Walter Stacy Keach Jr. (born June 2, 1941) is an American actor active in theatre, film, and television since the 1960s. He first distinguished himself in Off-Broadway productions and remains a prominent figure in American theatre, especially as a noted Shakespearean actor.
Keach has received several theatrical accolades, including four Drama Desk Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, and two Obie Awards for Distinguished Performance by an Actor. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for Arthur Kopit’s 1969 production of Indians.
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Stacy Keach Net Worth
Stacy Keach has a net worth of $8 million. He is best known for playing detective Mike Hammer. Keach is an accomplished pianist and composer. He sang backing vocals on the Judy Collins hit song “Amazing Grace” and co-wrote the song “Easy Times” on her live album Living.
He provided music for the film Imbued, directed by Rob Nilssen, and composed music for the Mike Hammer audio radio series “Encore For Murder,” written by Max Collins, directed by Carl Amari, and produced by Blackstone Audio.
Early life
Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, to Mary Cain (née Peckham), an actress, and Stacy Keach Sr., a theatre director, drama teacher, and actor. He was born with a cleft lip and partial cleft of the hard palate, undergoing numerous surgeries. He often wears a mustache to hide scars and is honorary chairman of the Cleft Palate Foundation, advocating for insurance coverage for surgeries.
He graduated from Van Nuys High School in 1959, earned two BA degrees at UC Berkeley in 1963, a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1966, and was a Fulbright Scholar at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where he met Laurence Olivier.
Career
Keach played the title role in MacBird!, an Off-Broadway anti-war satire by Barbara Garson at the Village Gate in 1966. In 1967, he was cast Off-Broadway in George Tabori’s The Niggerlovers alongside Morgan Freeman in his acting debut; Freeman credits Keach for teaching him the most about acting.
That year, Keach starred in We Bombed in New Haven by Joseph Heller at the Yale Repertory Theatre and later on Broadway. He first appeared on Broadway in 1969 as Buffalo Bill in Indians by Arthur Kopit. Early in his career, he was credited as Stacy Keach Jr. He also led in The Nude Paper Sermon, an avant-garde musical by Eric Salzman, commissioned by Nonesuch Records.
Personal life
Keach has been married four times: to Kathryn Baker in 1964, Marilyn Aiken in 1975, Jill Donahue in 1981, and Małgorzata Tomassi in 1986. He has two adopted children with Małgorzata: son Shannon Keach and daughter Karolina Keach.
In 2015, Keach became a Polish citizen. His brother, James Keach, is an actor and television director. Keach is a Roman Catholic.
What happened to Stacy Keach?
In a turning point of his life, Keach faced legal issues related to drug charges in the UK, leading to a six-month imprisonment at Reading Prison. This period marked the lowest point in his life, but also led to a significant personal transformation, including his conversion to Catholicism.
Conclusion
Stacy Keach’s career, spanning over five decades, illustrates not only his remarkable talent but also his resilience and adaptability in the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry. His net worth of $8 million reflects a career filled with memorable performances, both on stage and screen, cementing his place as one of the veteran actors of Hollywood.
5FAQs about Stacy Keach
- Has Stacy Keach won any awards for his acting?
- Yes, Stacy Keach has received numerous awards, including a Golden Globe and several nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards, for his varied roles in television and theatre.
- What are some of Stacy Keach’s most notable film roles?
- Aside from his television achievements, Keach has appeared in films such as Fat City, The Long Riders, American History X, and Nebraska.
- Did Stacy Keach ever perform in Shakespearean plays?
- Yes, Keach has a distinguished career in Shakespearean theatre, having played roles such as Hamlet, King Lear, and Richard III, earning critical acclaim for his performances.
- What led to Stacy Keach’s conversion to Catholicism?
- Keach’s conversion to Catholicism was influenced by his time in prison and the friendship he formed with a priest during that challenging period of his life.
- How has Stacy Keach contributed to the arts outside of acting?
- Beyond acting, Keach has been a vocal advocate for the arts, supporting theatre programs and educational initiatives. He has also served as a mentor to emerging actors and has been involved in various charitable endeavors related to the arts and education.
