Acting · Born November 9, 1929
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.
MovieThe Telephone
1988
TVBeauty and the Beast
1987
as Waterman
Take Five
1987
MovieThe Princess Who Had Never Laughed
1986
as Farmer Silas
MovieBack to School
1986
as Dr. Barazini
MovieReal Genius
1985
as Dr. Meredith
MovieHalf Nelson
1985
as Morgue Attendant
MovieQuarterback Princess
1983
as Mr. Hobart
TVCheers
1982
as Professor DeWitt
TVFaerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Farmer Silas
MovieRooster
1982
as Conway
TVThe Fall Guy
1981
MovieSaturday the 14th
1981
as Van Helsing
MovieEvita Peron
1981
as Alfredo Suero
A Cry for Love
1980
as Paul
MovieHopscotch
1980
as Maddox
MovieIn God We Tru$t
1980
as Priest
MovieWhy Would I Lie?
1980
as Dr. Barbour
MovieA Small Circle of Friends
1980
as Art Professor
TVBeyond Westworld
1980
as Foley
MovieOrphan Train
1979
as Mr. Barrington
MovieLove for Rent
1979
as Fred Hallem
MovieOnce Upon a Midnight Scary
1979
as Jonathan Barnavelt
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1979
as Albert Church
MovieWanda Nevada
1979
as Merlin Bitterstix
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1978
as Sheriff Dempsey
TVFlying High
1978
MovieNever Con a Killer
1977
as Cap
MovieVictory at Entebbe
1976
as Moshe Meyer
MovieThe Disappearance of Aimee
1976
as S.I. Gilbert
MovieMother, Jugs & Speed
1976
as Moran
MovieJackson County Jail
1976
as Sheriff Dempsey
TVCity of Angels
1976
as Winnie
TVThe Practice
1976
TVLaverne & Shirley
1976
TVThe Bionic Woman
1976
MovieI Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
1975
as Mr. Fletch / Dr. DeHart
TVStarsky & Hutch
1975
as Mr. Wheeler
TVBarbary Coast
1975
TVBarney Miller
1975
as Randolph Cook
TVBaretta
1975
TVKolchak: The Night Stalker
1974
as Dr. Aaron Pollack
TVHarry O
1974
TVLincoln
1974
as Gideon Welles
MovieThe Legend of Hillbilly John
1974
as Mr. Marduke
MovieSkyway to Death
1974
as Steve Kramer
TVThe Six Million Dollar Man
1974
as Apploy
MovieThe Day of the Dolphin
1973
as Schwinn
MovieBattle for the Planet of the Apes
1973
as Kolp
MovieThe Man Who Died Twice
1973
as Harry
MovieDirty Little Billy
1972
as Big Jim McDaniel
MoviePlay It as It Lays
1972
as Hypnotist
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1972
as Roger, Man in Gallery
MovieConquest of the Planet of the Apes
1972
as Kolp
MovieThe War Between Men and Women
1972
as Dr. Harris
MovieCisco Pike
1972
as Lawyer
MovieThe Last Movie
1971
as Mayor
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1971
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1971
MovieThe Hired Hand
1971
as McVey
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1971
as One
MovieVanishing Point
1971
as J. Hovah
TVAlias Smith and Jones
1971
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1970
MoviePussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
1970
as Dr. Fahrquardt
MovieThe Movie Murderer
1970
as Jimmy Apache
MovieBongo Wolf’s Revenge
1970
MovieThey Shoot Horses, Don't They?
1969
as Cecil
MovieFearless Frank
1969
as The Good Doctor / Claude
MovieTo See or Not to See
1969
MovieJustine
1969
as Bathazar
MovieThe Mad Room
1969
as Nate
MovieModel Shop
1969
as Camera Shop Owner
MovieThe Virgin President
1968
as U.S. President / Fillmard Millmore
TVThe Name of the Game
1968
as Cameron
MovieP.J.
1968
as Shelton Quell
MovieThe President's Analyst
1967
as Kropotkin
MovieLuv
1967
as Vandergist
MovieDead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
1966
as Miles Fisher
MoviePoint of View
1966
TVOccasional Wife
1966
TVThe Monkees
1966
as Guggins
MovieThe Double-Barrelled Detective Story
1965
as H.S. Stevens
TVI Dream of Jeannie
1965
as Milton
TVHoney West
1965
as Dr. Gregory Ames
MovieGoldstein
1965
as Doctor
TVDaniel Boone
1964
as Sir Hubert Spencer
TVAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Franklin
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as S.I. Gilbert, Aimee's lawyer
