) for Norman Jewison. He had leading roles in ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?]]'' (1970) for Cinerama and ''[[The McKenzie Break]]'' (1970).<ref>{{Cite news|title=Break' Role for Keith|author=Martin, Betty|date=October 18, 1968|work=Los Angeles Times|page=f18}}</ref> In 1970, Keith moved to Hawaii.<ref name="archer">{{cite news|title=Brian Keith's playing Lew Archer--but with Hawaii on his mind|author=Smith, Cecil|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 26, 1975|page=q2}}</ref> Keith made ''[[Scandalous John]]'' (1971) for Disney, ''[[Something Big (film)|Something Big]]'' (1972) with Dean Martin and director [[Andrew McLaglen]], and the TV movie ''[[Second Chance (1972 film)|Second Chance]]'' (1972).<ref>{{Cite news|title=MOVIE CALL SHEET: 'big' Role for Carol White|author=Martin, Betty|date=February 19, 1971|work=Los Angeles Times|page=i9}}</ref>

===''The Brian Keith Show'', ''The Zoo Gang'', ''Archer''===
Keith went on to star as [[pediatrician]] Dr. Sean Jamison in the NBC sitcom ''[[The Brian Keith Show]]'' (entitled ''The Little People'' during its first season). The series was cancelled in 1974 after two seasons. "The show ended because it was bad, not because of Hawaii," said Keith.<ref name="archer"/>

Keith also starred in the role of Steven "The Fox" Halliday in the six-part television [[miniseries]], ''[[The Zoo Gang]]'' (1974), about a group of former underground [[French Resistance]] fighters from World War II. The show also starred [[Sir John Mills]], [[Lilli Palmer]], and [[Barry Morse]], and featured a theme by [[Paul McCartney]].<ref name="archer"/> Keith was third billed in ''[[The Yakuza (film)|The Yakuza]]'' (1974) starring [[Robert Mitchum]], and in ''[[The Wind and the Lion]]'' (1975) starring [[Sean Connery]], Keith played [[President Theodore Roosevelt]] for writer-director [[John Milius]]. He starred in the TV series ''[[Archer (1975 TV series)|Archer]]'' (1975) as [[Lew Archer]], replacing [[Peter Graves]] who'd starred in the pilot, but it was cancelled after six episodes and has never been rerun in the United States ([[Jerry Goldsmith]]'s score for the first episode of the series was released in 2018 by Lalaland Records).<ref name="archer"/> Keith did some Westerns, ''[[The Quest (1976 TV series)|The Quest]]'' (1976) pilot, and ''[[Joe Panther]]'' (1976), and the TV movie ''[[The Loneliest Runner]]'' (1976). He had a supporting role in ''[[Nickelodeon (film)|Nickelodeon]]'' (1976) and did the TV movies ''[[In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan]]'' (1977) and ''[[The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer]]'' (1977). He was in ''[[How the West Was Won (TV series)|How the West Was Won]]'' (1978), ''[[Hooper (film)|Hooper]]'' (1978) with [[Burt Reynolds]], ''[[Centennial (TV series)|Centennial]]'' (1979), and ''[[The Chisholms]]'' (1979). In 1992, he starred in the unsold, ABC half-hour pilot ''The Streets of Beverly Hills''.

Keith spoke fluent Russian, which led to his casting as a Russian in two roles: as a Soviet scientist in the film ''[[Meteor (film)|Meteor]]'' (1979) with [[Natalie Wood]] (who also spoke fluent Russian and played his translator), and as the Soviet premier in the NBC miniseries ''[[World War III (miniseries)|World War III]]'' (1982)  with [[Rock Hudson]]. He replaced [[Barnard Hughes]] on Broadway in ''[[Da (play)|Da]]'' and was on ''[[The Seekers (TV series)|The Seekers]]'' (1979), ''[[Power (1980 TV series)|Power]]'' (1980), ''[[The Silent Lovers]]'' (1980), ''[[The Mountain Men]]'' (1980) with [[Charlton Heston]], and ''[[Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen]]'' (1981). Of the latter he joked, "I only did the picture because it had a long title, and I seem to specialize in those."<ref name="ind"/> He had support roles in ''[[Sharky's Machine]]'' (1981) with Burt Reynolds and ''[[Cry for the Strangers]]'' (1982).

===''Hardcastle and McCormick'', ''Pursuit of Happiness'', and ''Heartland''===
Keith once again returned to series television in 1983, with ''Hardcastle and McCormick'', in the role of a cranky retired judge named Milton C. Hardcastle. [[Daniel Hugh Kelly]] co-starred as ex-con Mark McCormick in this ABC crime drama with elements of comedy. The chemistry of Keith and Kelly was a hit, and the series lasted three years until its cancellation in 1986.<ref name="lawrence"/> During the series run, Keith was in ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' and ''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' (1986). Keith starred in ''[[The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory]]'' (1987) (as [[Davy Crockett]]), and ''[[Death Before Dishonor (film)|Death Before Dishonor]]'', then did another TV series ''[[The Pursuit of Happiness (1987 TV series)|Pursuit of Happiness]]'' (1987–88), which ran 10 episodes. He was in ''After the Rain'' (1988), ''[[Young Guns (film)|Young Guns]]'' (1988), and ''Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson'' (1989). He starred in another short-lived series ''[[Heartland (1989 TV series)|Heartland]]'' (1989). He had roles in ''[[Welcome Home (1989 film)|Welcome Home]]'' (1989), and ''[[Lady in the Corner]]'' (1989).

===Later career===
Keith made a guest appearance in the ''[[Evening Shade]]'' season-one episode "Chip Off The Old Brick" (1991), as the loud-mouthed father of Herman Stiles (played by actor [[Michael Jeter]]). He reprised his character from ''The Westerner'' in ''[[The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw]]'' (1991) (which featured numerous actors from 1950s TV series playing their original roles in brief cameos), had the lead in ''[[Walter & Emily]]'' (1991), a short-lived sitcom, and ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (1992), a pilot. Brian Keith appeared on a two-part episode of ''[[Major Dad]]'', season four "The People's Choice" as the Major's ([[Gerald McRaney]]) domineering father who pays a visit to the family. The episode aired on September 25, 1992. Keith performed the role of Mullibok on the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' season-one episode entitled "Progress" (1993), in which an elderly farmer resists forcible relocation by Bajoran authorities.

Among his last performances were ''The Secrets of Lake Success''; ''[[Wind Dancer]]''; ''[[The Commish]]''; ''[[Under a Killing Moon]]'' (1994); ''The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.'' (1995); ''[[The Monroes (1995 TV series)|The Monroes]]''; ''[[Favorite Deadly Sins]]'' (1995); ''[[Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story]]'' (1996); ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]''; ''[[Touched by an Angel]]''; and ''[[The Second Civil War]]'' (1997). Keith guest-starred in an episode of the TV series ''[[The Marshal]]'' titled "The Bounty Hunter" (1995) in which he played then [[Wichita, Kansas]], Police Chief Rick Stone under the stage name of Chief Skoblow. The [[Wichita Police Department]] cooperated with the Canadian TV production company by providing details of Chief Stone's actual police dress uniform for Keith to wear during the episode. Keith also provided the voice of [[Uncle Ben|Ben Parker]] on ''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]''.

In his last film, Keith played President [[William McKinley]] in ''[[Rough Riders (miniseries)|Rough Riders]]'' (1997). Director [[John Milius]] dedicated the film to "Brian Keith, Actor, Marine, Raconteur."<ref name="fame">{{cite web
| url=http://www.walkoffame.com/brian-keith
| title=Brian Keith: Inducted to the Walk of Fame on June 26, 2008, with 1 star.
| date=June 26, 2008
| website=[[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Keith married three times. He was married to [[Frances Helm]] from 1948 to 1954, Judy Landon from 1954 to 1969 and Victoria Young-Keith from 1970 until his death. He had seven children, one of whom committed suicide six weeks prior to his death.<ref> {{Cite web |last=Richmond |first=Ray |date=1997-06-25 |title=Brian Keith, 75, dead in apparent suicide |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/brian-keith-75-dead-in-apparent-suicide-1116678811/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Variety}}</ref>

On June 24, 1997, at the age of 75, Keith died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound<ref name="simon">{{cite news
| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-25-me-7884-story.html
| title=Actor Brian Keith Found Dead in Apparent Suicide
| author=Simon, Stephanie 
| date=June 25, 1997
| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]
| access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> at his home in [[Malibu, California]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Actor Brian Keith dies in apparent suicide |url=https://apnews.com/article/fc20a3f609f2c21177b3b7d983035186 |access-date=March 17, 2022 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> He suffered from [[emphysema]] and lung cancer during the latter part of his life, despite having quit [[Tobacco smoking|smoking]] ten years earlier. He reportedly also struggled with financial problems and suffered from depression throughout his final days.<ref name="star">{{cite news |author=Simon, Stephanie |date=June 25, 1997 |title=Brian Keith – Hollywood Star Walk |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/brian-keith/ |access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

Keith's friend [[Maureen O'Hara]] did not believe Keith died as a result of suicide. She stated that he had a large gun collection and he might have been cleaning the gun, or looking at it, when it went off accidentally. She had just visited him and said he was in good spirits and would not have committed suicide given his Catholic beliefs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Maureen O'Hara Discusses Her Life in Film|url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0010/28/lklw.00.html|website=CNN Transcripts|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 26, 2017|date=October 28, 2000}}</ref>

Keith's private funeral was attended by ''[[Family Affair]]'' co-stars [[Kathy Garver]] and [[Johnny Whitaker]], and ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' co-star [[Daniel Hugh Kelly]]. His ashes were interred next to those of his daughter Daisy at [[Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brian Keith-Daisy Keith grave plaques|url=http://www.seeing-stars.com/imagepages/briankeithgravephoto.shtml|website=Seeing-Stars|access-date=May 26, 2017}}</ref>

==Legacy==
On June 26, 2008, Brian Keith received a posthumous star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref name="life">{{cite web
| url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actor-daniel-hugh-kelly-attends-the-brian-keith-honored-news-photo/81727714
| title=Brian Keith Honored At The Hollywood Walk of Fame
| date=June 28, 2008
| website=[[Getty Images]]
| access-date=August 29, 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924040557/http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actor-daniel-hugh-kelly-attends-the-brian-keith-honored-news-photo/81727714 
|archive-date=September 24, 2015
}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Pied Piper Malone]]'' (1924) as Little Boy
* ''[[Arrowhead (1953 film)|Arrowhead]]'' (1953) as Captain Bill North
* ''[[Alaska Seas]]'' (1954) as Jim Kimmerly
* ''[[Jivaro (film)|Jivaro]]'' (1954) as Tony
* ''[[The Bamboo Prison]]'' (1954) as Corporal Brady
* ''[[The Violent Men]]'' (1955) as Cole Wilkison
* ''[[Tight Spot]]'' (1955) as Vince Striker
* ''[[5 Against the House]]'' (1955) as Brick
* ''[[Storm Center]]'' (1956) as Paul Duncan
* ''[[Nightfall (1957 film)|Nightfall]]'' (1956) as John
* ''[[Run of the Arrow]]'' (1957) as Captain Clark
* ''[[Dino (film)|Dino]]'' (1957) as Larry Sheridan
* ''[[Chicago Confidential]]'' (1957) as District Attorney Jim Fremont
* ''[[Appointment with a Shadow]]'' (1957) as Lieutenant Spencer
* ''[[Hell Canyon Outlaws]]'' (1957) as Happy Waters
* ''[[Fort Dobbs]]'' (1958) as Clett
* ''[[Violent Road]]'' (1958) as Mitch Barton
* ''[[Desert Hell]]'' (1958) as Captain Robert Edwards
* ''[[Sierra Baron]]'' (1958) as Jack McCracken
* ''[[Villa!!]]'' (1958) as Bill Harmon
* ''[[The Young Philadelphians]]'' (1959) as Mike Flanagan
* ''[[Ten Who Dared]]'' (1960) as William 'Bill' Dunn
* ''[[The Deadly Companions]]'' (1961) as Yellowleg
* ''[[The Parent Trap (1961 film)|The Parent Trap]]'' (1961) as Mitch Evers
* ''[[Moon Pilot]]'' (1962) as Major General John M. Vanneman
* ''[[Savage Sam (film)|Savage Sam]]'' (1963) as Uncle Beck Coates
* ''[[The Raiders (1963 film)|The Raiders]]'' (1963) as John G. McElroy / Narrator
* ''[[A Tiger Walks]]'' (1964) as Sheriff Pete Williams
* ''[[The Pleasure Seekers (1964 film)|The Pleasure Seekers]]'' (1964) as Paul Barton
* ''[[Those Calloways]]'' (1965) as Cam Calloway
* ''[[The Hallelujah Trail]]'' (1965) as Frank Wallingham
* ''[[The Rare Breed]]'' (1966) as Bowen
* ''[[Nevada Smith]]'' (1966) as Jonas Cord
* ''[[The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming]]'' (1966) as Police Chief Link Mattocks
* ''[[Way...Way Out]]'' (1966) as General 'Howling Bull' Hallenby
* ''[[Reflections in a Golden Eye (film)|Reflections in a Golden Eye]]'' (1967) as Lieutenant Colonel Morris Langdon
* ''[[With Six You Get Eggroll]]'' (1968) as Jake Iverson
* ''[[Krakatoa, East of Java]]'' (1969) as Connerly
* ''[[Gaily, Gaily]]'' (1969) as Francis Sullivan
* ''[[Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?]]'' (1970) as Officer Michael M. Nace
* ''[[The McKenzie Break]]'' (1970) as Captain Jack Connor
* ''[[Scandalous John]]'' (1971) as John McCanless
* ''[[Something Big (film)|Something Big]]'' (1971) as Colonel Morgan
* ''[[The Yakuza]]'' (1975) as George Tanner
* ''[[The Wind and the Lion]]'' (1975) as President [[Theodore Roosevelt]]
* ''[[Nickelodeon (film)|Nickelodeon]]'' (1976) as H.H. Cobb
* ''[[Hooper (film)|Hooper]]'' (1978) as Jocko
* ''[[Meteor (film)|Meteor]]'' (1979) as Dr. Dubov
* ''[[The Mountain Men]]'' (1980) as Henry Frapp
* ''[[Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen]]'' (1981) as Police Chief
* ''[[Sharky's Machine (film)|Sharky's Machine]]'' (1981) as Papa
* ''[[Death Before Dishonor (film)|Death Before Dishonor]]'' (1987) as Colonel Halloran
* ''After the Rain'' (1988) as Byron Monroe
* ''[[Young Guns (film)|Young Guns]]'' (1988) as Buckshot Roberts
* ''[[Welcome Home (1989 film)|Welcome Home]]'' (1989) as Harry Robins
* ''[[Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story]]'' (1996) as Cardinal
* ''[[The Second Civil War]]'' (1997) as Major General Charles Buford
* ''[[Walking Thunder]]'' (1997) as Narrator (voice)
* ''[[Rough Riders (miniseries)|Rough Riders]]'' (1997) as President [[William McKinley]]  
{{div col end}}

===Television===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Suspense (U.S. TV series)|Suspense]]'' (1952) ([[CBS]]) (7 episodes)
**(Season 4 Episode 24: "Night Drive") as Bob
**(Season 4 Episode 26: "Four Days to Kill") as Johnny
**(Season 4 Episode 34: "The Corsage") as Lieutenant Jim Connor
**(Season 4 Episode 36: "The Debt") as Idaho
**(Season 4 Episode 41: "Fifty Beautiful Girls")  
**(Season 4 Episode 44: "Death Cargo")  
**(Season 4 Episode 51: "Set-Up for Death") as Kip Caley (starring John Marley)<ref>{{cite news|work=Suspense|title=Set Up for Death|date=1949|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrR-oEQcLeg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zrR-oEQcLeg |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 
* ''[[Police Story (1952 TV series)|Police Story]]'' (1952) (CBS) (Season 1 Episode 16: "The California Case") (credited as Robert Keith, Jr.)
* ''[[Tales of Tomorrow]]'' (1952) (3 episodes) 
**(Season 1 Episode 17: "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: The Chase: Part 1") 
**(Season 1 Episode 18: "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: The Escape: Part 2")
**(Season 1 Episode 39: "Appointment on Mars") as Jack (credited as Robert Keith, Jr.)
* ''[[Crusader (TV series)|Crusader]]'' (1955–56) (CBS) (52 episodes in title role) as Matt Anders
* ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' (1959-1962) (4 episodes)
**(Season 4 Episode 31: "Your Witness") (1959) as Arnold Shawn
**(Season 5 Episode 5: "No Pain") (1959) as Dave Rainey
**(Season 5 Episode 34: "Cell 227") (1960) as Herbert 'Herbie' Morrison 
**(Season 7 Episode 20: "The Test") (1962) as Vernon Wedge
* ''[[Disney anthology television series]]'' (1959-1986) (10 episodes)
**(Season 6 Episode 7: "Elfego Baca: Move Along, Mustangers") (for ''[[Walt Disney Presents]]'') (1959) as Shadrak O'Reilly
**(Season 6 Episode 8: "Elfego Baca: Mustang Man, Mustang Maid") (for ''[[Walt Disney Presents]]'') (1959) as Shadrak O'Reilly
**(Season 9 Episode 16: "''[[Johnny Shiloh (film)|Johnny Shiloh]]'': Part 1") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1963) as Sergeant Gabe Trotter 
**(Season 9 Episode 17: "''[[Johnny Shiloh (film)|Johnny Shiloh]]'': Part 2") for (''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1963) as Sergeant Gabe Trotter
**(Season 10 Episode 15: "Bristle Face: Part 1") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1964) as Lue Swank
**(Season 10 Episode 16: "Bristle Face: Part 2") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1964) as Lue Swank
**(Season 11 Episode 5: "''[[The Tenderfoot (1964)|The Tenderfoot]]'': Part 1") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1964) as Mose Carson
**(Season 11 Episode 6: "''[[The Tenderfoot (1964)|The Tenderfoot]]'': Part 2") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1964) as Mose Carson
**(Season 11 Episode 7: "''[[The Tenderfoot (1964)|The Tenderfoot]]'': Part 3") (for ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]'') (1964) as Mose Carson
**(Season 31 Episode 4: "The B.R.A.T. Patrol") (for ''[[The Disney Sunday Movie]]'') (1986) ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]) as General Newmeyer
* ''[[The Westerner (TV series)|The Westerner]]'' (1960) ([[NBC]]) (13 episodes) as Dave Blassingame
* ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'' (1961) (Season 2 Episode 16: "The Jamaica Ginger Story") as Jim Martinson
* ''[[Outlaws (1960 TV series)|Outlaws]]'' (1961–62) (NBC) (2 episodes)
**(Season 2 Episode 3: "My Friend, the Horse Thief") (1961) as Jim Whipple
**(Season 2 Episode 14: "The Bitter Swede") (1962) as Sven Johannsen
* ''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'' (1962) (CBS) (Season 1 Episode 3: "Night of the Owl") as James 'Jim' Mallory, District Ranger
* ''[[Target: The Corruptors!]]'' (1962) (ABC) (2 episodes) as George Vaclavic
**(Season 1 Episode 32: "The Organizers: Part 1")
**(Season 1 Episode 33: "The Organizers: Part 2")
* ''[[Sam Benedict]]'' (NBC) (1963) (Season 1 Episode 20: "Run Softly, Oh Softly") as Mitchison Dawit
* ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' (1963) (Season 1 Episode 15: "Duel at Shiloh") as Johnny Wade
* ''[[Wagon Train]]'' (1963) (2 episodes) 
**(Season 6 Episode 28: "The Tom Tuesday Story") as Tom Tuesday
**(Season 7 Episode 5: "The Robert Harrison Clarke Story") as First Sergeant Gault
* ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'' (1963) (Season 1 Episode 1 (Pilot): "Fear in a Desert City") as Edward Welles
* ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]'' (1964) (NBC) (Season 1 Episode 19: "A Cause of Anger") as Andy Bastian
* ''[[Password (American game show)|Password]]'' (1966) (CBS) as Himself, Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star
* ''[[Family Affair]]'' (1966–71) (CBS) (138 episodes) as Uncle Bill Davis
* ''The Bull of the West'' (1972) (TV movie) as Johnny Wade (archive footage)
* ''[[The Brian Keith Show]]'' (1972–74) (NBC) (47 episodes; entitled ''The Little People'' in 1972–73) as Dr. Sean Jamison 
* ''[[The Zoo Gang]]'' (1974) ([[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]) (all 6 episodes) as Steven 'The Fox' Halliday
* ''[[Archer (1975 TV series)|Archer]]'' (1975) (NBC) (all 6 episodes) as Lew Archer
* ''[[The Loneliest Runner]]'' (1976) (NBC) (TV movie) as Arnold Curtis
* ''[[In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan]]'' (1977) (TV movie) as Joe Quinlan
* ''[[How the West Was Won (TV series)|How the West Was Won]]'' (originally titled ''The Macahans'') (1978) (ABC) (3 episodes) as General Stonecipher
**(Season 2 Episode 1: "Buffalo Story")
**(Season 2 Episode 2: "Mormon Story")
**(Season 2 Episode 3: "Interlude")
* ''[[Centennial (miniseries)|Centennial]]'' (1978–79) (NBC) (12 episodes) as Sheriff Axel Dumire
* ''[[The Seekers (miniseries)|The Seekers]]'' (1979) (2 episodes: Season 1 Episode 1 and Season 1 Episode 2) as Elijah Weatherby
* ''[[The Chisholms]]'' (1979) (CBS) (Season 1 Episode 4: "Chapter IV") as Andrew Blake
* ''[[World War III (miniseries)]]'' (1982) (2 episodes: Season 1 Episode 1: "Part I" and Season 1 Episode 2: "Part II") as Soviet General Secretary Gorny
* ''[[Cry for the Strangers (film)|Cry for the Strangers]]'' (1982) (TV movie) as Chief Whalen
* ''[[Hardcastle and McCormick]]'' (1983–86) (ABC) (67 episodes) as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle
* ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' (1984) (CBS) (Season 1 Pilot Episode: "''[[The Murder of Sherlock Holmes]]''") as Caleb McCallum
* ''[[The Pursuit of Happiness (1987 TV series)|Pursuit of Happiness]]'' (1987-1988) (ABC) (all 10 episodes) as Professor Roland G. Duncan
* ''Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson'' (1989) (CBS) (TV movie) as Frank Wellman Sr.
* ''[[Heartland (1989 TV series)|Heartland]]'' (1989) (CBS) (TV movie) as B.L. McCutcheon
* ''[[The Young Riders]]'' (1990) (ABC) (Season 2 Episode 10: "Star Light, Star Bright") as Cyrus Happy
* ''[[Evening Shade]]'' (1991) (CBS) (Season 1 Episode 15: "Chip Off the Old Brick") as Brick Stiles
* ''[[Walter & Emily]]'' (1991–92) (NBC) (all 13 episodes) as Walter Collins
* ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (1992) (ABC) (TV movie) as Charlie Street
* ''[[Major Dad]]'' (1992) (CBS) (2 episodes) as Jake MacGillis
**(Season 4 Episode 1: "The People's Choice: Part 1")
**(Season 4 Episode 2: "The People's Choice: Part 2") 
* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' (1993) ([[broadcast syndication|syndicated]]) (Season 1 Episode 15: "[[Progress (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|Progress]]" as Mullibok
* ''[[The Commish]]'' (1994) (ABC) (Season 3 Episode 22: "The Iceman Cometh") as Phil 'Iceman' Greene / Lou Parslow
* ''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]'' (1995-1998) (3 episodes) as [[Uncle Ben]] (voice)
**(Season 1 Episode 5: "The Menace of Mysterio") (1995)
**(Season 2 Episode 4: "Neogenic Nightmare Chapter 4: The Mutant Agenda") (1995)
**(Season 5 Episode 13: "Spider Wars, Chapter 2: Farewell Spider-Man") (1998)
* ''[[Cybill]]'' (1996) (CBS) (Season 2 Episode 16: "Who's Who for What's His Name?") as Arthur Minnow
* ''[[Pacific Blue (TV series)|Pacific Blue]]'' (1996) ([[USA Network|USA]]) (Season 1 Episode 2: "First Shoot") as Mac McNamara
* ''[[Touched by an Angel]]'' (1996) (CBS) (Season 3 Episode 8: "The Sky is Falling") as Leonard Pound
* ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' (1996) (CBS) (Season 5 Episode 3: "Ghost Rider") as Del Forman
* ''[[Duckman]]'' (1997) (USA) (Season 4 Episode 18: "Kidney, Popsicle, and Nuts") as Duckman's Father (voice)
{{div col end}}

===Stage===
*''Heyday'' (1946)
*''Mr. Roberts'' as First Mate (c. 1950 as Robert Keith, Jr.) N.B. Robert Keith, Sr. was the Doctor in it.
* ''[[Darkness at Noon]]'' (1951)
* ''[[Da (play)|Da]]'' (1978)

===Video games===
* ''[[Under a Killing Moon]]'' (1994) as The Colonel

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{Official website|http://www.briankeith.com/}}
* {{IMDb name|1417}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{tcmdb name}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keith, Brian}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male child actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:American male silent film actors]]
[[Category:American male stage actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American television directors]]
[[Category:Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
[[Category:Suicides by firearm in California]]
[[Category:Male actors from Bayonne, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from East Rockaway, New York]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Hudson County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]
[[Category:Catholics from New Jersey]]
[[Category:1997 suicides]]
[[Category:East Rockaway High School alumni]]