Keenan was born in
Los Angeles on December 12, 1939, but was raised in nearby
Pasadena, California. In 1951, he became a choirboy with the
San Francisco Opera. He graduated from
Loyola High School, a
Jesuit-run school in Los Angeles, and received his
bachelor's degree from
Santa Clara University. Keenan, a prolific theater actor, appeared in more than 100
stage productions throughout his career, including shows at the San Diego Shakespeare Festival,
Seattle Repertory Theatre, the
Mark Taper Forum, the
Ahmanson Theatre, and the
South Coast Repertory. Notably, he starred in the
Peter Hall's
Broadway revival of
Amadeus, where he portrayed
Baron van Swieten, from 1999 to 2000. Keenan also
directed stage productions at
Occidental College, the
Pasadena Playhouse, the
Old Globe Theatre in
San Diego's
Balboa Park, the
Tiffany Theater in
West Hollywood, and the
Asolo Repertory Theatre in
Sarasota, Florida. On television, Keenan was best known for playing Mayor Bill Pugen in the
CBS television series,
Picket Fences. His television credits included recurring and guest roles in
Star Trek: The Next Generation,
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and
Star Trek: Voyager, as well as
Cheers,
Dallas,
Hill Street Blues,
WKRP in Cincinnati, and
Quincy, M.E.. More recently, Keenan starred in the 2014
Hulu comedy series,
Complete Works. Keenan taught acting and directing at the
University of Southern California for more than 25 years. Keenan also successfully taught at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts-at their Los Angeles Campus. Beginning in 1987, Keenan directed at least one play or other stage production for the
USC School of Dramatic Arts until his retirement in 2015. Michael Keenan died from natural causes at the
Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital (MPTF) in the
Woodland Hills neighborhood of
Los Angeles on April 30, 2020, at the age of 80. ==References==