Alton Adelbert Powers (July 5, 1950 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as Ben Powers, was an American actor. Powers was best known for his role as Thelma Evans's (portrayed by Bern Nadette Stanis) husband, Keith Albert Anderson, during the sixth and final season of the CBS sitcom Good Times (1978–79). Powers was also a cast member on the NBC television comedy series Laugh-In (1977–78).

Ben Powers
Powers in 1977
Born	Alton Adelbert Powers (1950-07-05)July 5, 1950 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Died	April 6, 2015(2015-04-06) (aged 64) New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Rhode Island School of Design
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1974–1987
Known for	Keith Anderson – Good Times

Powers died on April 6, 2015, at age 64 due to liver cancer.[1]

Biography

Powers was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design.[2] Powers got his first break in the 1970s with Adrian Hall, director at Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, his hometown. In addition to stage acting, Powers did stand-up comedy, performed impressions, and sang standards as well as original music he wrote. He was discovered by a Hollywood agent in Providence, signed on to do movies, and entertained at the Playboy clubs in Las Vegas, New York, and Boston. After Good Times, Powers guest starred on a number of popular TV dramas and sitcom shows of the 1980s including Gimme a Break!, Flamingo Road, The Greatest American Hero, The New Odd Couple and Laverne & Shirley. Powers was also a regular on the CBS-TV hit detective drama show Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in 1984–85, until the star, Stacy Keach, was arrested in London for cocaine smuggling and the show was canceled while Keach did time in England. Powers left the Hollywood scene at the end of 1985, before the detective series was picked up again. In the early 1980s, Powers appeared in a handful of big-screen films which included Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, Things Are Tough All Over and The Man Who Loved Women as well as a number of made-for-TV movies, mostly in smaller supporting roles.

Death

Powers died of liver cancer on April 6, 2015, at the age of 64 and was cremated.[2][3][4]

Filmography

References

External links

• Ben Powers at IMDb

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