Ken Jenkins

Ken Jenkins Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: August 28, 1940

Age: 83 years old

Birth Place: Dayton, Ohio

A noted character actor and forty year veteran of the American theater, Ken Jenkins had been a television staple since the mid-1980's. Frequently cast as a hardnosed authority figure, Jenkins played bureaucratic types and/or military men in several features during the nineties and into the next millennium, most notably his roles in "Hiroshima" (1995), "Courage Under Fire" (1996) and the HBO miniseries, "And the Band Played On" (1993).

Born in Dayton, OH, on Aug. 28, 1940, Jenkins first began acting in high school, performing like most actors starting out, in hometown theater productions. After graduating, Jenkins enrolled at Antioch College where he pursued a degree in the liberal arts. Seeking acting work wherever he could, Jenkins honed his craft by joining a number of regional companies while still in college, thereby gaining valuable practical experience. During this apprenticeship, Jenkins was exposed to the works of such masters as Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Tennessee Williams, and Arthur Miller, whom he credited for shaping the rest of his life.

After college, Jenkins moved to Louisville, KY, where he joined a growing community of young playwrights and actors. Home to many of America's best new playwrights (including Beth Henley and Marsha Norman), the city was considered a mecca of rising talent. It was there, in 1964, that Jenkins helped found the prestigious Actor's Theatre of Louisville. In addition to serving as their Associate Artistic Director, Jenkins continued to work with the theater as an actor, director and writer until 1983.

In the mid 1980's, Jenkins moved to Los Angeles, where he continued making his living on stage while also undertaking small television roles. One of Jenkins' first on-screen gigs was for a 15-part educational video series for adults called "Adult Math." In it, Jenkins played a math teacher named Frank Hall who instructed viewers how to prepare for their G.E.D. In 1987, Jenkins made his major screen debut in John Sayles' critically acclaimed film, "Matewan" (1987). Though his role was small, the film helped Jenkins make the transition from stage acting to on camera. Starting in the late '80's Jenkins began appearing in a string of guest-starring TV roles. In addition to such shows as "Wiseguy" (CBS, 1987-1990), "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (Synd., 1987-1994), "The X-Files" (Fox, 1993-2002) and "Chicago Hope"(CBS, 1994-2000), Jenkins also portrayed the recurring character of Mike Sloan on the short-lived, but critically acclaimed drama "Homefront" (ABC, 1991-93).

In 2001, Jenkins finally landed a regular series of his own. In his most high-profile role to date, Jenkins amused audiences as the bullying profit-minded chief of medicine, Dr. Robert Kelso, on the popular medical dramedy, "Scrubs" (NBC, 2001-08; ABC, 2009-10). An arrogant, obtuse bureaucrat with a penchant for cruelty, the character fit Jenkins like an old glove. Despite his negative qualities, however, Dr. Kelso occasionally showed glimmers of compassion. Even so, the character remained somewhat of a conundrum. As "Scrubs" fans noted, Dr. Kelso was the only principle character who never had an episode told from his point of view.

Jenkins most recent feature work included "I Am Sam" (2001) starring Oscar winner Sean Penn, and the 2002 Tom Clancy thriller, "The Sum of All Fears" with Morgan Freeman.

Credits

9/11: The Myth and the Reality

Director
Show
2017

9/11: The Myth and the Reality

Director
Movie
2017

A Heart That Forgives

Executive Producer
Movie
2016

Black-ishStream

Guest Star
Series
2014
92%

Cougar TownStream

Guest Star
Chick
Series
2009
89%

Welcome to Paradise

Actor
Reverend McNamara
Movie
2007

Home Room

Actor
Police Captain
Movie
2003

Fidel

Actor
Show
2002

The Sum of All FearsStream

Actor
Admiral Pollack
Movie
2002
59%

ScrubsStream

Actor
Dr. Bob Kelso
Series
2001
83%

ScrubsStream

Guest Star
Dr. Bob Kelso
Series
2001
83%

All Souls

Guest Star
Show
2001

Brutally Normal

Guest Star
Show
2000

Family LawStream

Guest Star
Series
1999

Balloon Farm

Actor
Movie
1999

Vengeance Unlimited

Guest Star
Series
1998
19%

Oh Baby

Guest Star
Series
1998

The Magnificent SevenStream

Guest Star
Series
1998
33%

Thirst

Actor
Lou Wolford
Movie
1998

Pensacola: Wings of Gold

Guest Star
Show
1997

Early Edition

Guest Star
Series
1996

High Incident

Guest Star
Show
1996

Lazarus Man

Guest Star
Show
1996

Last Dance

Actor
Warden Laverty
Movie
1996

FledStream

Actor
Warden Nichols
Movie
1996
18%

Last Man Standing

Actor
Capt. Tom Pickett
Movie
1996

LegendStream

Guest Star
Series
1995
60%

SlidersStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

Past the Bleachers

Actor
Hilton Burberry
Movie
1995

Hiroshima

Actor
Secretary of State James F. Byrnes
Movie
1995

Chicago Hope

Guest Star
Series
1994

Babylon 5Stream

Guest Star
Series
1994

In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride and Madness

Actor
Show
1994

A Time to Heal

Actor
Don Peterson
Movie
1994

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Marshall Hastings
Series
1993
83%

The X-FilesStream

Guest Star
Deputy Chief Karras
Series
1993
74%

Mad About YouStream

Guest Star
Jack Farrer
Series
1992

A House of Secrets and Lies

Actor
Ed Norwood
Movie
1992

Crossing the Bridge

Actor
Lou Morgan
Movie
1992

Homefront

Actor
Mike Sloan, Sr.
Series
1991
67%

Al Filo del Peligro

Actor
Movie
1991

Guerreros de Fuego

Actor
Movie
1991

Edge of Honor

Actor
Bo Dubs
Movie
1991

Beverly Hills 90210Stream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Shattered Dreams

Actor
Hal Witt
Movie
1990

Air America

Actor
Major Donald Lemond
Movie
1990

Dark Avenger

Actor
District Attorney Underwood
Movie
1990

The Outside Woman

Actor
Junior Miller
Movie
1989

Intriga Siniestra

Actor
Movie
1989

Breaking Point

Actor
Col. Lowe
Movie
1989

The AbyssStream

Actor
Gerard Kirkhill
Movie
1989
88%

Point de rupture

Actor
Movie
1989

Murphy Brown

Guest Star
Series
1988

thirtysomething

Actor
Lars Durstin
Series
1987
83%

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
Dr. Paul Stubbs
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0

Guest Star
Show
1987

WiseguyStream

Guest Star
Paul Beckstead
Series
1987

The Equalizer

Guest Star
Sheriff
Series
1985

What Comes Around

Actor
Larry
Movie
1985

NewhartStream

Guest Star
Series
1982

Great PerformancesStream

Actor
Aubin
Franchise
1972

7 monaci d'oro

Actor
Ammiraglio Pollack
Movie
1966