Severn Darden

Biography

Severn Teakle Darden Jr. (November 9, 1929 – May 27, 1995) was a prominent American comedian and actor, best known as a founding member of The Second City, a renowned Chicago-based comedy troupe, and its predecessor, the Compass Players. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Kolp, the human leader, in the fourth and fifth installments of the Planet of the Apes film series. Darden's innovative live comedy improvisation, particularly his character "Walther von der Vogelweide," left a lasting impact on two generations of comedic talent.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Darden attended the University of Chicago, where he became a "campus legend," as noted by poet Paul Carroll. His distinctive blend of offbeat, intellectual humor played a significant role in shaping The Second City's comedic style. Carroll described Darden as a fusion of surrealistic New Orleans wit and the sharp, edgy humor characteristic of "Chicago Style." A testament to his quirky humor was his clever adaptation of the phrase "Know thyself" into the seven-character limit of a New Mexico license plate: NOYOSEF.

Darden was a key figure in Paul Sills' Compass Players, the first improvisational theater in the United States, which performed in the Chicago area during the mid-1950s. When Sills established The Second City in 1959, he invited many of the Compass Players, including Darden, to join, further solidifying his legacy in the world of comedy.