Ken Berry's life was deeply intertwined with dance and the military. At the tender age of 13, he was mesmerized by the dancers he saw at a carnival at his grade school, which sparked a lifelong passion for the art form. His parents were incredibly supportive of his newfound interest, and his father even booked him into variety shows.
Berry's big break came when he was 16, as he joined the Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program, which allowed him to tour towns across the United States and even entertain troops in Germany, Ireland, England, and several other countries through the Air Force.
His military service continued, and he won a spot in Arlene Francis' Talent Patrol show in 1953. Berry also participated in the All-Army talent contest and made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
After completing his army hitch in 1955, Berry took the advice of his sergeant, Leonard Nimoy, to relocate to California. He enrolled in Falcon Studios on the GI Bill to study acting and landed a job at the Cabaret Theater for $11 a week.
Berry's big break came when he joined the "Billy Barnes Revue" from 1958 to 1964. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Jackie Joseph, whom he married in 1960. The couple adopted two children, John Kenneth and Jennifer Kate, in 1964 and 1965, respectively.
Berry's breakout role came in the classic sitcom F Troop in 1965, where he played the bashful, bumbling, but good-hearted Captain who always resisted Wrangler Jane's advances. Although the show only ran for two seasons, it seems like a lot longer due to reruns.
After F Troop, Berry landed the role of a lifetime when he took over for Andy Griffith in the retooled Mayberry R.F.D. in 1968. The show was a huge hit with Berry in the lead and remained popular until its cancellation in 1971.
Berry appeared in an unsold The Brady Bunch spin-off pilot in 1969 and went on to do summer and winter stock. He kept hoping for a new series and got his wish with Mama's Family in 1983, where he played a married man and seemed to make up for lost time with on-screen wife Dorothy Lyman.
The series initially aired for two seasons before being canceled, but when it was sold into syndication, more new episodes were needed. From 1986 to 1990, it was a top-rated sitcom. Berry continued to get occasional TV roles and tried theater again, starring alongside Carol Burnett in the stage production of "From the Top" in 1993.
Early in 1999, Berry ventured back into television with a guest spot, enjoying the experience.
