Severn Darden
Personal Info
Known For Actor
Gender Male
Birthday 1929-11-09
Deathday 1995-05-27 (65 years old)
Severn Darden
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.
Known For
Actor
as Dr. Barazini
as Dr. Meredith
as Morgue Attendant
as Mr. Hobart
as Conway
as Professor DeWitt
as Farmer Silas
as Van Helsing
as Alfredo Suero
as Paul
as Maddox
as Priest
as Dr. Barbour
as Art Professor
as Foley
as Mr. Barrington
as Fred Hallem
as Jonathan Barnavelt
as Albert Church
as Merlin Bitterstix
as Sheriff Dempsey
as Cap
as Moshe Meyer
as S.I. Gilbert
as Moran
as Sheriff Dempsey
as Winnie
as Mr. Fletch / Dr. DeHart
as Mr. Wheeler
as Randolph Cook
as Mr. Marduke
as Steve Kramer
as Dr. Aaron Pollack
as Apploy
as Schwinn
as Harry
as Big Jim McDaniel
as Hypnotist
as Roger, Man in Gallery
as Dr. Harris
as Lawyer
as Mayor
as McVey
as One
as J. Hovah
as Dr. Fahrquardt
as Jimmy Apache
as Cecil
as The Good Doctor / Claude
as Bathazar
as Nate
as Camera Shop Owner
as U.S. President / Fillmard Millmore
as Shelton Quell
as Cameron
as Kropotkin
as Vandergist
as Miles Fisher
as H.S. Stevens
as Doctor
as Milton
as Dr. Gregory Ames
as Sir Hubert Spencer
as Franklin
as S.I. Gilbert, Aimee's lawyer
Writer
as Writer
as Writer
Sound
as Original Music Composer
Producer
as Producer