After building a career as a character actor playing dozens of military men and cops, Ken Jenkins founds steady work and notoriety in 2001 when he was cast as Chief of Medicine Dr. Bob Kelso on NBC's Scrubs. Born in New Boston, OH, Jenkins began acting on the stage in the 1960s and continued to be a presence in the theater world throughout the '70s and into the '80s before transitioning to a screen career. His film roles included such varying and prominent features as Matewan and The Abyss, and his TV work included work on everything from Newhart to Star Trek: The Next Generation. In 1991, Jenkins got his first taste of regular series work when he was cast on the acclaimed family drama Homefront, which lasted two seasons. More supporting work followed before the creators of Scrubs came knocking and offered the role for which he would come to be best known. He would appear on the show until 2010, after which he took on a recurring role on the series Cougar Town.
Ken Jenkins
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- In 1969, co-founded the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where he acted, wrote and directed for more than a decade.
- Co-starred with his son, Daniel, in the 1985 Broadway musical Big River.
- Made his big-screen debut in John Sayles' historical drama Matewan (1987).
- Has co-starred with his wife, Katharine Houghton, in numerous stage productions, including The Taming of the Shrew, The Glass Menagerie and Major Barbara.
- Reunited with his former Scrubs boss, creator Bill Lawrence, on Lawrence's new show Cougar Town, in the recurring role of Chick.