Severn Darden

Severn Darden

Acting
Born 1929-11-09 - Died 1995-05-27

Biography

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.

Movies (58)

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
6.2

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

1972Movie6.2
Back to School
6.3

Back to School

1986Movie6.3
Real Genius
6.7

Real Genius

1985Movie6.7
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
5.7

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

1973Movie5.7
Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
4.3

Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You

1970Movie4.3
Vanishing Point
7.1

Vanishing Point

1971Movie7.1
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
7.6

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

1969Movie7.6
The Day of the Dolphin
5.8

The Day of the Dolphin

1973Movie5.8
In God We Tru$t
6.1

In God We Tru$t

1980Movie6.1
Luv
4.8

Luv

1967Movie4.8
Hopscotch
7.0

Hopscotch

1980Movie7.0
The Telephone
4.4

The Telephone

1988Movie4.4
The Last Movie
5.7

The Last Movie

1971Movie5.7
The Hired Hand
6.1

The Hired Hand

1971Movie6.1
Victory at Entebbe
5.1

Victory at Entebbe

1976Movie5.1
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
5.6

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

1966Movie5.6
Jackson County Jail
5.6

Jackson County Jail

1976Movie5.6
Model Shop
6.5

Model Shop

1969Movie6.5
The Disappearance of Aimee
8.7

The Disappearance of Aimee

1976Movie8.7
Cisco Pike
5.6

Cisco Pike

1972Movie5.6
The War Between Men and Women
6.4

The War Between Men and Women

1972Movie6.4
P.J.
5.7

P.J.

1968Movie5.7
The Mad Room
6.2

The Mad Room

1969Movie6.2
Dirty Little Billy
5.0

Dirty Little Billy

1972Movie5.0
Wanda Nevada
5.8

Wanda Nevada

1979Movie5.8
A Cry for Love
10.0

A Cry for Love

1980Movie10.0
Rooster
4.5

Rooster

1982Movie4.5
The President's Analyst
5.9

The President's Analyst

1967Movie5.9
Mother, Jugs & Speed
5.4

Mother, Jugs & Speed

1976Movie5.4
Justine
4.4

Justine

1969Movie4.4
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
3.6

I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?

1975Movie3.6
Saturday the 14th
5.1

Saturday the 14th

1981Movie5.1
The Double-Barrelled Detective Story
9.0

The Double-Barrelled Detective Story

1965Movie9.0
Half Nelson

Half Nelson

1985Movie
Quarterback Princess
6.9

Quarterback Princess

1983Movie6.9
Why Would I Lie?
7.5

Why Would I Lie?

1980Movie7.5
The Movie Murderer
6.9

The Movie Murderer

1970Movie6.9
A Small Circle of Friends
6.7

A Small Circle of Friends

1980Movie6.7
The Legend of Hillbilly John
6.3

The Legend of Hillbilly John

1974Movie6.3
Skyway to Death
5.3

Skyway to Death

1974Movie5.3
Werewolves on Wheels
4.6

Werewolves on Wheels

1971Movie4.6
Love for Rent
3.5

Love for Rent

1979Movie3.5
Orphan Train
5.9

Orphan Train

1979Movie5.9
Evita Peron

Evita Peron

1981Movie
Fearless Frank
5.6

Fearless Frank

1969Movie5.6
Outside Chance
4.0

Outside Chance

1978Movie4.0
Play It as It Lays
6.1

Play It as It Lays

1972Movie6.1
Playmates
10.0

Playmates

1972Movie10.0
The Virgin President
7.0

The Virgin President

1968Movie7.0
Rendezvous Hotel
7.0

Rendezvous Hotel

1979Movie7.0
Never Con a Killer
10.0

Never Con a Killer

1977Movie10.0
The Princess Who Had Never Laughed
8.0

The Princess Who Had Never Laughed

1986Movie8.0
The Man Who Died Twice
7.0

The Man Who Died Twice

1973Movie7.0
Point of View
9.0

Point of View

1966Movie9.0
Bongo Wolf’s Revenge
10.0

Bongo Wolf’s Revenge

1970Movie10.0
Goldstein
5.8

Goldstein

1965Movie5.8
Once Upon a Midnight Scary
8.9

Once Upon a Midnight Scary

1979Movie8.9
To See or Not to See
6.7

To See or Not to See

1969Movie6.7

TV Shows (31)

Cheers
7.6

Cheers

1982Series7.6
The Six Million Dollar Man
7.3

The Six Million Dollar Man

1974Series7.3
I Dream of Jeannie
7.8

I Dream of Jeannie

1965Series7.8
Barney Miller
7.3

Barney Miller

1975Series7.3
Starsky & Hutch
7.3

Starsky & Hutch

1975Series7.3
Daniel Boone
7.0

Daniel Boone

1964Series7.0
The Bionic Woman
7.0

The Bionic Woman

1976Series7.0
Baretta
6.5

Baretta

1975Series6.5
The Name of the Game
7.0

The Name of the Game

1968Series7.0
The Fall Guy
7.6

The Fall Guy

1981Series7.6
Laverne & Shirley
7.1

Laverne & Shirley

1976Series7.1
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
7.7

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

1974Series7.7
The Monkees
6.5

The Monkees

1966Series6.5
Faerie Tale Theatre
8.1

Faerie Tale Theatre

1982Series8.1
Alias Smith and Jones
7.0

Alias Smith and Jones

1971Series7.0
Harry O
5.2

Harry O

1974Series5.2
Honey West
7.2

Honey West

1965Series7.2
Flying High
6.3

Flying High

1978Series6.3
Beyond Westworld
5.4

Beyond Westworld

1980Series5.4
Occasional Wife
8.0

Occasional Wife

1966Series8.0
Barbary Coast
8.3

Barbary Coast

1975Series8.3
City of Angels
5.6

City of Angels

1976Series5.6
The Practice
7.5

The Practice

1976Series7.5
Take Five
9.0

Take Five

1987Series9.0
The Man and the City
7.5

The Man and the City

1971Series7.5
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8
Getting Together
6.0

Getting Together

1971Series6.0
Lincoln
8.0

Lincoln

1974Series8.0
Barefoot in the Park
6.0

Barefoot in the Park

1970Series6.0
Beauty and the Beast
7.4

Beauty and the Beast

1987Series7.4