Kenneth Mars

Kenneth Mars (April 4, 1935 – February 12, 2011) was an American television, movie, and voice actor. He may be best-remembered for his roles in several Mel Brooks films: the insane Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in 1968's The Producers, and the relentless Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Fredrich Kemp in 1974's Young Frankenstein. Mars appeared in several seasons of Malcolm in the Middle as Otto, Francis's well-meaning but dim-witted boss. He was well known as the voice of King Triton in The Little Mermaid and its sequel, the television series and the Kingdom Hearts series. Mars also did several other animated voice over film roles such as Littlefoot's grandfather in the Land Before Time series and that of King Colbert (Prince Cornelius's father) in Thumbelina. He died of pancreatic cancer on February 12, 2011, aged 75. --- Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kenneth Mars studied fine arts and acting at Northwestern University. After graduation he began acting in the early 1960s, then did small roles in theater followed by TV and film. Mars made his acting debut in 1962 as a book publisher on the comedy series Car 54, Where Are You?. Afterwards, he appeared on such television series as Gunsmoke, Get Smart, McMillan & Wife, and The Bob Crane Show. Mars played Harry Zarakartos on the sitcom He & She. Mars was featured in a number of small roles in programs such as the Misfits of Science pilot episode and the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Shadowplay". He was cast opposite Bette Davis in Hello Mother, Goodbye!, a 1973 television pilot that was aired by NBC but never added to its schedule. From 1970 until 1974 he guest starred in five episodes of Love, American Style, playing random characters. In 1977, he became a series regular on both the Sha Na Na variety series and on Fernwood 2-Night, where he played William W.D. "Bud" Prize on the fictional comedy talk show, later appearing on America 2-Night in the same role. His last television jobs were that of Otto, the German dude ranch owner on Fox's Malcolm in the Middle, an appearance on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, and a reprisal of his role as Grandpa Longneck in The Land Before Time television series. --- Mars cultivated a lengthy voice acting career, launching it by voicing several characters on Uncle Croc's Block. He voiced the roles of Ariel's father King Triton in The Little Mermaid and the villainous Professor Screweyes in We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, as well as voicing Triton in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. He also voiced Littlefoot's Grandpa Longneck in The Land Before Time movie series and the spin-off television series. He played some minor roles on the popular radio show, Adventures in Odyssey. He played Sweet Williams in Fievel's American Tails, which took place after An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. He voiced characters on many animated television series, such as The Smurfs,The Biskitts, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Tale Spin, and Animaniacs, as well as video games, such as Fallout and Kingdom Hearts. --- Probably due to health problems, Mars did not reprise his role as King Triton for The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning and Grandpa Longneck was not featured in one of the recent Land Before Time media. On February 12, 2011, at the age of 75, Mars died from pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Mars Newborn, with whom he had been married for 34 years, his two daughters, and his six grandchildren. Mars was cremated.