Alton "Ben" Powers (July 5, 1950 – April 6, 2015) was an American actor. He was known for his role as Thelma Evans's husband, Keith Anderson, during the sixth and final season of the 1970s TV show Good Times (1978–1979). During the 1970s, he was a cast member of the TV comedy series Laugh-In.

Biography

Powers was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design.

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, amazing 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 & Boston.

Powers died on April 6, 2015 at the age of 64.


Good Times, other TV show roles
After Good Times, Powers guest starred on a number of popular TV dramas and sitcom shows of the 80s 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.


Film roles
In the early 1980s, Powers appeared in a handful of big-screen films which included Cheech & 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. He married Julia Harper (December 1, 1950-June 23, 2012) on May 4, 1981. They would have 5 daughters: Twins Maleah Cameron Powers and Raleah Cameron Powers born on February 17, 1982; Augusta Valeria Powers, born on April 20, 1984; and Simone Emerson Powers, born on August 21, 1988.