Kevin Conway (actor) explained

Kevin Conway
Birth Name:Kevin John Conway
Birth Date:29 May 1942
Birth Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Death Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation:Actor, film director
Years Active:1970–2020

Kevin John Conway (May 29, 1942 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and film director.

Early life

Conway was born in New York City, to Helen Margaret (née Sanders), a sales representative, and James John Conway, a mechanic.[1] Conway completed his acting training at HB Studio[2] in New York City.

Career

Theatre

Conway's off-Broadway credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, One for the Road, The Elephant Man, Other People's Money, and When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, for which he received the 1974 Drama Desk Award.[3]

On Broadway, Conway appeared in Indians, Moonchildren, and in revivals of The Plough and the Stars, Of Mice and Men (as George Milton, opposite James Earl Jones as Lennie Small), and Dinner at Eight. In 1980, he was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play (Mecca).

Film

In his first major screen role, Conway portrayed Roland Weary in the 1972 film Slaughterhouse-Five, based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel.

Among other film roles, Conway played multiple characters in the 1981 horror film The Funhouse; Crum Petree, the irascible mailman in the 1988 film Funny Farm, Frank Papale in the fact-based 2006 Disney football drama Invincible and General Curtis LeMay in the 2000 historical drama Thirteen Days. He played the fictional Buster Kilrain in Ron Maxwell's Civil War Duology: Gods and Generals and Gettysburg. In 1987, Conway directed the independent film The Sun and the Moon.

Television

Conway appeared as a blind traveling piano tuner in episode 13 season 4 of Northern Exposure. From 1995 to 2002, Conway was the Control Voice for the revived series of The Outer Limits. He made a guest appearance on as the clone of the legendary Klingon figure Kahless. He guest starred on The Good Wife episodes "Threesome", "Boom", and "Wrongful Termination" as Jonas Stern, a founding partner of the titular character's law firm. He portrayed Seamus O'Reily, the abusive father of Ryan and Cyril O'Reily in the HBO prison drama Oz. He made an appearance as the father of titular brothers Michael and Tommy Caffee as Neal Caffee on the Showtime drama, “Brotherhood.”

Conway was a guest star on JAG in the episode "King of Fleas" portraying Roscoe Martin, a paraplegic Vietnam vet who confessed to a murder. In “The Martin Baker fan club” he returns as Roscoe Martin, now a mental patient, and faces a charge of second-degree murder. He has also guest starred on three Law & Order series, the original series, two guest appearances on , and one on . He also guest starred in the second season of In the Heat of the Night. He also played the father of Jenny (played by Olivia Wilde) in NBC's The Black Donnellys in 2007.[4]

Death

Conway died from a heart attack in Manhattan on February 5, 2020. He was 77.[5] [6]

Filmography

Film

!Year!Title!Role!Notes
1971Believe in MeClancy
1972Slaughterhouse-FiveRoland Weary
1972Portnoy's ComplaintSmolka
1973ShamusThe Kid
1978F.I.S.T.Vince Doyle
1978Paradise AlleyStitch Mahon
1981The FunhouseFreak Show Barker / Strip Show Barker / Conrad Straker
1984FlashpointBrook
1988Funny FarmCrum Petree, The Mailman Uncredited
1988HomeboyGrazziano
1991One Good CopLieutenant Danny Quinn
1991Rambling RoseDr. Martinson
1992Jennifer 8Citrine
1993GettysburgSergeant Buster Kilrain
1995The Quick and the DeadEugene Dred
1996Jonathan Walker
1998Mercury RisingFBI Special Agent In Charge Joe Lomax
1999The ConfessionMel Duden
2000Two Family HouseJim O'Neary
2000Thirteen DaysChief of Staff of The USAF General Curtis LeMay
2001Black KnightKing Leo
2003Gods and GeneralsSergeant Buster Kilrain
2003Mystic RiverTheo Savage Uncredited
2006InvincibleFrank Papale
2007American LoserBert
2016Is That a Gun in Your Pocket?Cyrus
2018William Worrall Mayo (voice)Documentary
TBAThe Gettysburg AddressDaniel WebsterDocumentary

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968One Life to LiveEarl BrockN/A
1970The DoctorsGordon DobbsEpisode #1.1843
1971A World ApartBud Whitman2 episodes
1971Great PerformancesPeter BoyleEpisode: "Hogan's Goat"
1973Mr. Inside/Mr. OutsideFence #1Television film
1973Rx for the DefenseDr. Packer
1977VisionsJames GreggEpisode: "The Gardener's Son"
1977Johnny I Hardly Knew YeDavid PowersTelevision film
1977The Deadliest SeasonGeorge Graff
1979The Scarlet LetterRoger ChillingworthMiniseries
1980The Lathe of HeavenDr. William HaberTelevision film
1982The Elephant ManFrederick Treves
1983Rage of AngelsKen Bailey
1983The FirmPeter BlauEpisode: "Pilot"
1984Something About AmeliaDr. Kevin FarleyTelevision film
1984Attack on FearRichard Ofshe
1986Miami ViceCommander FoxEpisode: "Walk-Alone"
1988JesseKen BrandTelevision film
1988The EqualizerJohn AllenwaiteEpisode: "Splinters"
1989In the Heat of the NightJude ThibodeauxEpisode: "A.K.A. Kelly Kay"
1989–1990The BeachcombersFernley2 episodes
1990When Will I Be Loved?Jerry HowardTelevision film
1992Breaking the SilenceJack Hastings
1993Northern ExposureArlen BriscoeEpisode: "Duets"
1992KahlessEpisode: "Rightful Heir"
1994CobraCorporal BiggsEpisode: "A Few Dead Men"
1994The Whipping BoyHold-Your-Nose-BillyTelevision film
1995New York NewsJim Kowalski3 episodes
1995Streets of LaredoMox Mox
1995Joseph CarderoEpisode: "Heartbeat"
1995–2002The Outer LimitsControl Voice152 episodes
1996Law & OrderLieutenant John FlynnEpisode: "Corruption"
1996Calm at SunsetKelly DobbsTelevision film
1997-1998JAGRoscoe Martin / Willie Meizer2 episodes
1998Michael HayesMackey2 episodes
1999–2000OzSeamus O'Reily6 episodes
2000Sally Hemings: An American ScandalThomas PaineTelevision film
2001The Flamingo RisingJudge Lester, Stunt Pilot
2001Dark AngelOperative At WarehouseEpisode: "Designate This"
2005-2010Jackie Dooley / Frank McNare2 episodes
2006BrotherhoodNeal CaffeeEpisode: "Vivekchaudamani: 51"
2007The Black DonnellysIan Reilly, Jenny's Pop10 episodes
2007The Bronx Is BurningGabe Paul8 episodes
2009Life on MarsDonovan StampEpisode: "The Dark Side of the Mook"
2009–2011The Good WifeJonas Stern3 episodes
2012Person of InterestGeorge MasseyEpisode: "Triggerman"
2017–2018Who Killed Jane Doe?Narrator12 episodes
2018Unmasked3 episodes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: April 9, 1979. Jim . Calio. With F.I.S.T.s and Fanatic Work, Actor Kevin Conway Fought Up from Harlem into the Heavyweights. .
  2. Web site: Notable Alumni . HB Studio . Sep 9, 2019.
  3. Web site: Kevin Conway. Playbill. Sep 9, 2019.
  4. News: Genzlinger. Neil. 2020-02-07. Kevin Conway, ‘Elephant Man’ Actor Known for Intensity, Dies at 77. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-04-16. 0362-4331.
  5. https://deadline.com/2020/02/kevin-conway-dead-gettysburg-thirteen-days-invincible-actor-director-was-77-1202854335/ Kevin Conway Dies: ‘Gettysburg’, ‘Thirteen Days’ & ‘Invincible’ Actor Was 77
  6. News: Kevin Conway, ‘Elephant Man’ Actor Known for Intensity, Dies at 77. The New York Times. 2020-02-07. 2020-02-11.