Howard Keel Birthday & Fun Facts | Kidadl

Howard Keel Birthday & Fun Facts

Height, Age, Net Worth, Biography & More

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Howard Keel Birthday Highlights

Birth Name
Howard Keel
Place Of Birth
Gillespie, USA
Age
104 years old
Birth Date
April 13 1919

Howard Keel Facts

Child Star?
no
Occupation
Education & Qualifications
Fallbrook High School
Current Partner
Judy Magamolli
Children
Kaija Liane, Kirstine Elizabeth, Gunnar Louis, Leslie Grace
Parents
Homer Keel, Grace Margaret
Siblings
73000000

About Howard Keel

Howard Keel, a stage name for Harold Clifford Keel, was an American actor and singer who was renowned for his deep bass-baritone voice.

Howard Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois, in the United States, to Homer Keel, a former Navy veteran who later worked as a coal miner, and his mother, Grace Margaret. In the ’50s, he appeared in several MGM musicals.

Howard Keel is best known for his roles in the Broadway productions of 'Carousel' and 'Oklahoma!' as well as Clayton Farlow on the popular television program 'Dallas'. He worked as a mechanic for a living until eventually joining Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles, during World War II.

Keel's family life included four children and a loving wife.

Keel did a variety of odd jobs during World War II before joining the Douglas Aircraft Company as a traveling representative.

Howard Keel Net Worth, Earnings & Spending Habits

What was Howard Keel’s net worth?

Howard Keel accumulated a whopping net worth of $73 million.

How much did Howard Keel earn per year?

There is no information on how much Howard Keel earned per year.

Height, Age & Physical Attributes

How tall was Howard Keel?

Howard Keel stood up to a height of 6 ft 3 in (190 cm).

How old was Howard Keel?

Howard Keel was born on April 3, 1919. He passed away on November 7, 2004, at the age of 85.

Childhood And Education

Howard Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois. Homer Keel, a former Navy veteran who became a coal miner, and his wife Grace Osterkamp Keel were his parents.

Howard Keel and his mother relocated to California following the death of his father in 1930. At the age of 17, he received his diploma from Fallbrook High School.

Family, Romance, And Relationships

Who was Howard Keel’s partner?

Actress Rosemary Cooper and Keel married in 1943. They divorced in 1948. Keel also met Helen Anderson in the chorus of the play; they eventually wed in January 1949. Following their breakup in 1969, Helen and Keel divorced in 1970. Keel married flight attendant Judy Keel in December 1970. They were together for 34 years of their marriage until he died in 2004.

With his second wife, Helen Anderson, Keel shared four children. They were two girls, Kaija Liane and Kirstine Elizabeth; a son, Gunnar Louis; and one other child, Leslie Grace.

Six weeks after being told he had colon cancer, Howard Keel passed away suddenly on November 7, 2004, at his home in Palm Desert.

Career And Professional Highlights

Best Known For…

Howard Keel was a popular stage actor who was sent to Oklahoma. At this time, Keel established an extraordinary record.

Howard Keel is a musician and actor who starred in the tv series 'Dallas'. At the age of 20, Keel's landlady overheard him singing and urged him to take voice lessons.

In the summer of 1941, he gave his debut performance in front of an audience when he took on the role of Samuel the Prophet in Handel's oratorio Saul. At the British Lion Studios in Elstree, Keel made his acting debut as Harold Keel in 'The Small Voice' (1948), which was dubbed 'The Hideout' in the US.

In his role, he held a playwright and his wife captive in their English country cottage while an escaped convict. He played Adam in 'Seven Brides' for Seven Brothers at The Muny in St. Louis. In 1949, Keel left the West End of London for Hollywood, where the MGM movie studio hired him.

He made his musical film debut as Frank Butler. The movie was a huge hit and made Keel a star. In the popular 1950 film 'Pagan Love Song', MGM paired him with Esther Williams.

Keel carried on touring with his wife and kid, but by 1980, he made the decision to change his life. In order to work for an oil company, he relocated his family to Oklahoma. When Keel was asked to return to California to work with Jane Powell, the creators of the TV series 'Dallas' were interested in speaking with him when he was there.

After making a number of cameos, Keel appeared on the show regularly in 1981 as the stately but temper-prone oil baron Clayton Farlow. The role proved to be popular with viewers, and he was designated a series regular. He remained on the show until its conclusion in 1991. 'Dallas' not only resurrected his acting career but also gave his recording projects new life.

What awards did Howard Keel win?

On February 8, 1960, Keel was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1996, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California.

Other Interesting Howard Keel Facts And Trivia

  • Howard Keel started taking singing lessons when he was 20 years old, and he continued to sing while he worked at Douglas aviation during World War II. He took the stage once it was over and sang 'Oklahoma and Carousel'. Keel acted in a number of films, including 'Seven Brides' for Seven Brothers and 'Showboats Kiss Me, Kate'.
  • Howard Keel, unfortunately, passed away in Palm Desert, CA, on November 7, 2004.

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Kidadl Team
Written By
Kidadl Team

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