Kenneth Mars
Biography
Kenneth Mars was an American actor born in Chicago, Illinois on April 4, 1935, and he died on February 12, 2011, at the age of seventy-five in Granada Hills, California. His father, Bernard Sonny Mars, was a radio and television personality, and Kenneth studied fine arts and acting at Northwestern University. During his acting career, he appeared in two films directed by Mel Brooks, playing the deranged Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in The Producers in 1967 and Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Friedrich Kemp in Young Frankenstein in 1974. He also appeared in Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up Doc? in 1972 and in Woody Allen's Radio Days in 1987 and Shadows and Fog in 1991. On television, he appeared in two seasons of Malcolm in the Middle as Otto Mannkusser, a German immigrant and dude ranch owner who is Francis's well-meaning but dimwitted boss. Additionally, he provided the voice of King Triton, Ariel's father, in the 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid, as well as in its sequel and companion television series.
Career overview
Kenneth Mars was an American actor born in Chicago, Illinois on April 4, 1935, and he passed away on February 12, 2011. His father was radio and television personality Bernard Sonny Mars. Kenneth studied fine arts and acting at Northwestern University.
Throughout his career, Mars appeared in multiple notable films. He worked in two films directed by Mel Brooks, playing the deranged Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in The Producers in 1967 and Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Friedrich Kemp in Young Frankenstein in 1974. His film credits also include Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up Doc? in 1972, as well as Woody Allen's Radio Days in 1987 and Shadows and Fog in 1991. In animation, Mars provided the voice of King Triton, who is Ariel's father, in the 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid, its sequel, and its companion television series.
On television, Mars appeared in two seasons of Malcolm in the Middle as Otto Mannkusser, who was Francis's well-meaning but dimwitted boss and a German immigrant owning a dude ranch.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
187 titles- The Little Mermaid Live! (2019) as King Triton (archive footage) (voice)
- The Last Laugh (2016) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Land Before Time (2007) as Grandpa Longneck (voice)
- Hannah Montana (2006) as Gunther
- The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers (2006) as Grandpa / Parasaurlophus (voice)
- The Land Before Time: 2 DinoRiffic Adventures (2006) as Grandpa Longneck
- Disney Heroes Volume 1 (2005) as Old Gorilla (voice)
- The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses (2005) as Grandpa (voice)
- Oliver Beene (2003) as Carl the Super
- The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration (2003) as Grandpa (voice)
- Good Morning, Miami (2002) as Marty
- The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water (2002) as Grandpa (voice)
- The Making of 'The Producers' (2002) as Self
- The Legend of Tarzan (2001) as Old Gorilla (voice)
- The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze (2001) as Grandpa / Lambeosaurus (voice)
- Teddy Bears' Picnic (2001) as Gene Molinari
- Malcolm in the Middle (2000) as Otto Mannkusser
- The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000) as King Triton (voice)
- The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire (2000) as Grandpa (voice)
- Runaway Virus (2000) as Dr. Arnold Bowman
- How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (2000) as Buzz
- Will & Grace (1998) as Uncle Sid
- Becker (1998) as Melvin
- L.A. Doctors (1998) as Bill
- Godzilla: The Series (1998)
- The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock (1998) as Grandpa (voice)
- Cow and Chicken (1997) as Candy Store Geek / Policeman (voice)
- Just Shoot Me! (1997) as Horst
- The Angry Beavers (1997)
- You Wish (1997) as Santa Clause
- The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island (1997) as Grandpa (voice)
- Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie (1997) as Professor Von Trapp (voice) (archive footage)
- Nash Bridges (1996) as Ronald Bishop
- Arli$$ (1996) as Coach Duffy
- The Pretender (1996) as Benny
- The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996)
- Boston Common (1996) as Clown
- Bruno the Kid (1996)
- The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists (1996) as Grandpa (voice)
- Citizen Ruth (1996) as Dr. Charlie Rollins
- Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein (1996) as Inspector Kemp (archive footage)
- The Drew Carey Show (1995) as Mr. Tinsley
- Freakazoid! (1995) as Dr. Gunther Hunterhanker (voice)
- The Naked Truth (1995) as Judge
- Rough Magic (1995) as Magician
- The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving (1995) as Grandpa (voice)
- Party of Five (1994) as Earl Garraty
- Duckman (1994) as Native American (voice)
- Weird Science (1994)
- Thumbelina (1994) as King Colbert (voice)
- The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (1994) as Grandpa (voice)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) as Colyus
- Diagnosis: Murder (1993) as Wallace Carstairs
- Animaniacs (1993) as Beethoven (voice)
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) as Grant Gendell
- Mighty Max (1993)
- We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) as Professor Screweyes (voice)
- Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's (1993) as Reverend Pete
- Batman: The Animated Series (1992) as Richard (voice)
- Batman: The Animated Series (1992) as M2 (voice)
- Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992) as Mr. Hucklebuck
- The Little Mermaid (1992) as King Triton (voice)
- Fievel's American Tails (1992) as Sweet William (voice)
- Rugrats (1991) as Toothbrush / Candy Bar (voice)
- Rugrats (1991) as Policeman (voice)
- Darkwing Duck (1991)
- Darkwing Duck (1991) as (voice)
- The Pirates of Dark Water (1991) as Additional Voices
- Shadows and Fog (1991) as Magician
- Mimi & Me (1991) as Uncle Al
- Tom & Jerry Kids Show (1990) as Narrator (voice)
- TaleSpin (1990) as Heimlich Menudo (voice)
- TaleSpin (1990) as Buzz (voice)
- TaleSpin (1990) as Buzz / Heimlich Menudo (voice)
- Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)
- Evening Shade (1990) as Mayor Ogden
- Bobby's World (1990)
- Shades of L.A. (1990) as Uncle Louis Burton
- She'll Take Romance (1990) as Smokey
- The Little Mermaid (1989) as Triton (voice)
- Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) as Mayor
- Son of Dinosaurs (1989) as Self
- Get Smart, Again! (1989) as Cmdr. Drury
- The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy (1988) as The Camel with the Wrinkled Knees
- Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats (1988) as Director / Dogcatcher (voice)
- Rented Lips (1988) as Reverend Farrell
- For Keeps (1988) as Mr. Bobrucz
- Illegally Yours (1988) as Hal B. Keeler
- A Different World (1987) as Ridley
- DuckTales (1987) as Auric (voice)
- Radio Days (1987) as Rabbi Baumel
- L.A. Law (1986) as Judge John Zimring
- Perfect Strangers (1986) as Ace Atkins
- The Flintstone Kids (1986) as Narrator
- The Adventures of the American Rabbit (1986) as Vultor / Walt (voice)
- The Twilight Zone (1985) as (segment "Tooth and Consequences")
- 227 (1985)
- Misfits of Science (1985) as Sen. Donner
- Fletch (1985) as Stanton Boyd
- Beer (1985) as A.J. Norbecker
- Prince Jack (1985) as Lyndon Johnson
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Hemsley Post
- Charles in Charge (1984) as Poppa Grundov
- The Duck Factory (1984) as Harmon Alison
- Protocol (1984) as Lou
- Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)
- The Biskitts (1983) as Fetch
- Masquerade (1983) as Harold Hayes
- Saturday Supercade (1983) as Quickclaw (voice)
- Pitfall (1983) as Quickclaw
- Group Madness (1983) as Self
- Yellowbeard (1983) as Mr. Crisp
- Cagney & Lacey (1982)
- Remington Steele (1982) as Douglas Veenhof
- Tucker's Witch (1982)
- Tucker's Witch (1982) as Mark Wyndham
- The Rules of Marriage (1982) as Red Hewitt
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- Full Moon High (1981) as The Coach - Principal Cleveland
- Laverne & Shirley in the Army (1981) as Sgt. Turnbuckle
- Magnum, P.I. (1980) as Joseph
- Magnum, P.I. (1980) as Archie
- The Flintstone Comedy Show (1980) as Lou Granite
- Hart to Hart (1979)
- The Facts of Life (1979)
- Trapper John, M.D. (1979)
- Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979) as Director
- Supertrain (1979) as Turley
- $weepstake$ (1979)
- Before and After (1979) as Ben Fryer
- Heaven Only Knows (1979) as Bert Hammond
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) as Woolly Bill Hitchcock
- You Can't Take it With You (1979) as Mr. Kolenkhov
- Carol Burnett & Company (1979)
- Project U.F.O. (1978)
- Goin' Coconuts (1978) as Kruse
- Alice (1976)
- Laverne & Shirley (1976)
- Good Heavens (1976)
- Barney Miller (1975) as Officer Callahan
- Wonder Woman (1975) as Colonel Von Blasko
- Someone I Touched (1975) as Paul Wrightwood
- Night Moves (1975) as Nick
- The Bob Crane Show (1975)
- It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman! (1975) as Max Mencken
- Police Woman (1974)
- Police Woman (1974) as Manny Ziegler
- Harry O (1974) as Don Yorkfield
- Harry O (1974) as Dr. Mangram
- Young Frankenstein (1974) as Inspector Kemp
- The Parallax View (1974) as Former FBI Agent Will
- Hello Mother, Goodbye! (1974) as Son
- Hello Mother, Goodbye! (1974) as Son
- Barnaby Jones (1973) as William Tarkington IV
- Hawkins (1973) as Lester De Ville
- Steambath (1973) as Broker
- Here We Go Again (1973) as Jim Sutton
- Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed? (1973) as Mitchell Bernard
- What's Up, Doc? (1972) as Hugh Simon
- Second Chance (1972) as Dr. Julius Roth
- Screwball Comedies... Remember Them? (1972) as Self
- Columbo (1971) as Mike
- McMillan & Wife (1971) as Dr. Thursby
- McMillan & Wife (1971) as Mr. Buchanan
- Desperate Characters (1971) as Otto Bentwood
- Love, American Style (1969) as Jake
- Love, American Style (1969) as Joe
- Love, American Style (1969) as Walt
- Room 222 (1969)
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) as Marshal
- The April Fools (1969) as Les Hopkins
- The Debbie Reynolds Show (1969)
- Viva Max! (1969) as Dr. Sam Gillison
- The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968) as Joshua T. Albertson
- The Producers (1968) as Franz Liebkind
- Ironside (1967) as Adam Bronson
- Mannix (1967)
- Mannix (1967) as Mercer
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967) as Self - Guest / Various Characters
- The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) as Self - Commentor (uncredited)
- He & She (1967) as Harry Zarakardos
- That Girl (1966)
- ABC Stage 67 (1966) as Dr. Pratt
- Get Smart (1965) as Tom Orlando
- Act One (1963) as Robert E. Sherwood
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Clyde Hayes
- The Bob Hope Show (1950) as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Kenneth Mars best known for?
Kenneth Mars is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Hannah Montana (2006), Oliver Beene (2003), Good Morning, Miami (2002), The Legend of Tarzan (2001).
When and where was Kenneth Mars born?
Kenneth Mars was born on April 4, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. They passed away on February 12, 2011.
How many credits does Kenneth Mars have?
Kenneth Mars has accumulated over 187 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1950 to 2019.
What is Kenneth Mars's background in cinema and television?
Kenneth Mars was an American actor born in Chicago, Illinois on April 4, 1935, and he died on February 12, 2011, at the age of seventy-five in Granada Hills, California. His father, Bernard Sonny Mars, was a radio and television personality, and Kenneth studied fine arts and acting at Northwestern University. During hi...