HOWARD KEEL

HAROLD CLIFFORD KEEL nació en GILLESPIE, Illinois, el 13 de abril de 1917. Dotado con una poderosa voz de barítono, los primeros pasos en su carrera los había dado en calidad de “camarero-cantante” en un restaurante próximo a HOLLYWOOD, donde entonaba melodías de moda para entretener a los clientes.

Como el sueldo no le daba para vivir, aceptó un empleo de vigilante, fue educando su voz y le contrataron para llevar a cabo una gira en PARÍS y LONDRES. Aquí fue descubierto por un cazatalentos que le ofreció un contrato para actuar en BROADWAY. En 1949 fue contratado por la M-G-M e hizo su debut en LA REINA DEL OESTE (G. Sidney). La carrera cinematográfica de HOWARD comprende títulos tan populares como MAGNOLIA (1951, G. Sidney), ROSE MARIE (M. LeRoy) y LA AMADA DE JÚPITER (G. Sidney).

HAROLD CLIFFORD KEEL was born in GILLESPIE, Illinois, on April 13, 1917. Gifted with a powerful BARITONE voice, he took his first steps in his career as a “singing-waiter” at a restaurant near HOLLYWOOD, where he used to sing fashionable tunes to entertain the clients.

As his salary was not enough for a living, he accepted a job as a vigilante, educated his voice and was hired for a tour in PARIS and LONDON. Here he was discovered by a talent-seeker who offered him a contract to act on BROADWAY. In 1949 he signed up with MGM and debuted in George Sidney´s ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. HOWARD´s film career included such popular titles as Sidney's SHOW BOAT, M. LeRoy´s ROSE MARIE and Sidney´s JUPITER´S DARLING.

But the MUSICAL that brought him more prestige was S. Donen´s 7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS (video above) and, after Vincente Minnelli´s mediocre KISMET (1955), he cancelled his contract with METRO and began a second career on stage with THE AMBASSADOR. Then came DALLAS and the opportunity to portray CLAYTON FARLOW:

“I told them that I didn’t read scripts for people, that I’m a lousy reader. My attitude was that they knew me and if they wanted me, fine. They knew that Jim Davis, who played Jock Ewing, was seriously ill."

His performance at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL in the 80´s proved that he could succeed as a singer again and got a GOLD DISC.

At the 90´s he only gueststarred on 3 series: MURDER SHE WROTE, WALKER TEXAS RANGER and a HART TO HART Reunion, besides nostalgia specials about musicals like Part 3 of THAT´S ENTERTAINMENT! (B. Friedgen & M.J. Sheridan). On 2000 he was given an honor award for his career at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival.

He was finishing his memoirs when died on November 7, 2004, due to a colon cancer.

"Sometimes, the way they put things forward to you...‘oh my GOD, I can’t - how am I gonna possibly do this thing?’ Then I’ll see it and, oh my gosh, we pulled it off in the end, but it’s amazing. I’m a stickler for - I think if a writer has agonized over something, you should TRY to get it down. And I generally think they’re right, if you work at it." And he added: "I signed for two episodes. Then I signed for ten the next year, then the rest of the year and then from then on. So it’s been just wonderful.”

homenaje / tribute

"Su papel era difícil de interpretar, ya que debía sustituir a JIM DAVIS, y encajó muy bien en nuestro grupo. Era un gran actor y cantante y uno de los hombres más agradables con los que he trabajado." (LARRY HAGMAN en 2004)

"He had a difficult role to play, having to replace Jim Davis, and he just fit in with our group so well. He was a fine actor and a great singer and just one of the nicest men I ever worked with." (LARRY HAGMAN in 2004)

sus mejores filmes / his best films

- ATAQUE AL CARRO BLINDADO (1967) D: BURT KENNEDY. Con JOHN WAYNE, KIRK DOUGLAS, ROBERT WALKER, BRUCE CABOT, KEENAN WYNN y BRUCE DERN. miable Western irónico y amable, con el ex-estafador Wayne planeando la revancha del villano Cabot mediante el saqueo de su diligencia cargada de oro, con la ayuda de Douglas (contratado por Cabot para matar a Wayne) y una banda variopinta de socios. Keel está hilarante como un chistoso indio.

Premios: Burt Kennedy obtuvo el "Bronze Wrangler" (de la "Western Heritage") por la dirección de este filme.

- SIETE NOVIAS PARA SIETE HERMANOS (1954) D: STANLEY DONEN. Con JANE POWELL, JEFF RICHARDS, RUSS TAMBLYN y JULIE NEWMAR. Musical travieso que integra perfectamente canción, danza e historia: Keel decide encontrar una esposa y sus bulliciosos hermanos siguen sus pasos. Melodiosa banda sonora de Johnny Mercer y Gene DePaul, con unos números de baile de Michael Kidd rebosantes de energía que destacan del resto, incluyendo a los bailarines Jacques D´Amboise y Marc Platt, que rara vez actuaron para el cine. La escena de la construcción del granero es impresionante. Adaptación de Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich y Dorothy Kingsley, basada en una historia de Stephen Vincent Benet.

Premios: Dos Oscars a la mejor música y banda sonora de un musical para Adolph Deutsch y Saul Chaplin, y otras 4 propuestas. Nominada por el Sindicato de Guionistas (WGA) al musical norteamericano mejor escrito, y por el Sindicato de Directores y los Bafta, entre otros.

- ROSE MARIE (1954) D: MERVYN LEROY .Con ANN BLYTH, FERNANDO LAMAS, BERT LAHR y MARJORIE MAIN. Más fiel a la opereta original que la versión de 1936, aunque no tan divertida. El Policía Montada del Canadá Keel intenta "civilizar" a la "chicazo" Blyth, pero en vez de eso, se enamora de ella. El aventurero Lamas completa el triángulo.

- BÉSAME, KATE (1953) D: GEORGE SIDNEY. Con KATHRYN GRAYSON, ANN MILLER, BOBBY VAN, KEENAN WYNN, JAMES WHITMORE y BOB FOSSE. Brillante adaptación del musical de Broadway escrito por Cole Porter, a su vez versión de "La fierecilla domada" de Shakespeare. Grayson y Keel son una pareja que lleva tiempo casada cuyas vidas personal y profesional se entrecruzan. Las canciones incluyen "So in Love", "Always True to You in My Fashion", "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" (deliciosamente interpretada por Wynn y Whitmore); sobresaliente el número "From This Moment On", del que destacan Fosse y Carol Haney.

Premios: Una nominación al Oscar como mejor música o B.S. de musical, y otra del Sindicato de Guionistas como musical norteamericano mejor escrito.

- DORIS DAY EN EL OESTE (1953) D: David Butler. With DORIS DAY, ALLYN ANN McLERIE, PHILIP CAREY y GALE ROBBINS. Irresistible Doris como el personaje protagonista de este animado musical, con Keel como Wild Bill Hickok, que sólo empieza a darse cuenta de lo que siente por ella hasta que intenta volverse más "femenina." La B.S. de Sammy Fain y Paul Francis Webster incluye la galardonada "Secret Love".

Premios: Un Oscar a esta canción y dos nominaciones más.

- UNA VIDA POR OTRA (1953) D: John Farrow. Con ROBERT TAYLOR, AVA GARDNER y ANTHONY QUINN. Un extraño reparto mejora este intenso Western ambientado en la frontera con Méjico, con una seductora Gardner responsable de la mayor parte de la acción.

- EL AMOR NACIÓ EN PARÍS (1952) D: MERVYN LEROY. Con KATHRYN GRAYSON, RED SKELTON, ANN MILLER, MARGE & GOWER CHAMPION y ZSA ZSA GABOR. Segunda adaptación de ROBERTA para el cine, un musical menor de MGM, pero sin duda tiene sus momentos. El cómico norteamericano Skelton hereda la mitad de un salón de moda de París dirigido por Grayson y M. Champion. Miller y los Champions aportan vigor a las secuencias musicales; Vincente Minnelli dirigió la escena del desfile de moda. Las canciones incluyen "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "I Won´t Dance" y el tema principal, "Lovely To Look At".

- MAGNOLIA (1951) D: GEORGE SIDNEY. Con KATHRYN GRAYSON, AVA GARDNER, JOE E. BROWN, M. & G. CHAMPION, AGNES MOOREHEAD y WILLIAM WARFIELD. Producida por MGM en Technicolor, adapta el anticuado musical sobre la vida en un barco-teatro que navega por el Mississippi; interpretada con sinceridad, y filmada y escenificada con con estilo. Gardner encarna a una hermosa y conmovedora Julie. Las inmortales canciones de Jerome Kern y Oscar Hammerstein II incluyen "Bill", "Can´t Help Lovin' That Man", "Make Believe" y "Old Man River".

Premios: Dos propuestas al Oscar como mejor fotografía en color y B.S. de musical. Un premio "Gold Metal" de la revista Photoplay y propuestas de DGA y WGA.

- TRES HOMBRES LLAMADOS MIKE (1951) D: CHARLES WALTERS. Con JANE WYMAN, VAN JOHNSON, BARRY SULLIVAN y PHYLLIS KIRK. La entusiasta ("ad nauseam") Wyman debe elegir entre el trío del título, formado por tres solteros amables, apuestos y disponibles. Sólo posible en las películas. Con guión de Sidney Sheldon.

- LA REINA DEL OESTE (1950) D: George Sidney. Con BETTY HUTTON, LOUIS CALHERN, EDWARD ARNOLD y KEENAN WYNN. Alegre adaptación del musical sobre el Salvaje Oeste escrito por Irving Berlin, en torno a la historia de amor entre Annie Oakley y el tirador Frank Butler. La B.S. incluye "Anything You Can Do", "Doin´ What Comes Naturally" y "There´s No Business Like Show Business".

Premios: Un Oscar a la mejor música y B.S. de musical para A. Deutsch y Roger Edens, y 3 propuestas más. Un premio del Sindicato de Guionistas al musical norteamericano mejor escrito para Sidney Sheldon. Un premio de Photoplay y una nominación al Golden Globe para Betty Hutton como la actriz más popular y la mejor actriz de musical/comedia, respectivamente.

- THE WAR WAGON (1967) D: BURT KENNEDY. With JOHN WAYNE, KIRK DOUGLAS, ROBERT WALKER, BRUCE CABOT, KEENAN WYNN and BRUCE DERN. Amiable tongue-in-cheek Western, with ex-con Wayne seeking to settle a score with villanious Cabot by plundering his gold-laden stagecoach - with the help of Douglas (who´s been hired to kill Wayne on Cabot´s behalf) and a motley band of associates. Keel is hilarious as wisecracking Indian.

Awards: Burt Kennedy won the Bronze Wrangler (Western Heritage) for his direction in this movie.

- SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954) D: STANLEY DONEN. With JANE POWELL, JEFF RICHARDS, RUSS TAMBLYN and JULIE NEWMAR. Rollicking musical perfectly integrates song, dance, and story: Keel´s decision to get himself a wife inspires his rowdy brothers to follow suit. Tuneful Johnny Mercer-Gene DePaul score, but it´s Michael Kidd´s energetic dance numbers that really stand out, with rare screen work by dancers Jacques D´Amboise and Marc Platt. The barn-raising sequence is an absolute knockout. Screenplay by Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dorothy Kingsley, from a Stephen Vincent Benet story.

Awards: Two Oscars for best music and scoring of a musical to Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin, and four other Academy nominations. One WGA for best written American Musical. Nominations for Bafta and DGA, among others.

- ROSE MARIE (1954) D: MERVYN LEROY. With ANN BLYTH, FERNANDO LAMAS, BERT LAHR and MARJORIE MAIN. More faithful to original operetta than ´36 version, but not as much fun. Mountie Keel tries to "civilize" tomboy Blyth, but falls in love with her instead. Adventurer Lamas completes the triangle.

- KISS ME KATE (1953) D: GEORGE SIDNEY. With KATHRYN GRAYSON, ANN MILLER, BOBBY VAN, KEENAN WYNN, JAMES WHITMORE and BOB FOSSE. Bright filmization of Cole Porter´s Broadway musical, adapted from Shakespeare´s "The Taming of the Shrew". Grayson and Keel are erstwhile married couple whose off-stage amd on-stage lives intertwine. Songs include "So in Love", "Always True to You in My Fashion", "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" (delightfully performed by Wynn and Whitmore); the "From This Moment On" number, highlighting Fosse and Carol Haney, is outstanding.

Awards: One Oscar nomination for best music or scoring for a musical, and a WGA nomination for best written American musical.

- CALAMITY JANE (1953) D: David Butler. With DORIS DAY, ALLYN ANN McLERIE, PHILIP CAREY and GALE ROBBINS. Doris is irresistible as the bombastic, rootin´-tootin´ title character in this lively musical, with Keel as Wild Bill Hickok, who only begins to realize his feelings for her when she makes a stab at becoming more "feminine." Sammy Fain-Paul Francis Webster score includes awarded "Secret Love".

Awards: One Oscar for best song and two more nominations.

- RIDE, VAQUERO! (1953) D: John Farrow. With ROBERT TAYLOR, AVA GARDNER and ANTHONY QUINN. Oddball casting perks brooding Western set on Mexican border, with sultry Gardner responsible for most of the action.

- LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952) D: MERVYN LEROY. With KATHRYN GRAYSON, RED SKELTON, ANN MILLER, MARGE & GOWER CHAMPION and ZSA ZSA GABOR. Second screen version of ROBERTA is a lesser MGM musical, but definitely has its moments as American comic Skelton inherits half-interest in a Paris dress salon run by Grayson and M. Champion. Miller and the Champions add punch to the musical sequences; Vincente Minnelli directed the fashion show sequence. Songs include "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "I Won´t Dance", and title tune.

- SHOW BOAT (1951) D: GEORGE SIDNEY. With KATHRYN GRAYSON, AVA GARDNER, JOE E. BROWN, M. & G. CHAMPION, AGNES MOOREHEAD and WILLIAM WARFIELD. MGM´s Technicolor valentine to this old-fashioned musical about life on a Mississippi show boat; acted with sincerity, stylishly shot and staged. Gardner makes a beautiful and poignant Julie. Timeless Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II songs include "Bill", "Can´t Help Lovin´ That Man", "Make Believe" and "Old Man River".

Awards: Two Oscar nominations for best Cinematography in Color and best score of a musical. One Photoplay Gold Metal and nominations from DGA and WGA.

- THREE GUYS NAMED MIKE (1951) D: CHARLES WALTERS. With JANE WYMAN, VAN JOHNSON, BARRY SULLIVAN and PHYLLIS KIRK. Enthusiastic (to the point of nausea) stewardness Wyman has her choice of the title trio of nice, handsome, eligible bachelors. Only in the movies. Scripted by Sidney Sheldon.

- ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (1950) D: George Sidney. With BETTY HUTTON, LOUIS CALHERN, EDWARD ARNOLD and KEENAN WYNN. Lively filming of Irving Berlin´s Wild West show musical about Annie Oakley getting her man - sharpshooter Frank Butler. Songs include "Anything You Can Do", "Doin´ What Comes Naturally" and "There´s No Business Like Show Business".

Awards: One Oscar for best music and scoring for a musical to A. Deutsch and Roger Edens, and three other nominations. One WGA for best written American musical to Sidney Sheldon. One Photoplay Award and one Golden Globe nomination to Betty Hutton for most Popular Female Star and best actress in a musical/comedy, resp.

television

sus 10 mejores episodios de "dallas" / his 10 best "dallas" episodes

78: MISSING HEIR

84: BLOCKED

103: GOODBYE, CLIFF BARNES

107: THE BIG BALL

113: THE WEDDING

132: THE ROAD BACK

147: SOME DO, SOME DON´T

192: THE FAMILY EWING

258: THE LAST TANGO IN DALLAS

278: TOP GUN

howard and clayton

“Era tan opuesto a mí, ponía a prueba mi intelecto para averiguar dónde diablos estaba. ELLIE era muy fuerte, pero necesitaba fortaleza junto a ella. Lo hubiera pasado muy mal ella sola. CLAYTON era una roca y ella necesitaba a alguien así. En cierta manera, me basé para crearlo en un amigo mío, un hombre muy rico, guapo y enorme con gran sentido del humor consigo mismo. Era un verdadero hombre y uno lo sabía.

No tiene por qué ser fuerte con palabras, o meterse con J.R. a menudo. La fuerza de CLAYTON proviene de su intelecto, experiencia, sentimientos sobre la tierra y su comprensión de ELLIE y J.R. Muchas veces no hace nada, sólo está ahí y su presencia y comprensión dan equilibrio a los demás personajes. Eso es la fuerza.”

"He´s so unlike me, it tests my intellect to find out where the hell he is. Oh, ELLIE´s very strong. But she needs strength right beside her. She´d have a hard time to stand by herself. CLAYTON is a rock and she really needs someone like that. I´ve kind of patterned the part after a friend of mine - a very rich man, handsome and big and with a great sense of humor about himself. He was a real man in all the senses of the word and you knew it.

He doesn´t have to be verbally strong, or to take on J.R. too often. CLAYTON´s strength comes from his intellect, his experience, his feelings about the land, his understanding of MISS ELLIE and J.R. There are a lot of times CLAYTON doesn´t do anything, he´s just there and his very presence and understanding are what give balance to many of the other characters. Now that´s strength." (1986)

los mejores diálogos de Clayton / Clayton´s best quotes

- "No le conozco en persona (a J.R.), es cierto, pero he oído hablar de él. Sé cómo amenaza e intimida, pero esta vez no lo conseguirá. Podemos contratar a tantos abogados ý tenemos tantos recursos como él. Si quiere pelea, eso es lo que tendrá."

"I don’t know the man, that’s true. But I know of him. I know how he bullies and threatens, but this time it won’t work. We can hire all the lawyers he can, our resources run just as deep as his. If he wants a fight, that’s what he’ll get.” (to Sue Ellen and Dusty in EWING-GATE, written by Leonard Katzman)

- Clayton: "Había oído que era un canalla, pero no sabía que podía caer tan bajo. No hay trato, J.R."

J.R.: "Le arruinaré."

C.: "Hombres mejores que usted lo intentaron...Cuando su padre vuelva de Sudamérica, tal vez ya no exista la Ewing Oil."

Clayton: "I heard you were a snake, but I never realized how low you'd sink. No deal, J.R."

J.R.: "I'll break you."

C.: "Better men than you have tried it. By the time your daddy gets back from South America, there just might not BE a Ewing Oil." (from BLOCKED, written by A.B. Lewis)

- Clayton: "Normalmente, no me creería nada de lo que dijera J.R., aunque me lo encontrase en la iglesia con diez biblias. Pero, esta vez, quizá no se equivoque".

Clayton: “Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't believe anything J.R. had to say, if he were standing in church holding ten bibles. But...this time - he may not be wrong.” (to Sue Ellen in BLACKMAIL, written by L. Katzman)

- "Jock fue un hombre con suerte. Por lo menos, dos de sus hijos continuaron con su trabajo y, mientras vivió, tuvo a su lado a una esposa devota y encantadora. Debe estar bien vivir rodeado de la familia. Hijos, nueras, nietos. Sé que ahora los chicos están compitiendo, pero aún así, creo que la envidio, Ellie. Ojalá hubiera tenido una familia así."

“Jock was a lucky man. At least two of his sons carried on his work and, while he lived, he had a lovely and devoted wife by his side. Must be nice to have a family around. Sons, daughter-in-laws, grandchildren. I know the boys are in competition now, still - I think I envy you, Miss Ellie. I wish I’d had the opportunity to have a close family.” (from THE WEDDING, written by Will Lorin)

- Sue Ellen: "He notado que te has visto mucho con Ellie, últimamente."

Clayton: "Sí. Debe ser como una espina clavada en la espalda de J.R."

S.E.: "Yo...pensaba más en mí misma. Creía que eras amigo mío."

C.: "Quieres decir...¿tuyo y de nadie más?"

S.E.: "No, sólo que nuestra relación era tan..."

C.: "¿Desigual? Sue Ellen, ¿nunca te diste cuenta de que estaba enamorado de ti?"

S.E.: "No...no tenía ni idea. Pero ahora no. ¿Qué ha cambiado, es por Ellie?"

C.: "En parte. Encuentro en ella muchas cualidades que pensaba que tenías tú."

S.E.: "Bueno, ¿y qué sientes por ella?"

C.: "No creo que sea asunto tuyo..."

S.E.: "No lo entiendo..."

C.: "Ni ahora, ni tampoco entonces."

Sue Ellen: “I noticed you’ve been seeing a lot of Miss Ellie lately.”

Clayton: “Yes. That must be a thorn in J.R.’s side.”

S.E.: “I was...thinking more of myself. I thought you were MY friend.”

C.: “You mean, to the exclusion of everyone else?

S.E.: “No. It’s just that our relationship was so...”

C.: “One sided? Sue Ellen, didn’t you ever realize that I was in love with you?”

S.E.: “I...I had no idea. But not anymore. What changed them? Miss Ellie?”

C.: “Partly. I do find many qualities in her that I used to think were in you.”

S.E.: “Well, just how DO you feel about her?”

C.: “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Sue Ellen.”

S.E.: “I...I just don’t understand.”

C.: “Not then. And not now.” (from LEGACY, written by Robert Sherman)

Clayton: "Parmalee, se lo advierto: si realmente es Jock, voy a pelear con usted por ella, porque quiero mucho a Ellie. Pero si es un farsante, entonces le mataré."

Clayton: "Parmalee, I' m warning you: if you're really Jock, then I 'll fight you for her ´cause I 've grown to really love Miss Ellie. But if you a fraud then I'll kill you" (end of episode WHO´S WHO AT THE OIL BARONS´ BALL, written by David Paulsen)

his Spanish voices / sus voces en España

JOSÉ Mª CORDERO, JOSÉ Mª ALARCÓN, PACO HERNÁNDEZ y MANUEL LÁZARO (Dallas), JUAN LUIS SUARI, RAFAEL LUIS CALVO, RAFAEL NAVARRO, JUAN MANUEL SORIANO, JOSÉ ANTONIO RUBAL, SIMÓN RAMÍREZ, ERNESTO AURA, HÉCTOR CANTOLLA, CARLOS REVILLA, DIONISIO MACÍAS, DANIEL DICENTA, RAMÓN LANGA, SALVADOR VIVES, ALFONSO VALLÉS, ANTONIO Gª QUIJADA, MANU HERAS y ANTONIO GARCÍA QUIJADA.

you can find Howard Keel´s complete filmography here

fuentes / sources: Lecturas, ElDoblaje.com, imdb, The Complete Book of Dallas y Ultimate Dallas

© 2021 Toni Díaz

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