Keene Curtis

Keene Holbrook Curtis (February 15, 1923 – October 13, 2002) was an American character actor whose career spanned stage, film, television, and voice work across more than five decades. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Polley Francella (née Holbrook), a teacher, and Ira Charles Curtis, a railway and civil-service employee, Curtis grew up attending Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and completed three years of service in the Pacific Theater during World War II before enrolling at the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor's degree. As early as 1943, the Theta Alpha Phi national honorary dramatic society recognized him as the university's outstanding actor.

Curtis entered the professional theater world in 1949 as an assistant stage manager for the Martha Graham Dance Company. His first Broadway appearance as a performer came in a 1965 revival of You Can't Take It with You, launching a stage career that continued through 1993. His Broadway credits include The Cherry Orchard, A Patriot for Me, Via Galactica, Night Watch, White Liars, Division Street, Happy Birthday, Mr. Abbott!, Annie, and La Cage aux Folles. In 1971, Curtis received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his work in The Rothschilds. Beyond Broadway, he was a member of the Stratford Festival of Canada acting company in 1981, where he played Sir George Thunder in Wild Oats.

Curtis made his film debut in Orson Welles' 1948 adaptation of Macbeth. His subsequent film appearances included Heaven Can Wait, American Hot Wax, Rabbit Test, The Buddy System, Sliver, I.Q., and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.

On television, Curtis played John Allen Hill, the owner of Melville's Restaurant, as a recurring character on Cheers, and portrayed a wealthy banker on the short-lived series Amanda's, starring Bea Arthur. His other television credits include a recurring role as quirky columnist Max Pomeroy opposite Bill Bixby on The Magician, two appearances on Three's Company, and a role in the Bette Midler production of Gypsy.

Curtis was also an active voice actor in animation. He voiced the Pastmaster on SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron, provided the voice of Grand Moff Tarkin for the radio adaptation of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, and portrayed Lord Balthazar on The Smurfs from 1981 to 1989. His additional voice credits span a wide range of animated productions, including The Little Mermaid, The Jetsons, The Herculoids, Space Stars, Paddington Bear, The Centurions, The Snorks, Denver the Last Dinosaur, Trollkins, Kissyfur, Fantastic Max, Mother Goose and Grimm, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures, The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour, The Dukes, Bonkers, The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats, The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, and The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda.

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Curtis never married and had no children. He died on October 13, 2002, from complications from Alzheimer's disease at a nursing home in Bountiful, Utah, at the age of 79, and was buried at Bountiful Memorial Park.