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IMDbPro

Ted Knight(1923-1986)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Ted Knight
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:36
Caddyshack (1980)
3 Videos
69 Photos
Actor Ted Knight paid his dues with nearly two decades of relatively obscure dramatic, often villainous television work, before finding enduring fame in a scene-stealing supporting turn on a classic 1970s sitcom, hilariously overplaying a silver-haired, self-important imbecile. Although the conceited "stuffed shirt" typecast plagued him for the rest of his career, the self-proclaimed "Polish Prince of Comedy" continued on good-naturedly, earning lead status on his own comedy series. The Connecticut-born actor was christened Tadeusz (Theodore) Wladyslaw Konopka, the son of a Polish-American family in his native town of Terryville, Connecticut. A high school dropout, he enlisted for World War II duty and eventually became a decorated member of the A Company, 296th Combat Engineer Battalion.

During his tour of duty, Ted developed an interest in acting, returning home in the post-war years to study his craft in Hartford, Connecticut, at the Randall School of Dramatic Arts. A fascination with puppetry and ventriloquism led to his first steady paycheck, as the host of a children's radio show (WJAR) in Providence, Rhode Island (1950-1955). Following this, Ted found more work (WROW-TV) in Albany, New York, hosting a children's variety show while playing radio announcer for its sister radio station, WROW.

Heading west to Los Angeles, California in 1957, Ted spent most of his early years providing slick commercial voiceovers and earning minor roles on television (Sea Hunt (1958)) and film (Psycho (1960)). He appeared regularly on the short-lived, The New Loretta Young Show (1962), and the daytime soap opera, The Young Marrieds (1964). Other television guest appearances sprouted including dramatic (The Twilight Zone (1959), The Fugitive (1963), Gunsmoke (1955), Highway Patrol (1955), Bonanza (1959), Combat! (1962)) as well as occasional comedic parts (McHale's Navy (1962), Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964), Get Smart (1965)). But nothing monumental pushed his career forward.

Ted's well-modulated voice was his moneymaker during the lean years, whether as an announcer/narrator or cartoon voice character. However, this anonymity ended went he copped the role of inept, pearly-toothed WJM anchorman "Ted Baxter" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970). The arrogant but highly insecure character earned Knight two supporting Emmy trophies (1973, 1976) but severely pigeon-holed him for the rest of his career. However, the genial actor made the best of it and continued on stage ("Some of My Best Friends") and in commercials and TV spots that were similar in persona. In 1975, a musical album entitled "Hi, Guys!" (a catchphrase of the Baxter character) was released, which included a series of bizarre novelty songs.

Knight eventually starred opposite Nancy Dussault in his own television series, Too Close for Comfort (1980), which had a healthy run despite the fact that Knight, as the lead, was more subdued than on the Mary Tyler Moore classic. Renamed "The Ted Knight Show" after it became a syndicated series, the series finally ended in 1986 only due to Knight's terminal illness. The actor's sole post-Ted Baxter movie role was as a judge in the golf-themed comedy, Caddyshack (1980), in which he continually bumped heads with the film's star, Rodney Dangerfield.

Knight was initially diagnosed with cancer in 1977, for which he was treated over an extended period of time. In 1985, the television star's conditioned worsened and the 62-year-old actor died on August 26, 1986, following surgery for a growth in his urinary tract. He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California (his marker reads Theodore C. Konopka), and was survived by his wife of 38 years, Dorothy Knight (nee Smith), and their three children, Ted Knight Jr., Elyse Knight and Eric Knight.
BornDecember 7, 1923
DiedAugust 26, 1986(62)
BornDecember 7, 1923
DiedAugust 26, 1986(62)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 6 wins & 6 nominations total

Photos69

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Known for

Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
8.3
TV Series
  • Ted Baxter
  • Mrs. Goldman's Dog
Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ted Knight in Caddyshack (1980)
Caddyshack
7.2
  • Judge Elihu Smails
  • 1980
Adam West, Norman Alden, Jack Angel, Michael Rye, William Callaway, Danny Dark, Shannon Farnon, Casey Kasem, and Ted Knight in Super Friends (1973)
Super Friends
7.2
TV Series
  • Narrator
  • The Flash(voice)
James Caan, Joanna Moore, and Bobby Riha in Countdown (1967)
Countdown
5.9
  • Walter Larson
  • 1967

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor



  • Lydia Cornell, Jim J. Bullock, Nancy Dussault, Ted Knight, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh in Too Close for Comfort (1980)
    Too Close for Comfort
    6.6
    TV Series
    • Henry Rush
    • 1980–1987
  • Richard Pryor in Pryor's Place (1984)
    Saturday's the Place!
    TV Movie
    • Mr. McKay
    • 1984
  • Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)
    The Love Boat
    6.3
    TV Series
    • Barney Gordon
    • Captain Gunner Nordquist
    • Tom McMann
    • 1980–1983
  • Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ted Knight in Caddyshack (1980)
    Caddyshack
    7.2
    • Judge Elihu Smails
    • 1980
  • Charles Hallahan and Ted Knight in The Ted Knight Show (1978)
    The Ted Knight Show
    6.1
    TV Series
    • Roger Dennis
    • 1978
  • Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977)
    Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
    6.4
    TV Series
    • Additional Voices
    • 1977
  • Busting Loose (1977)
    Busting Loose
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Roger Dennis
    • 1977
  • Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
    The Mary Tyler Moore Show
    8.3
    TV Series
    • Ted Baxter
    • Mrs. Goldman's Dog
    • 1970–1977
  • Emilio and His Magical Bull (1975)
    Emilio and His Magical Bull
    7.8
    • (voice)
    • 1975
  • The Ghost Busters (1975)
    The Ghost Busters
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Simon de Canterville
    • 1975
  • The Fireman's Ball
    TV Movie
    • 1974
  • Paradise
    9.0
    TV Movie
    • Dickie
    • 1974
  • Adam West, Norman Alden, Jack Angel, Michael Rye, William Callaway, Danny Dark, Shannon Farnon, Casey Kasem, and Ted Knight in Super Friends (1973)
    Super Friends
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Narrator
    • The Flash (voice)
    • 1973
  • Lassie's Rescue Rangers (1973)
    Lassie's Rescue Rangers
    6.5
    TV Series
    • Ben Turner
    • Aaron Lipton
    • Red Arrow (voice)
    • 1972–1973
  • Inch High, Private Eye (1973)
    Inch High, Private Eye
    6.4
    TV Series
    • Voices (voice)
    • 1973

Soundtrack



  • Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
    The Mary Tyler Moore Show
    8.3
    TV Series
    • performer: "It's a Long Way to Tipperary"
    • performer: "Darktown Strutter's Ball"
    • performer: "The Twelve Days of Christmas", "Deck the Hall" (uncredited) ...
    • 1973–1977
  • The John Byner Comedy Hour (1972)
    The John Byner Comedy Hour
    7.8
    TV Series
    • performer: "Baby Face"
    • 1972

Videos3

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:36
Official Trailer
Caddyshack
Trailer 2:21
Caddyshack
Caddyshack
Trailer 2:21
Caddyshack
Inch High, Private Eye
Trailer 1:02
Inch High, Private Eye

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Ted Konopka
  • Height
    • 5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
  • Born
    • December 7, 1923
    • Terryville, Connecticut, USA
  • Died
    • August 26, 1986
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(colorectal and bladder cancer)
  • Spouse
    • Dorothy KnightSeptember 24, 1948 - August 26, 1986 (his death, 3 children)
  • Children
      Elyse Knight
  • Parents
      Sophia Kavaleski
  • Other works
    In 1974, he co-starred in an unaired sitcom pilot for ABC called "The Fireman's Ball". The plot concerned the misadventures of a group of San Francisco firemen. ABC liked the concept enough to recast and re-shoot another pilot in 1975, with Johnny Brown and David Ketchum the only returning actors but the network decided not to pick up the revised version for their fall line-up when the audience reaction to its 1975 airing was decidedly cool.
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    The college sweatshirts he wore in the situation comedy Too Close for Comfort (1980) were sometimes sent to him by students from real colleges.
  • Salary
    • Psycho
      (1960)
      $150

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