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Terry Kiser | |
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 Kiser in 2015 | |
| Born | (1939-08-01)August 1, 1939 (age 86) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Spouse | Sylvie Marmet (1987-2004) (one child)[1] |
Terry Kiser (born August 1, 1939)[2] is an American actor. While he has more than 140 acting credits to his name, with a career spanning more than 50 years, he is best known for portraying the deceased title character Bernie Lomax in the comedyWeekend at Bernie's and its sequel,Weekend at Bernie's II.
Terry Kiser was born on August 1, 1939, inOmaha, Nebraska.[3] He attended theUniversity of Kansas on both football and dramatic scholarships. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering and worked for three years in this profession in Omaha.[4]
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After college, Kiser returned to his hometown Omaha and worked as an engineer for three years while acting in amateur productions including more than fifty plays. His first two years in New York City included an array of small parts, ranging from theater to television to commercials. By 1967, Kiser gained significant recognition for his work, winning both anObie Award andTheatre World Award forFortune and Men's Eyes.[5][6]
Becoming a life member ofThe Actors Studio,[7] Kiser was a regular on severalsoap operas,The Secret Storm andThe Doctors. In 1978, he starred on the short-lived sitcomsThe Roller Girls andSugar Time!. It was during the 1970s and early 1980s that Kiser appeared inThree's Company,Hardcastle and McCormick,One Day at a Time,The Love Boat,Night Court,227,Maude andThe Golden Girls.
One of his roles was on the TV dramaHill Street Blues, playing comedian Vic Hitler ("Vic theNarcoleptic Comic"). He was a cast member on the syndicated sketch comedy showOff the Wall and a part of the ensemble onCarol Burnett'sCarol & Company, which aired in 1990. In the 1990s, he appeared onWalker, Texas Ranger,The Golden Girls,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (asH. G. Wells) andWill & Grace.
His film appearances includeFast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979),Rich Kids (1979),Steel (1979),An Eye for an Eye (1981),Making Love (1982),Six Pack (1982),Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983),Surf II (1984),From a Whisper to a Scream (1987) andFriday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988).
Kiser starred inWeekend at Bernie's (1989), in the title role of Bernie Lomax, a corrupt insurance executive who is dead for most of the film. Bernie's young employees Richard Parker and Larry Wilson, played byJonathan Silverman andAndrew McCarthy, attempt to convince people that Bernie is still alive. He reprised the role inWeekend at Bernie's II (1993). Since 2012, severalYouTube videos featuring "The Bernie Dance" generated more than 17 million views collectively by April 2016. Other film appearances includeMannequin Two: On the Move (1991),Into the Sun (1992),The Pledge (2011), andA Christmas Tree Miracle (2013).
In 2013, Kiser moved toAustin, Texas, where he founded an acting school, The Actors Arena, which closed in 2016.[6]
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