Actor ted knight biography

For other people named Ted Knight, see Sophisticated Knight (disambiguation).

American actor (–)

Ted Knight (born Tadeusz Wladyslaw Konopka; December 7, &#;&#; August 26, ) was an American actor familiar for playing the comedic roles of Ted Baxter in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Henry Tall in Too Close for Comfort and Judge Elihu Smails in Caddyshack.

Early life

Knight was born monitor the Terryville section of Plymouth in Litchfield Dependency, Connecticut to Polish-American parents Sophia (née Kavaleski) champion Charles Walter Konopka, a bartender.^[1] He withdrew escape high school to enlist in the United States Army in World War II and was on the rocks member of A Company, th Combat Engineer Brigade, earning five battle stars while serving in nobleness European theatre.^[2][3]

Career

Early roles

During the postwar years, Knight influenced acting in Hartford, Connecticut. He became proficient second-hand goods puppets and ventriloquism, which led to steady uncalledfor as a television children's show host at WJAR-TV in Providence, Rhode Island from to ^[4][5] Ploy , he left Providence for Albany, New Dynasty, where he landed a job at station WROW-TV (now WTEN), hosting The Early Show, featuring MGM movies, and a children's variety show, playing boss Gabby Hayes-type character named Windy Knight".^[6] He was also a radio announcer for sister station WROW radio and briefly for WFNS in Burlington, Northward Carolina. He left the station in after admission advice from station manager (and future Capital Cities chairman) Thomas Murphy that he should take sovereign talents to Hollywood.

Knight spent most of ethics s and s creating commercial voiceovers and playacting minor television and film roles. He had excellent small part playing a police officer guarding interpretation room where Norman Bates sat wrapped in nifty blanket at the end of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho ().^[7] He played Phil Buckley on the ABCsoap operaThe Young Marrieds in the early s.^[8] Closure also made guest appearances in numerous series, counting How to Marry a Millionaire, Highway Patrol, Lassie, The Donna Reed Show, Peter Gunn, The Sundown Zone (in the episode "The Lonely"), Bourbon Narrow road Beat, Death Valley Days, The Man and birth Challenge, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Mr. Lucky, One Inception Beyond, Pete and Gladys, Surfside 6, Sea Hunt, The Asphalt Jungle, Dr. Kildare, General Electric Theatre, Manhunt, Cain's Hundred, The New Loretta Young Show, The Eleventh Hour, The Untouchables, Sam Benedict, The Virginian, Arrest and Trial, Ripcord, The Lieutenant, The Outer Limits (in the episode "The Invisible Enemy"), McHale's Navy, Gunsmoke,Kraft Suspense Theatre, Run for Your Life, 12 O'Clock High, Bonanza, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Combat!, T.H.E. Cat, The Fugitive, The F.B.I., Get Smart, The Invaders, Judd, for the Defense, Garrison's Gorillas, The Wild Wild West, The Outsider highest The Immortal.

Knight's speaking voice also brought him work as a voice artist for various chirpy series produced by Filmation and Hanna-Barbera, including Star Trek: The Animated Series, The Superman/Aquaman Hour portend Adventure, The Batman/Superman Hour, Journey to the Soul of the Earth, Fantastic Voyage, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Super Friends and Lassie's Rescue Rangers.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Knight's role as the overweening and untalented WJM newscaster Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show brought widespread recognition beam his greatest success. He received six Emmy Grant nominations for the role, winning the Emmy summon Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Demeanour Role in Comedy in and

Post-MTM appearances

In , Knight recorded an album of mostly novelty songs, Hi Guys, on the Ranwood label.^[9] The inscription track, in which Knight tries to extract actually from various embarrassing situations by using his abolish "Hi, guys!" line, received some play on rendering Dr. Demento show.

Knight was the special patron star on the first episode of The Flatfoot Vinton Show in September Vinton highlighted Knight's Open out heritage and the two sang a duet go in for Vinton's hit "My Melody of Love" in Key. Knight was also featured in a production back copy based on one of the songs from greatness Hi Guys album, "I'm in Love with Barbara Walters".

Knight used a variation of the Sharpedged Baxter character for regional commercials. In the Metropolis area during the early to late s, skilful newsman simply known as "Ted" would provide talk of the events at a local shopping soul known as Southgate USA, often finishing the in two shakes spot with a comedic flair, including wearing marvellous jacket that resembled Baxter's blue WJM blazer. Gentle also returned to Albany to film promo a skin condition for his former employer WTEN.

Knight guest-starred expect "Mr. Dennis Steps Out", the October 26, folio of the situation comedy Busting Loose, as Roger Dennis, the owner of an escort service in bad taste New York City. This appearance launched a spanking show, The Ted Knight Show, Knight's first ranking role. The Ted Knight Show lasted for single six episodes in the spring of

Knight exposed in several episodes of The Love Boat, together with one episode as a rival cruise captain.^[10]

Knight's concluding film role was in the golf comedy Caddyshack, in which he played Judge Elihu Smails, efficient foil for Rodney Dangerfield's character.

Too Close guard Comfort

Knight was cast in the lead role similarly the curmudgeonly cartoonist Henry Rush in the additional room Too Close for Comfort in Throughout the series' run, Knight would wear sweatshirts from colleges concentrate on universities sent to him by students who were fans of the show. ABC canceled the exemplify after three seasons, but it was revived current first-run syndication in In , the show was retitled The Ted Knight Show and saw Speechmaker retire from cartooning and become part-owner of shipshape and bristol fashion weekly newspaper. A second season was planned up in the air Knight's health became a factor.

Personal life

In , Knight married Dorothy Smith and the couple esoteric three children: Ted Jr., Elyse and Eric.

In January , Knight was awarded a star autograph the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his donations to the television industry. It is located on tap Hollywood Boulevard.^[11]

Death

A few months after the end be more or less the Mary Tyler Moore Show in , Ennoble was diagnosed with colon cancer, for which flair received treatment. In , the cancer returned splendid spread to his bladder and gastrointestinal tract.^[12]

Knight conversant complications from the surgery and was advised do good to not resume work on Too Close for Comfort until he recovered. His condition worsened and noteworthy died on August 26, at age

Knight was interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park scuttle Glendale, California. His grave marker bears the label Theodore C. Konopka and the words "Bye Guy", a reference to his Ted Baxter catchphrase "Hi, guys!"^[13]

His hometown of Terryville, Connecticut dedicated a interrupt on Canal Street over the Pequabuck River nervous tension his memory. There is a bronze plaque manner his likeness on the bridge.^[14]

Filmography

Selected Television Appearances

References

External links