Ken Murray

Ken Murray

Ken Murray (born Kenneth Abner Doncourt, July 14, 1903 – October 12, 1988) was an American comedian, actor, radio and television personality and author. After finding success on the vaudeville stage, Murray moved to Hollywood and made his film debut in the 1929 romantic drama Half Marriage, followed by a role in Leathernecking in 1930. Murray was the host of a weekly radio variety show (The Ken Murray Show) on NBC 1932-33 and on CBS 1936–37. He later was the original host (1945-57) of Queen for a Day, on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio show, which was simulcast on KTSL (now KCBS-TV), Channel 2 in Los Angeles. During World War II, Murray was one of the many celebrities to volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen. In 1947, he produced Bill and Coo, a feature film using trained birds and other animals as actors. Bill and Coo won a special Academy Award for "novel and entertaining use of the medium of motion picture" and "artistry and patience" . He was also the host of The Ken Murray Show, a weekly music and comedy show on CBS Television that ran from 1950 to 1953. The show was the first to win a Freedom Foundation Award. Murray also guest starred on several television series, including The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford and The Bing Crosby Show. Murray produced and co-starred as "Smiling Billy Murray" in a 1953 film, The Marshal's Daughter, a western that featured his protege Laurie Anders in the title role, her sole film performance. In 1962, Murray portrayed the top hat wearing, cigar chewing, drunken Doc Willoughby in John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring John Wayne and James Stewart, arguably his most memorable screen role. Paired off for most of the picture with Edmond O'Brien as an alcoholic newspaper editor, he drunkenly rolls over the gunshot corpse of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) with his boot, looks around off-handedly, and says "Dead" to the surrounding crowd of euphoric Mexicans. In 1964, Murray played Whipsaw, the operator of a stagecoach depot in the episode "Little Cayuse" of the television series Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. He and his partner take in a Cayuse orphan (Larry Domasin), who demonstrates his loyalty to the men during an Indian attack. In 1965, Murray played a THRUSH financier and owner of a caribbean casino in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1966, Murray was cast as Melody Murphy in the Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys! starring Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles and Kurt Russell.

  • Title: Ken Murray
  • Popularity: 1.968
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1903-07-14
  • Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Kenneth Abner Doncourt
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Ken Murray Movies

  • 1962
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    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

    7.8 1962 HD

    Questions arise when Senator Stoddard (James Stewart) attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) in a small Western town....

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  • 1949
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    Red Light

    Red Light

    5.5 1949 HD

    Nick Cherney, in prison for embezzling from Torno Freight Co., sees a chance to get back at Johnny Torno through his young priest brother Jess. He...

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  • 1966
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    Follow Me, Boys!

    Follow Me, Boys!

    6.556 1966 HD

    Lem Siddons is part of a traveling band who has a dream of becoming a lawyer. Deciding to settle down, he finds a job as a stockboy in the general...

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  • 1968
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    The Power

    The Power

    6.241 1968 HD

    One by one members of a special project team are being killed by telekinesis - the ability to move things with the power of the mind alone. The race...

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  • 1948
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    Bill and Coo

    Bill and Coo

    6.2 1948 HD

    The feathered residents of Chirpendale are terrorized by an evil black crow by the name of "The Black Menace". But to the citizen's rescue comes a...

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  • 1941
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    Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1

    Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1

    1 1941 HD

    This edition of Screen Snapshots has more of a vaudeville flavor as opposed to Ralph Staub's usual candid-camera at home with the stars offerings....

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  • 1932
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    Crooner

    Crooner

    5 1932 HD

    Fame goes to a priggish singer's head and almost costs him his girlfriend.

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  • 1929
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    Half Marriage

    Half Marriage

    5.2 1929 HD

    A young couple marries in secret. Judy's afraid her parents won't approve of Dick and she'll lose her generous allowance. Her parents bring her home...

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  • 1932
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    Ladies of the Jury

    Ladies of the Jury

    6.4 1932 HD

    Society matron Mrs. Livingston Baldwin Crane is selected as a juror in the trial of former chorus girl Yvette Gordon, who's accused of murdering her...

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  • 1963
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    Hollywood Without Make-Up

    Hollywood Without Make-Up

    5.9 1963 HD

    A collection of behind the scenes and home movies from the golden age of Hollywood.

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  • 1933
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    Disgraced!

    Disgraced!

    1 1933 HD

    A lovely fashion model's dreams of marital bliss are shattered when her fiance jilts her. To make matters worse, her father kills the cad and she...

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  • 1940
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    A Night at Earl Carroll's

    A Night at Earl Carroll's

    3.5 1940 HD

    Newly-elected reform Mayor Jones celebrates his victory over the crooked political machine with a party at Earl Carroll's night club. Steve Kalkus,...

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  • 1933
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    A Preferred List

    A Preferred List

    7 1933 HD

    A Preferred List is a 1933 American Pre-Code short comedy film produced by Lou Brock. At the 6th Academy Awards, held in 1933, it was nominated for...

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  • 1937
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    You're a Sweetheart

    You're a Sweetheart

    4 1937 HD

    A Broadway producer is in a quandary when he discovers that the opening of his newest big production coincides with that of a major charity event. He...

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  • 1941
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    Swing It Soldier

    Swing It Soldier

    5 1941 HD

    In this musical comedy, a pregnant disc jockey misses her husband who is fighting overseas. Stressed out by the situation and her job, she decides to...

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  • 1965
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    Hollywood My Home Town

    Hollywood My Home Town

    5.3 1965 HD

    Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.

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  • 1953
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    The Marshal's Daughter

    The Marshal's Daughter

    2.7 1953 HD

    To fully appreciate the western comedy The Marshal's Daughter, one must be aware that its star, a zaftig, wide-eyed lass named Laurie Anders, was in...

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  • 1938
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    Swing, Sister, Swing

    Swing, Sister, Swing

    1 1938 HD

    In this musical comedy, two star-struck small town kids head for the Big Apple and become famous for their jitterbug act. Their fame doesn't last...

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  • 1963
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    Son of Flubber

    Son of Flubber

    5.895 1963 HD

    Beleaguered professor Ned Brainard has already run into a pile of misfortunes with his discovery of the super-elastic substance "Flubber." Now he...

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  • 1933
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    From Headquarters

    From Headquarters

    5.8 1933 HD

    When a Broadway playboy is found dead, it's up to detective Jim Stevens to pick the murderer out of several likely candidates.

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  • 1930
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    Leathernecking

    Leathernecking

    1 1930 HD

    Chick Evans is a Marine private in Honolulu, Hawaii. He falls for society girl Delphine Witherspoon, and begins to scheme as to how to win her over.

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  • 1942
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    Juke Box Jenny

    Juke Box Jenny

    1 1942 HD

    Swing and jitterbug.

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  • 1946
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    Peeks at Hollywood

    Peeks at Hollywood

    1 1946 HD

    Two young beautiful starlets use the Griffith Observatory telescope to find stars in Hollywood.

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  • 1997
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    Frank Capra's American Dream

    Frank Capra's American Dream

    6.2 1997 HD

    A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard.

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  • 1976
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    Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

    Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

    4.1 1976 HD

    A would-be filmmaker and actress shake up the industry with a trick dog who gets discovered by a studio bus driver in the 1920s.

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  • 1948
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    Bill and Coo

    Bill and Coo

    6.2 1948 HD

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  • 1963
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    Hollywood Without Make-Up

    Hollywood Without Make-Up

    5.9 1963 HD

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  • 1983
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    Zelig

    Zelig

    7.4 1983 HD

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  • 1979
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    Ken Murray Shooting Stars

    Ken Murray Shooting Stars

    1 1979 HD

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  • 1965
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    Hollywood My Home Town

    Hollywood My Home Town

    5.3 1965 HD

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  • 1963
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    Burke's Law

    Burke's Law

    6 1963 HD

    Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s. The show starred Gene Barry as...

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  • 1948
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    The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    6.632 1948 HD

    The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by...

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  • 1963
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    The Greatest Show on Earth

    The Greatest Show on Earth

    5 1963 HD

    Johnny Slate successfully manages his circus as it moves from town to town.

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  • 1964
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    The Hollywood Palace

    The Hollywood Palace

    4.5 1964 HD

    The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly on ABC from January 4, 1964 to February 7, 1970....

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  • 1952
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    This Is Your Life

    This Is Your Life

    6.556 1952 HD

    This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961....

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  • 1963
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    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    5.5 1963 HD

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967....

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  • 1964
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    The Bing Crosby Show

    The Bing Crosby Show

    5 1964 HD

    The Bing Crosby Show is a 28-episode situation comedy television program starring crooner, film star, iconic phenomenon, and businessman Bing Crosby...

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  • 1950
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    The Ken Murray Show

    The Ken Murray Show

    7 1950 HD

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  • 1963
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    The Judy Garland Show

    The Judy Garland Show

    8 1963 HD

    The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963-1964 television season....

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  • 1957
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    The Lux Show

    The Lux Show

    6 1957 HD

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  • 1950
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    What's My Line?

    What's My Line?

    6.7 1950 HD

    Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity - by asking only "yes" or...

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