
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 27, 1995                   TAG: 9505300060
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

COMIC, ACTOR SEVERN DARDEN DEAD AT 65

Severn Darden, an improvisational comedian and actor who worked in theater, film and television, died Friday at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 65.

The cause of death was heart failure, a family friend said.

Darden was widely recognized in the world of improvisational theater as a comic genius whose wacky portrayals of a German know-it-all professor and a nitpicking expert on everything under the sun influenced generations of comics.

He was a founding member of the Second City troupe in Chicago, which produced such stars as Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Shelly Berman, Alan Arkin and Barbara Harris. He also spent three seasons at the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Conn.

But improvisational comedy was Darden's strong point. He was able to play off words and situations with manic variety.

His film roles included the mean doctor in ``Planet of the Apes,'' the White House psychiatrist in ``The President's Analyst'' and the evil outlaw in ``The Hired Hand.'' He also appeared in ``They Shoot Horses, Don't They?,'' ``The Last Movie,'' ``Luv,'' ``Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round'' and ``A New Face in Hell.''

- THE NEW YORK TIMES

by CNB