About Ken
A professional actor for most of his life, Ken Schwarz has been working in and around the performing arts since the age of twelve, accumulating numerous credits in film, television, commercials, and appearing in over 80 plays at New York, Regional and Repertory theaters.
On Television, Ken has had roles on Ryan Murphy's American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, Law & Order: SVU, Bull, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, One Life to Live, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, and in Railroad Killer: The Angel Resendez Story, seen by over 18 million people on Nippon Network. He also starred on The Onion News web show Fake Coup.
In Feature Films, Ken has appeared in Hungry Years, Atlantic City Serenade, Hell’s Half-Acre, and in Jersey Justice starring Blanche Baker and Bo Svenson. He has also performed starring and principal roles in many short films, including Discharge, the film Ken wrote, produced and acts in, which has been an Official Selection at close to 40 US & International film festivals, garnering a number of awards -- including several Best Actor honors for his lead performance..
Ken is a produced author of plays, films, and musicals. His full-length play Yuletide Hearts received its world premiere for a sold-out, record-setting run of six weeks at a 500-seat professional theater, and was subsequently named one of the best new plays of the New Jersey professional theatre season (alongside plays by A.R. Gurney & Neil Simon).
Ken has produced & designed shows starring Joyce DeWitt, Jamie Farr, Mickey Rooney, Lucie Arnaz, and Julius LaRosa, among others. He has also directed a variety of plays and musicals which include: Over the River and Through the Woods featuring Emmy Award winner Bruce Weitz ("Hill Street Blues"), his American adaptation of Ray Cooney’s farce Run for Your Wife, and I Do! I Do! starring Andrea McArdle and Rex Smith.
Ken was the founding artistic director of the nonprofit Jersey Central Theatre Company. He has been a featured interview subject on the programs Jersey's Talking with Lee Leonard, and PBS's Discover NJ.
2010 - present
2010 - present
Film
Hungry Years | Last Ditch Pictures
Supporting
How To Kill Your Girlfriend's Cat | Visual Emanation Pictures
Supporting
Select Television
Bull | CBS
Principal
Law & Order: SVU | NBC-Universal
Principal
Criminal Intent | NBC-Universal
Principal
Select Stage
Jonestown | York Theatre Company, Snapple Theatre
Rep. Leo Ryan
My Mother Told Me I Was Different | Abingdon Theater
Bob
Fire Island | 3-Legged Dog
Bill
Thirty Minutes or Less | NY Int'l. Fringe Festival
Detective Richards
Select Directing
Over the River and Through the Woods | Hunterdon Hills Playhouse
Director, Producer
Same Time, Next Year | Jersey Central Theatre Company
Director, Producer, Scenic & Lighting Design, Lead Actor
Run For Your Wife | Hunterdon Hills Playhouse
Director, Adapter, Scenic Design, Lighting Design
Select Writing
Yuletide Hearts | Play
Playwright
In a Butterfly's Lifetime | Play
Playwright
Twist & Shout! | Revue
Book, Original Lyrics