Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 â€" December 1, 2018) was an
American actor, dancer and singer. Berry starred on the television
series F Troop, The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama's
Family. He also appeared on Broadway in The Billy Barnes Revue,
headlined as George M. Cohan in the musical George M! and provided
comic relief for the medical drama Dr. Kildare, with Richard
Chamberlain in the 1960s.Berry was born in Moline in Rock Island
County in Northwestern Illinois, one of two children of an accountant,
Darrell Berry, and his wife, Bernice. Berry was of Swedish-English
descent.Berry realized he wanted to be a dancer and singer at age 12,
as he watched a children's dance performance during a school assembly.
He dreamed of starring in movie musicals and went to the movie theater
to see Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in some of his favorite films,
including Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer
Stock.Berry immediately started tap dance class and, at age 15, won a
local talent competition sponsored by radio and television big band
leader Horace Heidt. Heidt asked Berry to join his traveling
performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program", a
popular touring group. He toured the United States and Europe for 15
months with the program, dancing and singing for the public and at
post-World War II United States Air Force bases overseas. Berry made
lasting relationships with several of his co-cast members and Horace's
son, Horace Heidt Jr., who later launched a big band and radio career.
American actor, dancer and singer. Berry starred on the television
series F Troop, The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama's
Family. He also appeared on Broadway in The Billy Barnes Revue,
headlined as George M. Cohan in the musical George M! and provided
comic relief for the medical drama Dr. Kildare, with Richard
Chamberlain in the 1960s.Berry was born in Moline in Rock Island
County in Northwestern Illinois, one of two children of an accountant,
Darrell Berry, and his wife, Bernice. Berry was of Swedish-English
descent.Berry realized he wanted to be a dancer and singer at age 12,
as he watched a children's dance performance during a school assembly.
He dreamed of starring in movie musicals and went to the movie theater
to see Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in some of his favorite films,
including Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer
Stock.Berry immediately started tap dance class and, at age 15, won a
local talent competition sponsored by radio and television big band
leader Horace Heidt. Heidt asked Berry to join his traveling
performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program", a
popular touring group. He toured the United States and Europe for 15
months with the program, dancing and singing for the public and at
post-World War II United States Air Force bases overseas. Berry made
lasting relationships with several of his co-cast members and Horace's
son, Horace Heidt Jr., who later launched a big band and radio career.
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