Ben Powers

{{Short description|American actor (1950–2015)}} {{distinguish|Ben Power}} {{about||the American football player|Ben Powers (American football)}} {{Infobox person |name = Ben Powers |image = Ben_Powers_Actor.jpg |alt = |caption = Powers in 1977 |birth_name = Alton Adelbert Powers |birth_date = {{birth date|1950|7|5}} |birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. |death_date ={{death date and age|2015|4|6|1950|7|5}} |death_place = New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |education = Rhode Island School of Design |known_for = Keith Anderson – ''Good Times'' |occupation = Actor, comedian |years_active = 1974–1987 |partner = |website = }} '''Alton Adelbert Powers''' (July 5, 1950 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as '''Ben Powers''', was an American actor and comedian. Powers was best known for his role as Keith Albert Anderson, the husband of Thelma Evans, during the sixth and final season of the CBS sitcom ''Good Times''. Powers was also a cast member on the NBC television comedy series ''Laugh-In'' (1977–78).

Powers died on April 6, 2015, at age 64 due to liver cancer.<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ben-powers-dead-good-times-789946 The Hollywood Reporter: 'Good Times' Actor Ben Powers Dies at 64]</ref>

==Biography== Powers was born in New York City, in Brooklyn, and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design.<ref name="deadline"/> Powers got his first break in the 1970s with Adrian Hall, director at Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, his hometown. In addition to stage acting, Powers did stand-up comedy, performed impressions, and sang standards as well as original music he wrote. He was discovered by a Hollywood agent in Providence, signed on to do movies, and entertained at the Playboy clubs in Las Vegas, New York, and Boston. After ''Good Times'', Powers guest starred on a number of popular TV dramas and sitcom shows of the 1980s including ''Gimme a Break!'', ''Flamingo Road'', ''The Greatest American Hero'', ''The New Odd Couple'' and ''Laverne & Shirley''. Powers was also a regular on the CBS-TV hit detective drama show ''Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer'' in 1984–85, until the star, Stacy Keach, was arrested in London for cocaine smuggling and the show was canceled while Keach did time in England. Powers left the Hollywood scene at the end of 1985, before the detective series was picked up again. In the early 1980s, Powers appeared in a handful of big-screen films which included ''Cheech and Chong's Next Movie'', ''Things Are Tough All Over'' and ''The Man Who Loved Women'' as well as a number of made-for-TV movies, mostly in smaller supporting roles.

==Death== Powers died of liver cancer on April 6, 2015, at the age of 64 and was cremated.<ref name="deadline">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/ben-powers-dies-good-times-actor-was-64-1201412448/ |title=Ben Powers Dies: 'Good Times' Actor Was 64 |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=April 18, 2015 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/sad-news-good-times-actor-ben-powers-keith-passes-away-at-64/ Sad News: "Good Times actor Ben Powers passes away at 64"]</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |last2=Gajewski |first2=Ryan |date=April 19, 2015 |title='Good Times' actor Ben Powers dies at 64 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/19/entertainment/feat-good-times-ben-powers-dies/index.html |accessdate=April 20, 2015}}</ref>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1975 || ''Great Performances'' || John || Episode: "Brother to Dragons" |- | 1977–78 || ''Laugh-In'' || Regular performer ||6 episodes |- | 1978–79 || ''Good Times'' || Keith Anderson || 24 episodes |- | 1980 || ''Cheech and Chong's Next Movie'' || Welfare Black || |- | 1982 || ''Gimme a Break!'' || Tony || Episode: "Nell's Ex" |- | 1982 || ''Flamingo Road'' || TV reporter || Episode: "An Eye for an Eye"<br>Episode: "The Harder They Fall" |- | 1982 || ''Things Are Tough All Over'' || The Pimp || |- | 1982 || ''Drop-Out Father'' || Ben Brown || TV movie |- | 1982 || ''The New Odd Couple'' || Sidepocket Sidney || Episode: "The Hustler" |- | 1982 || ''The Greatest American Hero'' || Ivan || Episode: "The Price Is Right" |- | 1982–83 || ''Laverne & Shirley'' || Aaron<br>Rick West || Episode: "Death Row: Part 1"<br>Episode: "Here Today, Hair Tomorrow" |- | 1983 || ''The Man Who Loved Women'' || Al || |- | 1984 || ''Shattered Vows'' || Tod || TV movie |- | 1984 || ''Uncensored'' || Skit characters || Direct-to-video |- | 1984–85 || ''Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer'' || Moochie || 13 episodes |}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0694497}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Ben}} Category:1950 births Category:2015 deaths Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:Male actors from Yonkers, New York Category:Male actors from Brooklyn Category:Male actors from Providence, Rhode Island Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Rhode Island School of Design alumni Category:Comedians from Brooklyn Category:20th-century American comedians Category:20th-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:African-American male comedians Category:African-American comedians Category:American male comedians Category:Comedians from Rhode Island