Ken Danziger (a.k.a. Kenneth Scott) was born on January 12, 1945 in Essex, England. Six months after being diagnosed with cancer Ken died on December 12, 2021 at his home in Santa Monica. Ken was an actor and director, and for the last twenty years devoted himself to the Didi Hirsh Suicide Prevention Center (SPC).
Ken’s mother brought Ken to California in his teens where he began theater studies at El Camino College prior to returning to the UK, training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and then joining Joan Littlewood’s Stratford East Theatre Company. Ken excelled in stage, film, and television acting in London, New York, and Los Angeles, as well as extensive voice work in radio, audio books and looping. For BBC Radio Ken was Cliff opposite Alfred Molina in A Small Family Business directed by Martin Jarvis, OBE. Theater credits included his Off-Broadway debut as Dad/Manager in Greek (Actors Playhouse & Matrix Theatre/LA) a play that shook the theatre community, and regionally, as Major Murgatroyd in Patience (Antaeus Theatre), Dr. Alfred Feldmann in Duet for One (Chester Theatre, Fountain Theatre), Lord Gordon in The Grace of Mary Traverse (Edgemar Center for the Arts). John Tillinger in Ashes, Ovation Award nominated (Fountain Theatre). He directed The Man Himself (Stages), and Mozart’s Zaide (John Anson Ford Amphitheatre) to critical acclaim. In film Ken was best known for The Holiday, The Scout, Between Two Women, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Yellowbeard and numerous televisions credits.
Beginning in 1999 Ken became an accredited counselor, supervisor, and teacher for the Didi Hirsch SPC where he was able to use the wisdom, compassion and skilled listening from his years as an actor to train listeners that less is more, that words matter and can turn a story around, and that everyone can help prevent suicide. His SPC family is currently searching through their arsenal of “Ken-isms” to express their love and devotion and find a way to move on without his inimitable presence and wit and warmth; “onward!” as Ken would have reminded them.
Ken was devoted to his wife of 42 years, Tina Scott, who survives him. They met in London, moved to New York and Los Angeles where they made their home in Santa Monica for the last 40 years. Ken did not want a fuss made about him. That being said, devoted friends will do just that at the Fountain Theatre on a date TBD in May 2022.
In lieu of flowers donations in Ken Danziger-Scott’s memory can be made to the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center, the Colburn School of Music, or to the Fountain Theatre.
Submitted by June Stoddard