Ken Foree
Encyclopedia
Kentotis Alvin "Ken" Foree (born February 29, 1948) is an American actor probably most famous as the hero Peter in Dawn of the Dead and Kenan & Kel
as Roger, Kenan's dad.
. He began acting in the 1970s, appearing in the 1976 film The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
and the films The Wanderers
and Dawn of the Dead. He also had roles in the films The Dentist
(1996), From Beyond
(1986) and Knightriders
(1981). In 2005, he played Charlie Altamont in the film The Devil's Rejects
, starring opposite Sid Haig
and Bill Moseley
, as the adopted brother of Haig's character. Foree also played the role of Roger Rockmore, Kenan and Kyra's father on the Nickelodeon
sitcom Kenan & Kel
with Teal Marchande
as his wife, Sheryl.
Foree's upcoming roles include Brotherhood of Blood
and Brutal Massacre: A Comedy. He appeared in director Rob Zombie
's 2007 film, Halloween
, a remake of the 1978 horror film.
The horror film comedy Shaun of the Dead
, a parody of the zombie movie genre, has a subtle reference to him. The film's main character is an employee of "Foree Electronics".
Ken Foree appeared as himself in the 2008 novel Bad Moon Rising
by Jonathan Maberry
. Foree is one of several real-world horror celebrities who are in the fictional town of Pine Deep when monsters attack. Other celebrities include Tom Savini
, Brinke Stevens
, James Gunn, Stephen Susco
, Debbie Rochon
, Joe Bob Briggs
and blues man Mem Shannon
. He is the special guest of the Monsterpalooza 2010 in the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel
in Burbank, California
on 11 April 2010.
a film about John Allen Muhammad
and Charles Moose
who is directed by Ulli Lommel
.
Kenan & Kel
Kenan & Kel is an American teen sitcom produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions that originally aired on Nickelodeon from July 1996 to July 2000. The show starred friends and then-All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. Sixty-two episodes and a made-for-TV movie were produced over four...
as Roger, Kenan's dad.
Early life and career
Foree was born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He began acting in the 1970s, appearing in the 1976 film The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is a comedic sports film about a team of enterprising ex-Negro League baseball players in the era of racial segregation. Loosely based upon William Brashler's novel of the same name, it starred Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor...
and the films The Wanderers
The Wanderers (1979 film)
The Wanderers is a 1979 greaser film based on the novel by Richard Price .-Overview:...
and Dawn of the Dead. He also had roles in the films The Dentist
The Dentist
The Dentist is an American horror film released in 1996. It was directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Dennis Paoli. Corbin Bernsen stars as Dr. Alan Feinstone, Linda Hoffman as Brooke Feinstone and Ken Foree as Detective Gibbs...
(1996), From Beyond
From Beyond
From Beyond may refer to:*"From Beyond" , a 1934 story by H. P. Lovecraft*From Beyond , a 1986 film based on the Lovecraft story*From Beyond , a 1991 album by Massacre...
(1986) and Knightriders
Knightriders
Knightriders is a 1981 film written and directed by George A. Romero. It was filmed entirely on location in Pennsylvania, especially in Fawn Township and Natrona...
(1981). In 2005, he played Charlie Altamont in the film The Devil's Rejects
The Devil's Rejects
The Devil's Rejects is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Rob Zombie, and the sequel to his 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses. The film is about the family of psychopathic killers from the previous film now on the run...
, starring opposite Sid Haig
Sid Haig
Sid Haig is a American actor. His roles have included acting in Jack Hill's blaxploitation films of the 1970s as well as his role as Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's horror films House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects...
and Bill Moseley
Bill Moseley
William "Bill" Moseley is an American film actor and musician who has starred in a number of cult classic horror films, including House of 1000 Corpses, Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil's Rejects. His first big role was in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 as Chop Top...
, as the adopted brother of Haig's character. Foree also played the role of Roger Rockmore, Kenan and Kyra's father on the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
sitcom Kenan & Kel
Kenan & Kel
Kenan & Kel is an American teen sitcom produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions that originally aired on Nickelodeon from July 1996 to July 2000. The show starred friends and then-All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. Sixty-two episodes and a made-for-TV movie were produced over four...
with Teal Marchande
Teal Marchande
Teal Marchande is an American actress best known for her role as Sheryl Rockmore on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel. She has also guest-starred on Martin and the short-lived UPN sitcom Good News...
as his wife, Sheryl.
Foree's upcoming roles include Brotherhood of Blood
Brotherhood of Blood
Brotherhood of Blood is a 2007 horror film, starring Victoria Pratt, Sid Haig and Ken Foree, directed by Peter Scheerer and Michael Roesch. The movie had its world premiere at the prestigious Sitges Film Festival in Sitges, Spain in October 2007....
and Brutal Massacre: A Comedy. He appeared in director Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
's 2007 film, Halloween
Halloween (2007 film)
Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name, the first in the rebooted Halloween film series and the ninth Halloween film in total. The film stars Tyler Mane as the adult Michael...
, a remake of the 1978 horror film.
The horror film comedy Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
, a parody of the zombie movie genre, has a subtle reference to him. The film's main character is an employee of "Foree Electronics".
Ken Foree appeared as himself in the 2008 novel Bad Moon Rising
Bad Moon Rising
Bad Moon Rising may refer to:* "Bad Moon Rising" , by Creedence Clearwater Revival* Bad Moon Rising: The Best of Creedence Clearwater Revival, a compilation album* Bad Moon Rising , by Sonic Youth...
by Jonathan Maberry
Jonathan Maberry
Jonathan Maberry is the multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Ghost Road Blues, the first of the Pine Deep Trilogy, a series of supernatural horror novels...
. Foree is one of several real-world horror celebrities who are in the fictional town of Pine Deep when monsters attack. Other celebrities include Tom Savini
Tom Savini
Thomas Vincent "Tom" Savini is an American actor, stuntman, director, award-winning special effects and makeup artist. He is known for his work on the Living Dead films directed by George A. Romero, as well as Creepshow, The Burning, Friday the 13th, The Prowler, and Maniac. He directed the 1990...
, Brinke Stevens
Brinke Stevens
Brinke Stevens is an American actress, model and writer.-Life and career:Born in San Diego, California, Stevens has studied several foreign languages, including Esperanto, and gained a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from San Diego State University and a Master of Science in Marine...
, James Gunn, Stephen Susco
Stephen Susco
Stephen Susco is a film and television screenwriter who is most famous for writing the hit movies The Grudge and The Grudge 2.-Career:...
, Debbie Rochon
Debbie Rochon
Debbie Rochon is a Canadian B-movie actress and former stage performer, best known for her work in Troma films.-Biography:...
, Joe Bob Briggs
Joe Bob Briggs
John Irving Bloom , who uses the pseudonym Joe Bob Briggs, is a syndicated American film critic, writer and comic performer.-Early years:...
and blues man Mem Shannon
Mem Shannon
Mem Shannon is an American blues musician. He is currently signed to Toronto's NorthernBlues Music. Shannon is a former taxi-cab driver turned bluesman.-Early life:...
. He is the special guest of the Monsterpalooza 2010 in the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel
Marriott Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott International's flagship brand of full service hotels and resorts. The company, based in Washington D.C., is repeatedly included on the Forbes Best Companies to Work for list, and was voted the 4th best company to work for in the UK by The Times in 2009.As of...
in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
on 11 April 2010.
Foree Fest
Ken has his own horror festival entitled "Foree Fest". Held in the U.K, the first event took place in 2007, and the second is scheduled for October 2009. Foree will be starring in the film D.C. SniperD.C. Sniper
D.C. Sniper is a 2010 American direct-to-video drama-thriller film directed by Ulli Lommel and written by Lommel and Ken Foree. It stars Ken Foree, Christopher Kriesa and Maria Ochoa.-Plot:...
a film about John Allen Muhammad
John Allen Muhammad
John Allen Muhammad was a spree killer from the United States. He, along with his younger partner, Lee Boyd Malvo, carried out the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks, killing at least 10 people. Muhammad and Malvo were arrested in connection with the attacks on October 24, 2002, following tips from alert...
and Charles Moose
Charles Moose
Charles Alexander Moose is an American law enforcement official and author. A native of New York City who grew up in North Carolina, he has served as the chief of police for Montgomery County, Maryland, and Portland, Oregon...
who is directed by Ulli Lommel
Ulli Lommel
Ulli Lommel , is a German actor and director, noted for his many horror films, and for his career as an actor on Rainer Werner Fassbinder's films.-Career:...
.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is a comedic sports film about a team of enterprising ex-Negro League baseball players in the era of racial segregation. Loosely based upon William Brashler's novel of the same name, it starred Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor... |
Honey, Potter's Goon | |
| 1978 | Dawn of the Dead | Peter Washington | |
| 1979 | The Wanderers The Wanderers (1979 film) The Wanderers is a 1979 greaser film based on the novel by Richard Price .-Overview:... |
Black Sportsman | |
| The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy film that was released in 1979. The movie was directed by Gilbert Moses and co-produced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The rights to the film are currently owned by... |
Pittsburgh Python player | uncredited | |
| 1981 | Knightriders Knightriders Knightriders is a 1981 film written and directed by George A. Romero. It was filmed entirely on location in Pennsylvania, especially in Fawn Township and Natrona... |
Little John | |
| 1986 | From Beyond From Beyond (film) From Beyond is a 1986 American science fiction/ body horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, loosely based on the short story of the same title by H. P. Lovecraft, and was written by Dennis Paoli, Gordon and Brian Yuzna... |
Buford 'Bubba' Brownlee | |
| Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling is a 1986 film starring Richard Pryor. This was the first and only feature film he directed .-Plot:... |
Big Joke | ||
| 1987 | Terror Squad | Deputy Brown | |
| 1988 | Death Spa | Marvin | |
| Viper | Harley Trueblood | ||
| 1989 | True Blood | Det. Charlie Gates | |
| Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge is a 1989 horror film about a young man who apparently dies in a suspicious house fire after saving his girlfriend, Melody; a year later, at the new mall built over the site of the burned-out house, thefts and murders begin to occur as a mysterious figure... |
Acardi | ||
| 1990 | Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III | Benny | |
| Taking Care of Business | J.B., Prisoner making demands | ||
| Without You I'm Nothing Without You I'm Nothing (film) Without You I'm Nothing is a 1990 film starring and written by comedian and singer Sandra Bernhard, based on material from her award-winning one-woman show of the same name. The film was shot on location in 1989 at The Coconut Grove in The Ambassador Hotel... |
Emcee (M.C.) | ||
| Down the Drain | Buckley | ||
| 1991 | Night of the Warrior | Oliver | |
| Diplomatic Immunity | Del Roy Gaines | ||
| Hangfire | Billy | ||
| 1993 | Joshua Tree Joshua Tree (1993 film) Joshua Tree, also known as Army of One, is a 1993 action film directed by Academy Award and BAFTA-winning stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong, written by Steven Pressfield and starring Dolph Lundgren, Kristian Alfonso, and George Segal... |
Eddie Turner | |
| 1995 | Sleepstalker Sleepstalker Sleepstalker is a 1995 horror film written by Al Septien and Turi Meyer.-Plot:After seventeen years of slaughtering all but one member of a family, "The Sandman" is pending execution. Before his execution the jailers allow a minister to visit him. The minister is a voodoo priest and an ally of the... |
Detective Rolands | |
| 1996 | The Dentist The Dentist The Dentist is an American horror film released in 1996. It was directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Dennis Paoli. Corbin Bernsen stars as Dr. Alan Feinstone, Linda Hoffman as Brooke Feinstone and Ken Foree as Detective Gibbs... |
Detective Gibbs | |
| Kenan and Kel (TV) | Roger Rockmore | ||
| 2000 | Two Heads Are Better Than None | Roger | |
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead Dawn of the Dead (2004 film) Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall... |
The Televangelist | |
| Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall... |
Pedestrian | ||
| 2005 | The Devil's Rejects The Devil's Rejects The Devil's Rejects is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Rob Zombie, and the sequel to his 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses. The film is about the family of psychopathic killers from the previous film now on the run... |
Charlie Altamont | |
| Brotherhood of Blood Brotherhood of Blood Brotherhood of Blood is a 2007 horror film, starring Victoria Pratt, Sid Haig and Ken Foree, directed by Peter Scheerer and Michael Roesch. The movie had its world premiere at the prestigious Sitges Film Festival in Sitges, Spain in October 2007.... |
Stanis | ||
| 2006 | The Devil's Den | Leonard | |
| 2007 | Splatter Disco | Shank Chubb | |
| Halloween Halloween (2007 film) Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name, the first in the rebooted Halloween film series and the ninth Halloween film in total. The film stars Tyler Mane as the adult Michael... |
Big Joe Grizzley | ||
| Black Santa's Revenge | Black Santa | ||
| Brutal Massacre: A Comedy | Carl | post-production | |
| Live Evil Live Evil (film) Live Evil is a 2009 independent action horror film directed by Jay Woelfel, produced by Mark Terry and starring Tim Thomerson, Ken Foree, Mark Hengst and Tiffany Shepis.-Plot:... |
Max | ||
| 2008 | Dead Bones | The Bartender | filming |
| Cut, Print | Jack Stanley | Orlando Entertainment | |
| 2009 | Zone of the Dead Zone of the Dead Zone of the Dead, also known as Apocalypse of the Dead is a 2009 Serbian horror film by directors Milan Konjević and Milan Todorović. It stars Ken Foree, most well-known for his starring role in Dawn of the Dead in 1978.-Plot:The film starts off with a police-escorted prisoner, who is being... |
Mortimer Reyes | |
| D.C. Sniper D.C. Sniper D.C. Sniper is a 2010 American direct-to-video drama-thriller film directed by Ulli Lommel and written by Lommel and Ken Foree. It stars Ken Foree, Christopher Kriesa and Maria Ochoa.-Plot:... |
John Allen Muhammad John Allen Muhammad John Allen Muhammad was a spree killer from the United States. He, along with his younger partner, Lee Boyd Malvo, carried out the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks, killing at least 10 people. Muhammad and Malvo were arrested in connection with the attacks on October 24, 2002, following tips from alert... |
filming | |
| Bind | filming | ||
| 2011 | Water for Elephants | ||
| The Lords of Salem Rob Zombie Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the... |
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External links
- Ken Foree's official website
- Ken Foree's U.K Foree Fest website
- Audio interview at BBC Wiltshire
- Interview at Homepage of the Dead
- Ken Foree in Brotherhood of Blood at FEARnetFEARnetFearnet is a cable channel, website and Video on Demand television service owned by Horror Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment...