Ken Jenkins plays Dr. Robert Kelso on Scrubs. He was a member of the main cast for the first 8 seasons, and was a supporting cast member for the ninth season.
Bio[]
Jenkins began his acting career performing in high school stage productions in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, and went on to study drama at Antioch College, and performed on Broadway and in regional theater throughout his college years. In 1969, Jenkins co-founded and served for 3 years as associate artistic director for the prestigious Actors Theatre of Louisville, which became a breeding ground for some of America’s best new playwrights. Jenkins continued to work with the theater as an actor, director and writer through 1983.
Jenkins has appeared in the films I Am Sam, The Sum of All Fears and Clockstopper. He has also appeared in such films as The Abyss, Air America, Last Man Standing and Courage Under Fire. Jenkins’ television credits include Homefront, The X-Files, Family Law, Chicago Hope and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
He has 3 sons and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Trivia[]
- Jenkins is an avid woodworker and a skilled dog trainer.
- His actual personality is the total inverse of the character he plays in Scrubs, having been described by various cast and crew members as the "sweetest guy in the world".
- Ken Jenkins' dog played Kelso's dog Baxter.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Media | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | In Fashion | TV Movie | Aubin |
| 1983 | Heart of Steel | TV Movie | Priest |
| 1985 | The Equilizer | TV | Sheriff (1 episode) |
| 1986 | What Comes Around | Film | Larry |
| 1987 | Matewan | Film | Sephus Purcell |
| 1988 | CBS Summer Playhouse | TV | Dwayne Pewe (1 episode) |
| The Wizard of Lonliness | Film | Joel Spender | |
| Amen | TV | The Pilot (1 episode) | |
| Newhart | TV | Al Griswold (1 episode) | |
| Knots Landing | TV | Border Thug #1 (1 episode) | |
| Disaster at Silo 7 | TV Movie | Clarence | |
| Wiseguy | TV | Paul Beckstead (9 episodes) | |
| 1989 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | TV | Echer (1 episode) |
| The Outside Woman | TV Movie | Junior Miller | |
| Hard Time on Planet Earth | TV | Sergeant Burdick (1 episode) | |
| Roe vs. Wade | TV Movie | Unknown | |
| The Abyss | Film | Gerard Kirkhill | |
| Breaking Point | TV Movie | Col. Lowe | |
| In Country | Film | Jim Holly | |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation | TV | Dr. Paul Stubbs (1 episode) | |
| 1990 | Family of Spies | TV Movie | Unknown |
| Mancuso, FBI | TV | Unknown (3 episodes) | |
| Shattered Dreams | TV Movie | Hal Witt | |
| By Dawn's Early Light | TV Movie | Sam | |
| Air America | Film | Major Donald Lemond | |
| Dark Avenger | TV Movie | Unknown | |
| Gabriel's Fire | TV | Potter (1 episode) | |
| Descending Angel | TV Movie | Sam Murray | |
| 1991 | In Broad Daylight | TV Movie | Bob Webb |
| Love, Lies and Murder | TV Movie | Rubright | |
| Edge of Honor | Film | Bo Dubs | |
| thirtysomething | TV | Durstin (1 episode) | |
| Homefront | TV | Mike Sloan, Sr. (41 episodes) | |
| 1992 | A Private Matter | TV Movie | Frank Kearns |
| Crossing the Bridge | Film | Lou Morgan | |
| A House of Secrets and Lies | TV Movie | Ed Norwood | |
| 1993 | And the Band Played On | TV Movie | Dr. Dennis Donohue |
| Sisters | TV | Judge Guisewite (1 episode) | |
| Mad About You | TV | Jack Farrer (1 episode) | |
| 1994 | In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness | TV Movie | Bob Newsom |
| A Time to Heal | TV Movie | Don Peterson | |
| Hearts Afire | TV | Mr. Conway (1 episode) | |
| The Stand | TV | Peter Goldsmith (1 episode) | |
| White Mile | TV Movie | Jerry Taggart | |
| 1995 | Cybill | TV | Ed (1 episode) |
| Legend | TV | Ethan Catridge Steele (1 episode) | |
| Past the Bleachers | TV Movie | Hilton Burberry | |
| Hiroshima | TV Movie | Secretary of State James F. Byrnes | |
| Chicago Hope | TV | Various (2 episodes) | |
| 1996 | Executive Decision | Film | General Wood |
| Last Dance | Film | Warden Laverty | |
| Courage Under Fire | Film | Joel Walden | |
| Fled | Film | Warden Nichols | |
| Last Man Standing | Film | Capt. Tom Pickett | |
| 1997 | NYPD Blue | TV | Marshall Hastings (1 episode) |
| Babylon 5 | TV | Captain Trevor Hall (1 episode) | |
| Murphy Brown | TV | Paul Cookson (1 episode) | |
| 1998 | The Magnificent Seven | TV | Virginia's Father (1 episode) |
| Where's Marlowe? | Film | Linguist | |
| Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story | TV Movie | Unknown | |
| Thirst | TV Movie | Lou Wolford | |
| Early Edition | TV | Winston Thorpe (1 episode) | |
| Psycho | Film | District Attorney | |
| 1999 | Vengeance Unlimited | TV | Jack Humphrey (1 episode) |
| Mutiny | TV Movie | Unknown | |
| Balloon Farm | TV Movie | Unknown | |
| The Last Marshal | Film | Judge Wooley | |
| Pensacola: Wings of Gold | TV | General Mitchell Burke (1 episode) | |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | TV | Pastor Neal (3 episodes) | |
| Sliders | TV | Various (2 episodes) | |
| 2000 | Brutally Normal | TV | Mr. Kirschner (1 episode) |
| Gone in Sixty Seconds | Film | Televangelist (uncredited) | |
| Lucky Numbers | Film | Dan Schuff | |
| Family Law | TV | Judge William Jankowski (2 episodes) | |
| 2001 | The Tailor of Panama | Film | Morecombe |
| The X-Files | TV | Deputy Chief Karras (1 episode) | |
| All Souls | TV | Dr. Lohman (1 episode) | |
| I Am Sam | Film | Judge Philip McNeily | |
| Scrubs | TV | Dr. Kelso | |
| 2002 | Fidel | TV Movie | Herbert Matthews |
| Clockstoppers | Film | NSA Agent Moore | |
| Home Room | Film | Police Captain | |
| The Sum of All Fears | Film | Admiral Pollack | |
| 2007 | I-Nasty | Film | Sheriff Bernie |
| 5 Minutes to Midnight | Film | General Kubrick | |
| Welcome to Paradise | Film | Reverend McNamara | |
| 2009 | House Husbands | TV Movie | Dean Worthington |
| 2010 | Cougar Town | TV | Chick (2 episodes) |
| CAST | ||
|---|---|---|
| MAIN | Zach Braff • Sarah Chalke • Donald Faison • Neil Flynn • Ken Jenkins • John C. McGinley • Judy Reyes • Eliza Coupe • Kerry Bishé • Michael Mosley • Dave Franco | |
| SUPPORTING | Johnny Kastl • Sam Lloyd • Robert Maschio • Christa Miller • Travis Schuldt • Aloma Wright | |
| SEE ALSO | List of character appearances • Cast from Season: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • W • 9 | e |