Kenneth Washington, the film and television actor who appeared on several high-profile shows over multiple decades, has died at 88.
Washington died last week on July 18, according to Variety.
The performer held the sad distinction of being the last living cast member from Hogan’s Heroes, the classic CBS sitcom set in a POW camp in Nazi Germany.
Washington had guest roles on major TV series, including My Three Sons, the 1967 revival of Dragnet, Petticoat Junction, The FBI, The Rockford Files and Police Story, among others.
He also held the distinction of playing a guest role on the third and final season of the original Star Trek series in 1969.
Washington joined Hogan’s Heroes in 1970 for the show’s sixth and final season.
He played Sergeant Richard Baker, who filled the void left by the departure of another Black actor, Ivan Dixon, who had appeared in the previous five seasons as Staff Sergeant James ‘Kinch’ Konloe.
Although Washington was a main cast member, his part wasn’t as juicy as Dixon’s had been.
He didn’t have time to expand the character, as the show was canceled after his first season on Hogan’s Heroes.
The show was a ratings success in its early seasons, and it won two Emmy Awards during its run after being nominated 12 times.
Hogan’s Heroes was also recognized for featuring Black actors in major roles when it was honored at the first NAACP Image Awards in 1967.
Washington had a guest role that year on another show that was honored at the Image Awards, Daktari, and he later appeared on Star Trek, which was also cited for its diverse casting.
Washington had small, sometimes uncredited roles in a handful of films, though he was primarily known for his work in television.
His most prominent film role was as a technician in Michael Crichton’s 1973 sci-fi western thriller Westworld.
Aside from his season on Hogan’s Heroes, his longest running television role was as Officer Miller on Adam-12. The recurring role on the popular police drama lasted for eight episodes in 1968 and ’69.
Washington was born in Ethel, Mississippi, in 1936, but his family soon relocated to California’s Bay Area.
As an adult, Washington caught the acting bug and moved south to Los Angeles to focus on auditions.
As his acting career wound down, he enrolled at Loyola Marymount University to earn his degree, and he subsequent returned to the university as a instructor leading a class on Black film actors.
Washington also taught classes on oral interpretation and speech at Southwest College in LA, according to Variety.
Washington was previously married to Alyce Hawkins from 1959 to 1969, and they shared three children: Kim Lee, Kenneth Jr. and Quianna Stokes-Washington.
In 2001, he married his second wife, Alice Marshall, who was at one time the editor-in-chief of the LA-based Wave Newspapers, as well as a former film reviews editor at Variety.
Washington is survived by his wife, his three children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, as well as his brother Johnnie and sister Aaliyah Akbar.
