Severn Darden

Also Known As: not available

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.

Department: Acting

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: November 09, 1929

Deathday: May 27, 1995

Adult: No

Gender: Male

Popularity:

2.14%

Known For:

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Saturday the 14th
Jackson County Jail
Victory at Entebbe
Justine
The President's Analyst
Vanishing Point
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Why Would I Lie?
The Day of the Dolphin
Wanda Nevada
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
Playmates
Cisco Pike
The Man Who Died Twice
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
Quarterback Princess
Rendezvous Hotel
The Double-Barrelled Detective Story
The Legend of Hillbilly John
Back to School
The Disappearance of Aimee
A Small Circle of Friends
Evita Peron
Dirty Little Billy
Never Con a Killer
Real Genius
P.J.
The Movie Murderer
Outside Chance
A Cry for Love
The Mad Room
Half Nelson
Luv
Mother, Jugs & Speed
Orphan Train
The Telephone
The War Between Men and Women
Skyway to Death
Hopscotch
Goldstein
Once Upon a Midnight Scary
Fearless Frank
To See or Not to See
Play It as It Lays
The Hired Hand
In God We Tru$t
The Last Movie
Model Shop
The Virgin President
Love for Rent
Werewolves on Wheels
Rooster
Bongo Wolf’s Revenge