Kenneth Marine Kercheval (July 15, 1935 – April 21, 2019) was an American actor, best known for his role as Cliff Barnes on the television series Dallas and its 2012 revival.[1][2]
Kercheval is best known for having played J.R.'s nemesis Cliff Barnes on the CBS television series Dallas.[4] He starred in the show from 1978 to 1991, from its pilot episode to the series finale. He initially was cast as Ray Krebbs before being given the role of Cliff Barnes. Kercheval and Larry Hagman were the only Dallas cast members to stay with the series throughout its entire run, although Kercheval's character was only a recurring character during the first two seasons. He became a regular cast member in the 1979–1980 season. Kercheval reprised the role of Cliff Barnes in the 1996 Dallas reunion, J. R. Returns, and he appeared in the 2004 CBS reunion special. He again reprised the role in the Dallas (2012) series.[5][2]
Onstage with Nancy Kelly in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1963)
In the 1980s, he made numerous appearances on Super Password and The $25,000 Pyramid. In 1991, he appeared in the reunion movie, I Still Dream of Jeannie, playing Mr. Simpson, a guidance counselor at Anthony Nelson Jr.'s high school and was the temporary master for Anthony Jr.'s mother, Jeannie (Barbara Eden); this was because Larry Hagman, who played Tony Nelson, was not available to reprise his role, as he had not yet finished his run on Dallas – the irony being that I Dream of Jeannie was Hagman's first major series, and the actors' respective Dallas characters despised each other. He also appeared as a ballroom dance teacher in the independent film California Casanova.
In 1985, Kercheval became a partner in the Old Capital Popcorn Company.[1] The business thrived at first, but the partnership soured in 1988. The financial issues and other conflicts led to a 1989 armed rampage and suicide on the Dallas set by one of the partners.[6]
Personal life and death
A lifelong smoker, Kercheval was a lung cancer survivor after having had part of his lung removed in 1994.[7][8] Kercheval was married and divorced three times and had five children. As of 2012[update], he had six grandchildren.
In later years, he spent the majority of his time near his family in Clinton, IN, where he enjoyed attending local fairs and festivals.
Kercheval died of pneumonia on April 21, 2019, at the age of 83.[3][9] He is buried in Pisgah Cemetery in Vermillion County with a small cemetery marker to reference his grave. No memorial, plaque or gravestone has been erected by family, colleagues, or fans.[citation needed]
Filmography
Naked City (1962, TV Series) as Acting Student (uncredited)
The Defenders (1962–1965, TV Series) as Harry Grant / Jack Wilks
