Kenneth J. Warren, a dependable and imposing Australian character actor, was born on September 25, 1929, in New South Wales, with some sources indicating an earlier birth year of 1926. He began his theatrical career in Australia during the early 1950s, landing an obscure film role in the classic 1950 adaptation of Robert Newton's "Treasure Island".
Warren's career gained momentum after he appeared on the London stage in a superb performance in an Australian touring production of "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll", which led him to settle in England. This move proved wise, as his film career took off with able supports in "Hell, Heaven or Hoboken" (1958) alongside John Mills, "The Concrete Jungle" (1960) with Stanley Baker, "Underworld Informers" (1963) with Nigel Patrick, and "A High Wind in Jamaica" (1965) opposite Anthony Quinn and James Coburn.
Initially billed as Kenneth Warren without his middle initial, Warren continued to work on stage, appearing in productions such as "Luther" (1963) and "Canterbury Tales" (1968). He also made a mark on television, playing a worthy antagonist in popular spy series like "The Avengers", "Secret Agent", and "The Saint".
Warren's emphatic presence in horror films included "Doctor Blood's Coffin" (1961),"I, Monster" (1971),"Demons of the Mind" (1972),and "The Creeping Flesh" (1973). One of his final roles was in the comedy "Digby: The Biggest Dog in the World" (1973),where he played a military high-ranking officer.
Tragically, Warren's life was cut short when he died at the age of 43 on August 27, 1973. His film "S*P*Y*S" (1974),which reunited M*A*S*H co-stars Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland, was released posthumously. In his private life, Warren contradicted his on-camera tough-guy image by being a talented artist and gourmet cook. His son, Damian Warren, is also an actor.
