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David Dukes

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David Dukes
Born
David Coleman Dukes

(1945-06-06)June 6, 1945
San Francisco, California
DiedOctober 9, 2000(2000-10-09) (aged 55)
Lakewood, Washington
OccupationActor

David Coleman Dukes (June 6, 1945 – October 9, 2000) was an American character actor.[1] He had a long career in films, appearing in 35. Dukes starred in the mini-series The Winds of War in the 1980s, and was a frequent television guest star, and appeared later in life in recurring roles on shows such as Pauly, Sisters and Dawson's Creek.[1]

Life

Dukes was born in San Francisco, California, the son of a highway patrolman.[2] Dukes, had a son Shawn by his first wife Carolyn McKenzie and a daughter Annie, by second wife Carol Muske.

David Dukes was the eldest son of four boys; David, James, Robert and Joe Paul. He married his first wife while a student at the College of Marin October 9, 1965.[citation needed] His wife from New Zealand; Carolyn McKenzie had travelled to the USA with her family when only 11 years old.[citation needed] David and Carolyn welcomed their son Shawn David Dukes into the world on March 31, 1966. They lived on both west coast and east coasts while David's career expanded; particularly on Broadway in New York. They travelled east for the first time on Oct 9, 1971.[citation needed] Eventually Carolyn and Shawn travelled overseas spending time with family in New Zealand where her mother and one of her sisters died within a few short years of one another.[citation needed] They travelled to England and when David joined them in Christmas of 1978, Shawn decided to return to the USA to begin his high school education and he then became a boarder at Ojai Valley School; spending holidays with his mother in London, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia.[citation needed] His parents divorced in 1981 subsequently David married Carol Muske and had a daughter Annie.[citation needed]

Career

Dukes career in films encompassed 35 movies. Throughout the span of his career (1970s-1990s), he was often seen as a television guest star, notably as the man who attempted to rape Edith Bunker on All in the Family, and as a blind bully on Three's Company. During the 1980s, Dukes appeared in the dual miniseries The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. He received an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor for his role in The Josephine Baker Story (1991); and appeared as Arthur Miller in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996). He was a regular in the first season of Sisters, playing the transvestite doctor husband of oldest sister, Alex (Swoosie Kurtz). Dukes character appeared as a recurring character in subsequent seasons. On Dawson's Creek, he had the recurring role of Mr. McPhee, the father to Jack (Kerr Smith) and Andie (Meredith Monroe) from the second through fourth seasons.

Theater

Dukes had considerable stage experience, first appearing on Broadway in 1971. He later appeared in a revival of Molière's The School for Wives. Dukes theatrical accomplishments found him in such colorful roles as Dracula, Doctor Frankenstein, and Antonio Salieri in the original production of Amadeus —replacing Ian McKellen. He won plaudits when he replaced John Lithgow in the original production of David Henry Hwang's play M. Butterfly and a Tony nomination in 1980 for best featured actor in a play for Bent.[citation needed]

Audio

David Dukes recorded several audiobooks, most notably Isaac Asimov's unabridged Prelude to Foundation.

Sudden death

Dukes died of a heart attack in Spanaway, Washington, while on location shooting the Stephen King mini-series, Rose Red. His widow Carol Dukes' experiences with the Pierce County, Washington, medical examiner's office were so frustrating that she publicly spoke out against the office's lack of cooperation. The ME's office would not let her see her husband's body; did not inform her of her rights or honor some of the rights she did try to exercise; and failed to detect evidence of a previous heart attack during his autopsy.[citation needed]

Dukes was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.[citation needed]

Filmography

Movies

Television

Audio

References

  1. ^ a b Eakin, Emily (October 12, 2000). "David Dukes, Chameleon of An Actor, 55". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Film Reference: David Dukes Biography (1945-2000)
  3. ^ The Disney Channel Magazine, Vol. 11, no. 2, February/March 1993: pp. 38, 42.

Further reading

  • "David Dukes." Variety. October 11, 2000.
  • Susan King and Don Shirley. "David Dukes; Versatile Character Actor on Screen, Stage." Los Angeles Times. October 11, 2000.
  • Tom Vallance. "David Dukes." The Independent (London). October 17, 2000.

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