Kevin Hagen Biography

Fast Facts

• Briefly attended Oregon State University before enlisting in the United States Navy during WWII, but eventually earned a degree from the University of Southern California following the war
• Succumbed to esophageal cancer at 77-years-old in 2005
• Quote: "(When asked about constantly portraying bad guys on screen) "It was fun․ You could be as mean as you wanted to be․""
• Wrote and performed in the traveling show, "A Playful Dose of Prairie Wisdom"
• Best known for playing antagonists in Western films and television series throughout the '50s and '60s
• At one point, he taught ballroom dancing at the Arthur Murray Company, as both of his parents were professional dancers
• Initially intended to become a lawyer after working for the State Department in Germany during WWII, but dropped out of law school to pursue acting