Full Name Alton A. Powers Name Ben Powers Years active 1975–1985 | Occupation Actor Cause of death Liver cancer Role Actor | |
Spouse Julia Harper (m. 1981–2012) Children Raleah Cameron Powers, Maleah Cameron Powers, Simone Emerson Powers, Augusta Valeria Powers Movies and TV shows Good Times, Cheech & Chong's Next Movie, Things Are Tough All Over, The Man Who Loved Women Similar People Johnny Brown, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ralph Carter, Esther Rolle, Ja'net Dubois | ||
Good times actor ben powers dies at the age of 64 breaking news
Alton Adelbert Powers (July 5, 1950 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as Ben Powers was an American actor. Powers was best known for his role as Thelma Evans's (portrayed by Bern Nadette Stanis) husband, Keith Albert Anderson, during the sixth and final season of the CBS sitcom Good Times (1978–79). Powers was also a cast member on the NBC television comedy series Laugh-In (1977–78). Powers died on April 6, 2015 at age 64 due to liver cancer.
Contents
- Good times actor ben powers dies at the age of 64 breaking news
- A Tribute to Ben Powers
- Biography
- Personal and death
- Filmography
- References
A Tribute to Ben Powers
Biography
Powers was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design. Powers got his first break in the 1970s with Adrian Hall, director at Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, his hometown. In addition to stage acting, Powers did stand-up comedy, amazing impressions, and sang standards as well as original music he wrote. He was discovered by a Hollywood agent in Providence, signed on to do movies, and entertained at the Playboy clubs in Las Vegas, New York & Boston. After Good Times, Powers guest starred on a number of popular TV dramas and sitcom shows of the 1980s including Gimme a Break!, Flamingo Road, The Greatest American Hero, The New Odd Couple and Laverne & Shirley. Powers was also a regular on the CBS-TV hit detective drama show Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in 1984-85, until the star, Stacy Keach, was arrested in London for cocaine smuggling and the show was canceled while Keach did time in England. Powers left the Hollywood scene at the end of 1985, before the detective series was picked up again. In the early 1980s, Powers took part in several major film projects, including appearances in "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie," "Things Are Tough All Over," and "The Man Who Loved Women." Alongside these cinema roles, she also featured in various made-for-TV movies, predominantly in smaller supporting roles.
Personal and death
Powers married Julia Harper (1950–2012) on May 4, 1981. They would have four daughters: twins Maleah Cameron Powers and Raleah Cameron Powers, Augusta Valeria Powers, and Simone Emerson Powers. Powers died of liver cancer on April 6, 2015 at the age of 64 and was cremated.
