Keith David

KEITH DAVID has done two films with John Carpenter; The Thing and They Live.

Born in Harlem and raised in Queens, New York, David began singing as a child and continued to develop his voice, which led him to enter New York’s High School of Performing Arts. After graduation, David attended the Julliard School of Drama and subsequently made his professional acting debut as Raul Julia’s understudy in Othello.

David continued to perform in regional theatre and made his first Broadway appearance in The Lady From Dubuque. Roles in Coriolanus, Othello, The Pirates of Penzance, Waiting for Godot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and David Hare’s A Map of the World followed; David’s role in The Thing was his film debut.

Since then, he has achieved distinction for his portrayal of the tough, compassionate ghetto draftee in Platoon and has had roles in Missing in Action, Saigon, Hot Pursuit and in numerous theatrical productions. In addition, David appeared in the television special, Roots: The Next Generation.

Keith David on They Live & The Thing

Keith David plays the part of Frank in John Carpenter’s They Live, a man who is tightly bound to his family, even though he’s in Los Angeles and they’re in Detroit. He wants to make as few waves as possible in life and just turn the tide of disadvantage that’s been dogging him for so long.

"The ‘working homeless’ issue is very important to us today," emphasizes David in his deeply resonant voice. "The unspoken ritual of manhood in our society requires a home, requires a man to provide shelter for his family. If he can’t do that then he’s considered a failure, and how can he overcome that perception to take care of himself and the people who need him?"

David quickly agrees that he was drawn to the socio-political overtones on They Live, but says his main incentive to do the picture was John Carpenter himself, for whom David did his first film role in The Thing.

"I loved working with John; he shows a lot of respect and appreciation for his actors and helps them grow. In this case, I was also attracted to working with Roddy Piper, who has been a real pleasure to know. This film has been a very satisfying experience, both artistically and ethically."

Working on The Thing completely changed my attitude about the cold," David recalls. "up until then I’d always tried to fight it, and failed. But when I knew we were going to Alaska, I went out and bought all the right stuff, from parkas to long underwear, and I ended up really enjoying the whole experience. The film, of course, was also a terrific opportunity for me."

David has had the opportunity to see much of the world in the pursuit of his film career. His second movie was Platoon, for which he received critical notices for his portrayal of the tough but kind draftee from the ghetto who befriends Charlie Sheen’s character.

As other films followed, David began to consider a move to California. "New York has been an excellent place for me to work, but there are better opportunities for some roles in Los Angeles. I’ve been here since December 1987 and I love it."

David’s enthusiasm for L.A., however, has not stopped him from perceiving its seeming obsession material possessions and the extreme contrast between rich and poor, something pointed out clearly in They Live.

"I know what it’s like to be perceived as something other than what you are; that’s a major part of what these working homeless people are all about," says David. "In a place like Los Angeles, where your clothes, car and possessions are considered so much of a statement about you, people judge you harshly if they think you can’t measure up. I think that’s what motivated so many of the human characters in this movie to betray their own kind and side with the aliens – they just wanted a piece of the pie and didn't care how they got it."

"Acting in Threepenny Opera changed my attitude toward the poor; now, when I do have it, I like to give what I can. I strongly believe that actors have a responsibility to society to support the values they believe in – you can choose those values but you can’t avoid them. This picture has action, drama and thrills, but it also tells an important story about values, and that means something to me.

"It was really a pleasure to work with John again," concludes David. "He’s a very visual director, which has always been great, but I think he’s even better today as a communicator than he was when I did The Thing with him. I’ve been able to grow doing this part and I think it’s been possible because of his continual growth as a director."

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