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King Donovan
King Donovan in 1968
Born	Francis King Donovan (1918-01-25)January 25, 1918 Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Died	June 30, 1987(1987-06-30) (aged 69) Branford, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupations	Actor director
Years active	1948–1984
Spouse	Imogene Coca (m. 1960–1987, his death)
Children	3

Francis King Donovan^[1][2] (January 25, 1918 – June 30, 1987) was anAmerican film,stage, andtelevisionactor, as well as a film and television director.

King Donovan was born in Manhattan on January 25, 1918. His parents werevaudevillians who traveled nationwide in theUnited States,^[3] and at three weeks old he began traveling with them. He attended Mt. Joseph School inBuffalo, New York through eighth grade, after which he went to work.^[4] His acting debut occurred in his teenage years at the Butler Davenport Theater.^[3]

Donovan worked in radio before serving in theAir Force for three years. After he left the military, he returned to radio and worked on stage on theWest Coast.^[4]

Donovan's film debut occurred inThe Man from Texas (1947).^[4] His film acting work includes Jack in the originalInvasion of the Body Snatchers (a role later reprised byJeff Goldblum inthe 1978 version), Solly inThe Defiant Ones, Joe Capper inCowboy, Mack McGee in the originalAngels in the Outfield, Major Collins inThe Perfect Furlough, and an uncredited but recognizable role inSingin' in the Rain as Rod (head of the Publicity Department). Donovan left the film industry in the late 1950s because, he said, he hated "about 90 percent of what I was doing".^[4]

Donovan was part of theJitney Players traveling troupe in the 1940s. He performed with the Hendrickson Shakespearean Company for two years, and he appeared inThe Male Animal for the USO.^[3] In 1948, Donovan appeared on Broadway inThe Vigil (1948),The Girls in 509 (1958) andMorning's at Seven (1980).^[5] In 1968, he toured with his wifeImogene Coca in a productions ofYou Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running andOnce upon a Mattress.

Notable television roles include Jake Clampett (a deadbeat who mooches off the Clampetts) for two episodes ofCBS'sThe Beverly Hillbillies, Blanche Morton's (Bea Benaderet's) brother Roger Baker on eight episodes ofThe George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, and Harvey Helm in a 17-episode stint onNBC'sThe Bob Cummings Show. Donovan also appeared in six episodes as Chris Norman ofIt's a Great Life. About this time, he also guest starred onRay Bolger'sABCsitcom,Where's Raymond? and the NBC sitcom,The People's Choice, withJackie Cooper. He also guest starred on the crime drama,Richard Diamond, Private Detective. In 1956 he appeared as Joe Baker on the TV westernCheyenne in the episode titled "Mustang Trail." He also played in a 1960 episode ofShotgun Slade. He played a petty thief Name Baxter who stole from an orphanage. He portrayed Marty in "Academy Award," a 1957 episode of theCBSsituation comedyMr. Adams and Eve. He played Mark Dawson in the 1959Maverick episode "Maverick Springs". He was also inWanted: Dead or Alive in the 1959 episode "Bad Gun" as the gun dealer Sheridan Appleby. In the 1963 episode "The Clampetts Go Hollywood", King Donovan portrays Jake Clampett.

He played Twirly Boggs in the 1960 TV seriesBonanza, season 1 episode 19 'The Gunmen'. Donovan guest starred as Paddy Britt in the 1959 episode "The Boy from Pittsburgh" of the NBC western series,Riverboat.

In 1963, he played the part of Poke Tolliver in the episode "Incident of the Buryin' Man" on CBS'sRawhide. Between 1965 and 1967, Donovan had a recurring role as neighbor Herb, whose mission in life seemed to be getting from his house through the study window of professor Jim Nash in less than a full minute, on the situation comedyPlease Don't Eat the Daisies.

In 1963 Donovan directed the filmPromises! Promises!, which received attention as the first Hollywood sound film to feature a mainstream film star (Jayne Mansfield) nude. Later the same year Donovan directed two episodes ofGrindl, which starred his wifeImogene Coca and two more the next year.

Previously married and the father of three children,^[4] Donovan married actress/ comedianImogene Coca^[6] on October 17, 1960.^[7] They remained married until his death from cancer on June 30, 1987, aged 69, in the Connecticut Hospice inBranford, Connecticut.^[3]

Donovan filmed scenes for an undetermined role in the 1949 filmI Was a Male War Bride, but his scenes were deleted.

• King Donovan atIMDb
• King Donovan at theInternet Broadway Database
• King Donovan at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
• "KING DONOVAN IS DEAD AT 69; THEATER, FILM AND TV ACTOR".The New York Times. 4 July 1987.

• 1918 births
• 1987 deaths
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American male television actors
• American television directors
• Male actors from Manhattan
• Male actors from Los Angeles
• Deaths from cancer in Connecticut
• 20th-century American male actors
• Film directors from New York City

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