Keenan Wynn

The supporting actor who didn't need the poster

Keenan Wynn never sought the spotlight. His face was the glue of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions during the 1940s and 1950s. He had that officer's mustache and a voice that could be cynical or comforting depending on the paycheck. He was born in New York in 1916 and carried a heavy legacy, since his father was Ed Wynn, one of the greatest comedians of radio and vaudeville.

And the gamble paid off.

Rather than trying to imitate his father's grimaces, he chose to carve out a place as the reliable guy who is always there. In 1942, he signed an exclusive contract with MGM and began working at a frantic pace. He appeared in musicals such as Annie Get Your Gun or Kiss Me Kate, where he provided the necessary counterpoint to the leading stars. His talent lay in not getting in the way while still standing out in every scene.

The Colonel Who Shot at a Soda Machine

Stanley Kubrick saw that behind that orderly, man-in-charge appearance lay a streak of contained madness. In 1964, he was cast as Colonel Bat Guano in Dr. Strangelove. It is one of the most memorable performances of his career, for the seriousness with which he approaches the absurd. The scene in which he hesitates over shooting a Coca-Cola machine to get coins and save the world is a lesson in dry comedy.

Wynn knew the secret was in restraint.

But his career wasn't all comedy or satire. In 1967, he appeared in Point Blank under John Boorman's direction. There he showed he could be shady and dangerous without raising his voice. His filmography topped 250 titles across film and television because he never turned down a script that made even minimal sense. He was a working actor who saw film as a craft.

Motorcycles, Planes and a Peculiar Divorce

Off set, his life was a constant rush toward speed. He loved motorcycles, racing boats and flying planes. This adrenaline contrasted with the calm he showed in managing his private life. In 1947, he divorced his wife Eve Abbott so she could marry his best friend, actor Van Johnson. It was a move orchestrated to protect Johnson's career, and Wynn remained friends with both of them for decades.

In 1975, he appeared in Robert Altman's Nashville, proving he still had appeal for a new generation of directors. His ability to adapt to the industry's changes allowed him to work nonstop for more than forty years. He didn't care whether the project was a blockbuster or an episode of a low-budget TV series.

He charged by the hour and delivered the job.

His final roles in the 1980s included appearances in series such as Dallas. In 1986, he died at his home in Santa Monica from pancreatic cancer. His ashes rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. His death certificate listed his profession simply as actor.