Kenneth Welsh, ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ Actor, Dies at 80

Welsh is best known to American audiences for his role as Windom Earle, the crazed FBI agent in Season 2 of the groundbreaking television series “twin peaks.”

He was a constant figure on television in Canada, frequently starring in television movies, and played various historical figures on screen.

Born in 1942 in Edmonton, Alberta, Welsh studied at the National Theater School of Canada in Montreal. He then spent the early years of his career as a performer at the world famous Stratford Festival, renowned for its performances of Shakespeare’s plays. In 2006, he would play himself in an episode of “Slings & Arrows,” an acclaimed comedy series set in a fictional Stratford-inspired theater company.

Welsh’s first screen credit was as a performer on “Shoestring Theatre,” a 1963 CBC anthology series that saw a group of actors perform minimalist, experimental productions of plays. He made a few more television appearances in the ’60s, including TV movie versions of “Henry V” (where he played Grey) and “The Three Musketeers” (where he played the central role of D’Artagnan).

During the 1970s and 1980s, Welsh worked primarily in Canada.

He had notable roles in such television movies as “Hedda Gabler,” “Reno and the Doc,” “A Stranger Waits,” and “Love and Hate.” In 1988, she played a supporting role in “Crocodile Dundee II” and starred in an episode of the “Twilight Zone” revival, which was in progress at the time.

Welsh was cast as Windom Earle, one of the central villains of “Twin Peaks” season 2, in 1990. Earle, a former partner and mentor to senior special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), went insane and murdered his wife. . After escaping from captivity, he traveled to the titular city of Twin Peaks in hopes of unleashing the power of the supernatural Black Lodge.

Welsh had a menacing presence as Earle, who was memorable for his cruel nature and obsession with chess. The actor starred in 10 episodes of the show and was a central figure in the show’s famously ambiguous ending.

After “Twin Peaks,” Welsh began to work more in the United States, although he continued to make frequent appearances in Canadian productions. He has guest starred on shows including “The X-Files,” “Law & Order,” “Due South,” “Smallville,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “The Expanse,” and “Star Trek: Discovery.”

In 2018, Welsh took on a notable recurring role in “Lodge 49,” where he played Larry Loomis, the leader of a fraternal order. He also went on to star in television movies, including portraying US President Harry S. Truman in two separate productions: “Hiroshima” in 1995 and “Haven” in 2001.

From 2000 to 2002, Welsh starred as Dr. Watson opposite Matt Frewer as Sherlock Holmes in four television movies for the Hallmark Channel.

Welsh had supporting roles in such theatrical films as “Timecop” and “Legends of the Fall.” In 2004, he played Dr. Hepburn, the father of Cate Blanchett’s Katharine Hepburn, in Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator.” The same year, he also played the incompetent Vice President of the United States, Raymond Becker, in Roland Emmerich’s disaster film “The Day After Tomorrow.” At the time of the film’s release, there was some criticism of how Welsh resembled then-Vice President Dick Cheney, which Emmerich admitted was intentional.

Other notable films include “The Fog,” “The Covenant,” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”

At the time of his death, Welsh had several projects in post-production.

He was scheduled to make a guest appearance on Prime Video’s revival of the Canadian comedy series “The Kids in the Hall,” set to premiere later this month. Other upcoming roles include appearances in such films as “Campton Manor,” “Midnight at the Paradise,” “Deadly Draw,” and “Afterwards.”

Welsh is survived by his son, Devon Welsh, a singer-songwriter.