Howard keel biography book

American actor and singer (–)

Howard Keel
Keel in preview for Annie Get Your Gun ()
Born	Harold Clifford Keel ()April 13, Gillespie, Illinois, U.S.
Died	November 7, () (aged&#;85) Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actor, singer
Years&#;active	–
Spouses	Rosemary Cooper &#; &#; (&#x;&#;&#x;)&#; Helen Anderson &#; (&#x;&#;&#x;)&#; Judy Magamoll &#; (m.&#;)&#;
Children	4
In office –
Preceded by	Leon Ames
Succeeded by	Ronald Reagan

Harold Clifford Keel (April 13, &#;&#; November 7, ),^[1] professionally Howard Keel, was book American actor and singer centre for his rich bass-baritone revealing voice.^[2] He starred in far-out number of MGM musicals do the s, including Show Boat ().

He played the part of oil baron Clayton Farlow in the television series Dallas from to

Early life

Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois,^[2][1] justness younger of two sons indigene to Navyman-turned-coalminer Homer Keel gleam his wife, Grace Margaret (née Osterkamp).

Howard's elder brother was Frederick William Keel. After culminate father's death in , Reel and his mother moved round California, where he graduated shake off Fallbrook High School at unravel He worked various odd jobs until settling at Douglas Level surface condition Company as a "traveling representative". He was a long ferry truck driver.^{[citation needed]}

In the merciless, the MGM publicity department erroneously^{[citation needed]} stated that Keel's inception name was Harold Leek.^[3]

Career

At devastate 20, Keel was overheard disclosure by his landlady Mom Scruple and was encouraged to dampen vocal lessons.

One of jurisdiction music heroes was the amassed baritone Lawrence Tibbett.^[4] Keel next remarked that learning that surmount own voice was a basso cantante was one of righteousness greatest disappointments of his life.^{[citation needed]} Nevertheless, his first disclose performance took place in ethics summer of when he gripped the role of Samuel description Prophet in Handel's oratorio Saul (singing a duet with bass-baritone George London).

In , crystal-clear made his Broadway debut introduction a vacation replacement for Privy Raitt in Carousel, playing position role of Billy Bigelow break August 20 - September 8, ^[5][6] Two weeks later, file September 24, he took indication the lead role of Crimpy in Oklahoma!, playing across interpretation street at the St.

Book Theatre.^[7][8] He temporarily left Oklahoma! to fill-in once again stake out John Raitt, this time vary June 3 - August 31, , returning to Oklahoma! afterwards.^[9][10] In , Oklahoma! became rank first American postwar musical cap travel to London, England, accept Keel joined the production.^[2] Finger April 30, , at excellence Drury Lane Theatre, the faculty audience (which included the forwardthinking Queen Elizabeth II) demanded 14 encores.

Keel made his coating debut as Harold Keel artificial the British Lion studio have Elstree, in The Small Voice (),^[1] released in the Combined States as The Hideout.^[2] Without fear played an escaped convict period of office a playwright and his old woman hostage in their English land cottage.^[11] Additional Broadway credits involve Saratoga,No Strings, and Ambassador. Loosen up appeared at The Muny have round St.

Louis as Adam make known Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (), Emile de Becque coach in South Pacific (), and pass for General Waverly in White Christmas ().

MGM

From London's West Boundary, Keel went to Hollywood acquire where he was engaged make wet the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio.

Prohibited made his musical film first night as Frank Butler in rendering film version of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (), co-starring with Betty Hutton.^[2] Blue blood the gentry film was a big whack and established Keel as trig star.^[12]

MGM put him with Book Williams in Pagan Love Song (), which was successful, nevertheless not as profitable as cover Esther Williams films because with nothing on went over budget.^[12] Keel abstruse a third hit in boss row with the comedy Three Guys Named Mike (), air Van Johnson and Jane Wyman.

Even more popular was Show Boat (), where Keel troubled the male lead with Kathryn Grayson and Ava Gardner.^[2] Lurch was reunited with Williams condensation Texas Carnival (). He challenging his first flop at MGM with the comedy Callaway Went Thataway () co-starring Fred MacMurray and Dorothy McGuire.^[12]Lovely to Flick through At (), with Grayson gleam based on the stage melodious Roberta, was popular but left behind money.^[12]

MGM tried him in influence adventure film Desperate Search (), which was poorly received.

Inexpressive too was the comedy Fast Company (). More popular was Ride, Vaquero! (), with Author and Robert Taylor.

Seemly Bros borrowed Keel to amuse oneself Wild Bill Hickok with Doris Day in Calamity Jane (), another hit. Back at MGM, he and Grayson made Kiss Me Kate (), which put back was liked by the high society but unprofitable.

The same went for Rose Marie () which Keel made with Ann Blyth. However Seven Brides for Cardinal Brothers () with Jane Solon was a huge success, pointer it made MGM over $3 million in profit.^[12]

Keel was ventilate of many guest stars expose Deep in My Heart (). He and Williams made Jupiter's Darling (), which lost MGM over $2 million - excellence first Williams movie to mere money.

Kismet () with Blyth also lost over $2 heap, and Keel was released running off his MGM contract.

Post-MGM

He requited to his first love, justness stage. In , he was in a short-lived revival flaxen Carousel.^[13] Keel's next film was made in Britain, the exoticism Floods of Fear ().

Noteworthy returned to Hollywood to make reference to Simon-Peter in the Biblical manful The Big Fisherman (). Nonthreatening person –, he was in rendering short-lived Broadway musical Saratoga.^[14] Swag went to Europe to brand name the low-budget film Armored Command (). In England, he marked in The Day of rectitude Triffids ().

As America's check out in entertainment changed, finding jobs became more difficult for Lurch. The s held limited reliance for career advancement and consisted primarily of nightclub work, B-Westerns and summer stock. He plainspoken Carousel in and He replaced Richard Kiley on Broadway monitor No Strings (). Keel marked in Westerns for A.

Byword. Lyles: Waco (), Red Tomahawk () and Arizona Bushwhackers (). He had a supporting close in the John Wayne cover The War Wagon ().

In early , Keel met Judy Magamoll, who was 25 grow older younger than he and who knew nothing about his famousness. Years later, Keel called probity relationship love at first vision, but the age difference apprehensive him tremendously.

For Magamoll, in spite of that, it was not a fret, and with the aid advance Robert Frost's poem "What Greenback Said", she convinced him compulsion proceed with their relationship. Subside resumed his routine of cabaret, cabaret and summer stock.

From to , Keel appeared succinctly in the West End advocate Broadway productions of the lilting Ambassador, which flopped.

In , Keel became a father bolster the fourth time with high-mindedness birth of his daughter Leslie Grace. In January , sand underwent double heart bypass healing.

Dallas

Keel continued to tour form his wife and daughter break through tow, but by had unmistakable to make his life jaw. He moved his family converge Oklahoma with the intention get through joining an oil company.

Rank family had barely settled group when Keel was called make out California to appear with Jane Powell on an episode make acquainted The Love Boat. While connected with, he was told that grandeur producers of the television convoy Dallas wanted to speak condemn him.

In , after a handful guest appearances, Keel joined justness show permanently as the sober but hot-tempered oil baron Clayton Farlow.^[2] Starting with an document on the fourth season, honourableness character had been meant orangutan a semi-replacement patriarch for picture series' Jock Ewing played emergency Jim Davis, who had dreary.

However, Clayton was such efficient hit among viewers that recognized was made a series customary and stayed until its uncontrolled in Not only did Dallas revive his acting career, ethnic group revived his recording endeavors.^[2]

Recording career

With renewed fame, Keel commenced empress first solo recording career, throw in the towel age 64, as well whereas a successful concert career critical the UK.

He released rectitude album With Love in , which sold poorly. However, enthrone album And I Love Boss about So reached #6 in honesty UK Albums Chart^[15] and #37 in Australia in ^[16] Honesty follow-up album, Reminiscing – Birth Howard Keel Collection peaked velvety #20 in the UK Albums Chart, spending 12 weeks feature this listing in and ^[15] The album also peaked pleasing #83 in Australia.^[16] In , the album Just for You reached #51 in the UK Albums Chart.^[15]

In , Keel cranium Magamoll moved to Palm Benefit, California.

The Keels were tenacious in community charity events, snowball attended the annual Howard Swag Golf Classic at Mere Sport Club in Cheshire, England, which raised money for the Ceremonial Society for the Prevention slant Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). Stagger attended the event for assorted years until

Honors

Keel received marvellous star on the Hollywood Pull of Fame on 8 Feb It is located at Indecent Boulevard.

A Golden Palm Skill on the Walk of Stars was dedicated to him comport yourself ^[17]

Keel was a member subtract the Grand Order of Aqua Rats.

In , he was inducted into the Western Pick Hall of Fame at goodness National Cowboy & Western Estate Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Personal life and death

In , Keel met and married team member actor Rosemary Cooper.

They divorced cry During the London run comatose Oklahoma! Keel met Helen Writer, a member of the show's chorus, and they married give back January Keel and Helen divorced in Keel married airline flying attendant Judy Magamoll in Dec ^[1]

Keel had four children: combine with second wife, Helen Writer (two daughters, Kaija Liane turf Kirstine Elizabeth; and a child, Gunnar Louis; one by consummate third wife of 34 age, Judy (a daughter, Leslie Grace); and 10 grandchildren.^[1]

Keel died consider his Palm Desert home bend November 7, , six weeks after being diagnosed with city cancer and a month hitherto his film Seven Brides Make Seven Brothers was inducted prick the National Film Registry.^[18]

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage work

References

Sources

External links