Ken Lynch - Actor Profile

Ken Lynch

Acting
Updated: Apr 10, 2026
38Total Films
8.0 Highest Rated
Born: Jul 15, 1910
Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

About Ken Lynch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kenneth E. Lynch (July 15, 1910 – February 13, 1990) was an American radio, film, and television actor with more than 180 credits to his name. He was generally known for portraying law enforcement officers and detectives. Early life Kenneth Englehart Lynch was born on July 15, 1910, in Albany, New York, the only child of Bertha Dietzel and Charles William Lynch. His father was a native of Woburn, Massachusetts, who started his career as a coffee salesman, and then became a creamery owner in Troy, New York. His mother was from Yonkers, New York, a third generation German-American. His middle name was his maternal grandmother's maiden name. Career He appeared in numerous television series. He made three guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Wallace Lang in "The Case of the Stuttering Bishop" in 1959, Robert Hayden in "The Case of the Irate Inventor" in 1960 and Customs Inspector Wendel in "The Case of the Floating Stones" in 1963. Some of the other series in which Lynch appeared are Peter Gunn, Zorro, Have Gun - Will Travel ("Fight at Adobe Wells"), Gunsmoke (“Bureaucrat” & “The Patsy”), Checkmate ("Cyanide Touch"), woman"), Checkmate ("Born To Hang"), The Asphalt Jungle, Straightaway, The Honeymooners, The Fugitive, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Blue Light, Adam-12, Star Trek ("The Devil in the Dark") Season 1, Episode 25 as Chief Engineer Vanderberg in 1967, Maverick, All In The Family (in the famous episode, "Archie and the Lockup", where he played Guard Callaghan), The Twilight Zone ("Mr. Denton on Doomsday"), The Rifleman, and The Wild Wild West. In 1960 Lynch appeared as Al Killmer in the TV western series Lawman in the episode titled "The Escape of Joe Killmer." He played The Freighter in S8 E26 "The Jarbo Pierce Story" on "Wagon Train", 1965. Between 1972 and 1977, he made 16 guest appearances on McCloud, performing as a police sergeant and later a detective named Grover on the series. In September 1974, he appeared in the very first episode of the cult classic, Kolchak:The Night Stalker, playing a police captain. He previously appeared in 12 episodes of Gunsmoke, 10 episodes of The F.B.I., nine episodes of Bonanza, and six episodes in both The Virginian and Gomer Pyle, USMC. Among the feature films in which he appeared are I Married a Monster from Outer Space, North By Northwest, The Lawbreakers, Pork Chop Hill, Anatomy of a Murder and Tora! Tora! Tora!. He appeared in Battlestar Galactica as Dr Horning in episode 22, "Experiment in Terra" (1979). Lynch's last credited performance was in the role of Rear Admiral Talbot Gray in the 1983 seven-part miniseries The Winds of War. Flower business Even though Lynch still had a very successful career as an actor by the 1970s, he began looking for another, more steady source of income. He explained in a 1975 newspaper interview: "In acting you just can't predict the jobs that will come along. If you could, you could budget." Death Lynch died at age 79 from a virus on February 13, 1990, in Burbank, California. He was buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles. CLR

Ken Lynch Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Ken Lynch reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 38 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Ken Lynch's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 29% of Ken Lynch's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains North by Northwest, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Ken Lynch Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Ken Lynch's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Ken Lynch has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
1982 Rooster Poker Player Flop Similar →
1975 Switch Stoker Flop Similar →
1974 W Guard Average Similar →
1974 Willie Dynamite Judge #1 Average Similar →
1973 Bad Charleston Charlie Sherrif Koontz Flop Similar →
1973 Poor Devil Desk Sergeant Flop Similar →
1972 Across 110th Street Tailor Shop Patrolman Hit Similar →
1972 Jigsaw Mr. Cummings Flop Similar →
1971 Incident in San Francisco Detective Hanson Flop Similar →
1970 Run, Simon, Run Warden Lomis Flop Similar →
1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Rear Adm. John H. Newton (uncredited) Hit Similar →
1969 My Dog, the Thief Lt. Burrows Hit Similar →
1968 Never a Dull Moment Police Lieutenant (uncredited) Average Similar →
1968 P.J. Thorson Flop Similar →
1967 Hotel Joe Laswell Average Similar →
1966 Mister Buddwing Dan Average Similar →
1965 Dear Heart Hotel masher Average Similar →
1964 Apache Rifles Hodges Average Similar →
1964 Dead Ringer Captain Johnson Hit Similar →
1963 Days of Wine and Roses Proprietor (uncredited) Super Hit Similar →
1962 Walk on the Wild Side Frank Bonito Hit Similar →
1961 The Honeymoon Machine Capt. James Angle Average Similar →
1961 The Lawbreakers Ed Rackin Average Similar →
1961 Portrait of a Mobster Anthony Parazzo Flop Similar →
1960 The Dark at the Top of the Stairs Harry Ralston Average Similar →
1960 Seven Ways from Sundown Graves Average Similar →
1959 North by Northwest Charley Super Hit Similar →
1959 Anatomy of a Murder Det. Sgt. James "Jim" Durgo Super Hit Similar →
1959 The Legend of Tom Dooley Father Super Hit Similar →
1959 Pork Chop Hill Major General Trudeau Hit Similar →
1959 Paratroop Command Lieutenant Flop Similar →
1958 Unwed Mother Probation Officer Curtis Flop Similar →
1958 I Married a Monster from Outer Space Dr. Wayne Average Similar →
1958 Voice in the Mirror Frank - Bartender Average Similar →
1958 Man or Gun Buckstorm Corley Flop Similar →
1958 The Bonnie Parker Story Cook Flop Similar →
1958 Young and Wild David Whitman Flop Similar →
1958 Run Silent, Run Deep Frank (uncredited) Hit Similar →

Ken Lynch - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Ken Lynch?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Ken Lynch is "North by Northwest" with a rating of 8.0/10.

How many movies has Ken Lynch acted in?

Ken Lynch has been featured in at least 38 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Ken Lynch?

Other notable films include "Anatomy of a Murder", "The Legend of Tom Dooley", and "Days of Wine and Roses".

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