Kay Edwin Emmert Kuter (April 25, 1925 - November 12, 2003) was an American character actor who starred on television and in film. Kay was born in Los Angeles, California.
Kuter is known for his role in the 1960s television series Green Acres and Petticoat Junction as Newt Kiley. He seesawed back and forth between both shows. Often he would appear with a hat on, looking like Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter. He also starred in several television movies.
He appeared in many films including The Last Starfighter as Enduran, Warlock, and Gross Anatomy. His last movie role was in the 2004 film Forbidden Warrior.
In recent years, Kay did extensive voice acting in video games including playing the bartender Griswold Goodsoup in The Curse of Monkey Island and Dockmaster Velasco in Grim Fandango, both well-known LucasArts Adventure games of the 90s. He was probably best known to video game fans as Werner Huber in Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within. He was also the voice of "Hershey's Kisses" commercials for 14 years.
He made guest appearances on many television shows including Bonanza, Perry Mason, Star Trek: The Next Generation as a Cytherian in the season 4 episode "The Nth Degree", and in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the Bajoran Sirah in the season 1 episode "The Storyteller". He also appeared on ER, Charmed, Seinfeld as the Latvian Orthodox priest, and Frasier as a vagrant who wants a kiss from Martin.
Graduate of Van Nuys High School (California) 1943, which also spawned other Hollywood luminaries: Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford and many other stars.
Voiced "Hershey's Kisses" commercials for the last 14 years of his life.
Directed more than 50 plays and appeared in over 200 stage productions.
Studied at Pomona College and UCLA, and graduated from what is now called Carnegie Mellon University.
From a show business family, his father was pioneer art director Leo "K" Kuter and mother was silent screen actress Evelyn Edler, who died in July 2003 at age 103, just a few months before Kay passed away.
Character actor best known for his countrified roles, though he was born in Los Angeles. Seesawed between the two bucolic 60s sitcoms "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" as neighborly farmer Newt Kiley.
Son of Leo K. Kuter
