Severn Darden

Severn Teakle Darden Jr. (November 9, 1929 – May 27, 1995) was an American comedian and actor, and a founding member of The Second City Chicago-based comedy troupe as well as its predecessor, the Compass Players. He is known from his film appearances for playing the human leader Kolp in the fourth and fifth Planet of the Apes films. His live comedy improv skit under the character of "Walther von der Vogelweide" was influential with two generations of comic performers.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he attended the University of Chicago, where he was a "campus legend" according to poet Paul Carroll. Darden’s offbeat and intellectual sense of humor was a major element in the style of The Second City at that time, and is evident throughout his work. Carroll described him as a combination of surrealistic New Orleans and tough, caustic "Chicago Style" comedy. An example of his offbeat humor is the way he squeezed the phrase "Know thyself" into the seven-character limitation of a New Mexico license plate: NOYOSEF.

Darden was a core comedian in Paul Sills' Compass Players, the first improvisation theater in the US; it performed around the Chicago area during the mid-1950s. Sills went on to found The Second City in 1959 and brought in many of the comedians from Compass Players, including Darden.

Severn Darden is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 29 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Vanishing Point (1971), Luv (1967), Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966), Cheers (1982), Barney Miller (1975), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974). The recorded credits span 1951 to 1984, including 5 movies and 24 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.