Howard Keel
The towering, barrel-chested star of MGM's golden-age musicals whose commanding voice and presence later defined a TV oil dynasty.
1919–2004 (age 85)·American actor and singer·Birthday: April 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Howard Keel's journey to Hollywood began not on a stage, but in the aircraft factories of California, where his powerful singing voice was discovered by chance. That voice—a robust, clarion bass-baritone—became his ticket, leading him to Broadway and, ultimately, to MGM at the peak of the studio's musical prowess. He was the quintessential leading man in a string of vibrant Technicolor spectacles, bringing virile charm and vocal heft to roles in 'Show Boat,' 'Kiss Me Kate,' and 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.' When the era of film musicals waned, Keel smoothly transitioned, finding a massive new audience as the patriarchal Texas oilman Clayton Farlow on the prime-time soap 'Dallas.' For a decade, he embodied a different kind of American archetype, proving his star power was as durable as the voice that launched it.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Howard was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Howard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Howard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 70
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 80
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Died at 85
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Starred as Frank Butler opposite Doris Day in the film musical 'Calamity Jane.'
- Played the charismatic lead, Adam Pontipee, in the classic MGM musical 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.'
- Portrayed the wealthy rancher Clayton Farlow for over a decade on the long-running television series 'Dallas.'
- Served as President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1958 to 1959.
Did You Know?
He worked as a singing waiter at the Hollywood Canteen during World War II before being discovered.
He was originally offered the role of Professor Henry Higgins in 'My Fair Lady' on Broadway but turned it down.
He survived a near-fatal bout of peritonitis in the late 1950s.
“I never considered myself a great actor. I was a personality who could put over a song.”
