This sturdy American actor spent many years as an underused player, generally cast as kindly uncles and Western second leads, before turning to gruff, cranky character parts in features and on TV. Brian Keith may be best recalled as the architect Bill Davis who takes in his two orphaned nieces and a nephew on "Family Affair" (CBS, 1966-71), but his work as Theodore Roosevelt in "The Wind and the Lion" (1975), Dr. Alexei Dubov in "Meteor" (1979) and Mauritz Stiller in "Moviola" (NBC, 1980) has proven him to be a capable and strong actor.The son of Broadway star, silent screen actor and talkie
