David Keith

Photo of David Keith

Biography

Tennessee-born and bred with a handsome broad face and solid build, David Keith has frequently excelled playing virile, Southern characters at home in his own native idiom. He began his career as a member of the Clarence Brown Theatre Company at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he earned his Equity card appearing in musicals like "Brigadoon" and "The Music Man". After graduation, Keith moved to NYC and acted at Connecticut's …
Read More »

Job Title

Actor, Director, Writer, Music, Other

Born

May 8, 1954

Career Milestones

2006

Played Vice President Walker, opposite Mariel Hemingway in "In Her Line of Fire"

2004

Cast as Hilary Duff's father in the teen drama "Raise Your Voice"

2003

Played boxer Jack 'The Devil' Murdock, father of the comic book superhero "Daredevil"

2002

Starred in the Sci-Fi original telepic "Sabretooth," about a genetically engineered prehistoric tiger

2002

Appeared in the indie road drama "World Traveler"

2002

Played a detective in the ABC televison remake of Steven King's "Carrie"

2001

Had supporting role in "Behind Enemy Lines"

2000

Portrayed Captain Hardigan in "Men of Honor", starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr

2000

Co-starred as a gung ho Marine leading a mission to capture spy secrets from a German submarine in "U-571"

1998

Appeared as a sleazy photographer leading a double life in HBO's disappointing "Poodle Springs"; Bob Rafelson directed from Tom Stoppard's adaptation of the Robert Parker novel which plumped an aging Phillip Marlowe smack in the middle of the 1960s

1996

Co-starred in ABC police drama "High Incident", executive produced by Steven Spielberg

1996

Returned from hell after his death-row execution to avenge his wife in "Judge and Jury"

1995

Played the miniature cowboy Boone in the family film "The Indian in the Cupboard"

1994

Portrayed Jim Bowie in ABC miniseries "James Michener's Texas"

1993

Starred in the ABC movie "Whose Child Is This? The War for Baby Jessica"

1992

Helmed music video for Patty Loveless' "Blame It on Your Heart"

1991

Starred as Southern con man Arlo Weed in NBC sitcom "Flesh 'n' Blood"; also co-wrote (with Leon Russell) theme song and provided background vocals

1990

Acted in the disappointing sequel to "Chinatown", "The Two Jakes", directed by and starring Jack Nicholson

1989

Played title role in CBS miniseries "Guts & Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North"

1988

Portrayed Elvis Presley in "Heartbreak Hotel"; also credited as song performer

1988

Helmed "The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck"; also co-starred

1987

Directorial debut, "The Curse"

1987

Starred as psycho husband of Cathy Moriarity in Donald Cammell's bizarre thriller "White of the Eye"; first credit as song performer

1986

Acted in two plays in his native Tennessee, "Geater Tuna" and "Bus Stop", the latter at his alma mater

1985

Returned to the stage, portraying Duane Wilson in Colorado and Connecticut productions of "Harvey"

1984

Headlined all-star cast (including Oscar-winners George C Scott, Art Carney and Louise Fletcher) in "Firestarter", based on the Stephen King novel

1983

Starred as a senior asked to keep an eye on first black cadet (played by pro boxer Mark Breland) who is being systematically tortured by a secret society called 'The Ten' in "The Lords of Discipline", based on the Pat Conroy novel; set in 1964 South Carolina in a military school patterned after The Citadel

1982

Breakthrough screen role, the suicidal naval officer Sid Worley in "An Officer and a Gentleman"

1980

Starred opposite Stephanie Zimbalist in NBC miniseries, "The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story"

1980

Supported Robert Redford in prison-themed "Brubaker"

1979

TV-movie debut in the award-winning "Friendly Fire" (ABC)

1979

Registered strongly in his feature debut, "The Rose", as a soldier-cum-bodyguard for star Bette Midler's character; also acted in that year's "The Great Santini", adapted from the novel by Pat Conroy

1979

Debut as series regular, "Co-Ed Fever" (CBS)

1978

TV debut, guest appearance as Fred Collins on episode of "Happy Days" (ABC)

1977

Played Scotty in "Red Bluegrass Western Flyer Show", a country-western musical at Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut

Moved to NYC

While in college, became member of school's Clarence Brown Company; earned Equity card

Awards

1982

Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor

1982

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in An Officer and A Gentleman