Severn Darden

Severn Darden

Birthday: 1929-11-09

Deathday: 1995-05-27

Place of birth:

Also known as:

imdb_id: nm0201089

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.

Played in movies:

Once Upon a Midnight Scary

Score: 8.7

The Disappearance of Aimee

Score: 8.0

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Score: 7.6

Vanishing Point

Score: 7.1

The Virgin President

Score: 7.0

Hopscotch

Score: 7.0

Quarterback Princess

Score: 6.8

Real Genius

Score: 6.7

Model Shop

Score: 6.5

The Movie Murderer

Score: 6.5

Back to School

Score: 6.3

The War Between Men and Women

Score: 6.3

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Score: 6.2

In God We Tru$t

Score: 6.1

The Mad Room

Score: 6.1

The Hired Hand

Score: 6.0

Why Would I Lie?

Score: 6.0

Play It as It Lays

Score: 5.9

A Small Circle of Friends

Score: 5.9

The Day of the Dolphin

Score: 5.8

The Last Movie

Score: 5.8

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

Score: 5.7

The President's Analyst

Score: 5.7

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Score: 5.7

Cisco Pike

Score: 5.6

Wanda Nevada

Score: 5.6

Jackson County Jail

Score: 5.5

Mother, Jugs & Speed

Score: 5.3

The Legend of Hillbilly John

Score: 5.3

To See or Not to See

Score: 5.2

P.J.

Score: 5.2

Saturday the 14th

Score: 5.0

Goldstein

Score: 5.0

Victory at Entebbe

Score: 5.0

Fearless Frank

Score: 4.8

Orphan Train

Score: 4.8

Werewolves on Wheels

Score: 4.5

Dirty Little Billy

Score: 4.5

Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You

Score: 4.4

Skyway to Death

Score: 4.3

The Telephone

Score: 4.2

Luv

Score: 4.1

Justine

Score: 4.0

I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?

Score: 2.6

Rooster

Score: 2.0

Outside Chance

Score: 2.0

Love for Rent

Score: 1.3

Bongo Wolf’s Revenge

Score: 0.0

Half Nelson

Score: 0.0

A Cry for Love

Score: 0.0

Never Con a Killer

Score: 0.0

Evita Peron

Score: 0.0

The Double-Barrelled Detective Story

Score: 0.0

Rendezvous Hotel

Score: 0.0

The Man Who Died Twice

Score: 0.0

Playmates

Score: 0.0

Played in tv shows:

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Score: 8.6

Faerie Tale Theatre

Score: 8.1

Lincoln

Score: 8.0

I Dream of Jeannie

Score: 7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Score: 7.8

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Score: 7.6

Cheers

Score: 7.6

The Practice

Score: 7.5

Barbary Coast

Score: 7.5

Occasional Wife

Score: 7.5

The Fall Guy

Score: 7.5

Beauty and the Beast

Score: 7.4

Barney Miller

Score: 7.3

Starsky & Hutch

Score: 7.3

The Six Million Dollar Man

Score: 7.3

Laverne & Shirley

Score: 7.2

Honey West

Score: 7.0

Daniel Boone

Score: 7.0

The Bionic Woman

Score: 7.0

Alias Smith and Jones

Score: 6.9

The Name of the Game

Score: 6.8

The Monkees

Score: 6.5

Baretta

Score: 6.4

Beyond Westworld

Score: 5.4

City of Angels

Score: 5.2

Getting Together

Score: 5.0

The Man and the City

Score: 5.0

Barefoot in the Park

Score: 5.0

Harry O

Score: 4.6

Flying High

Score: 4.5

Take Five

Score: 0.0