Frederick King Keller

Frederick King Keller passed away peacefully in Los Angeles following a catastrophic brain injury, at the age of 75.

An award-winning and internationally respected producer, director, and writer, Fred’s body of work spanned film, television, and theater over a career of more than four decades. He was known for the fluidity of his visual style, his ability to elicit strong performances, and his steady leadership on set—keeping the drama on screen and not behind the camera.

Born on April 18, 1950, in Buffalo, New York, Frederick was the only son of Frederick A. Keller and Dr. Joyce Keller (née Dennison). His father—a pioneering actor and writer—produced and directed the first weekly dramatic television series for WBEN in Buffalo and managed several art-house cinemas in the city. His mother served as a distinguished speech therapist in the Buffalo public school system. Immersed in cinema from an early age through his father’s theaters, Frederick developed a lifelong passion for storytelling. As a teenager, Fred built confidence and discipline through sports, playing goalie in hockey, goalkeeper in soccer, and competing in tennis.

While earning his Bachelor of Arts in English at Hamilton College, Fred met and studied with Nat Boxer, one of Francis Ford Coppola’s favored technicians. During this period, Fred would direct several short films, including “A Winter’s Tale,” which screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1974.

Following graduation, Fred directed several short dramatic films for the Communications Office of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. One of these, “A Midnight Clear,” received a prestigious Gabriel Award honoring excellence in inspirational media. He subsequently developed and directed a feature-length film for local television, “Skeleton Key.” That project led to his production and direction of the original film adaptation of Natalie Babbitt’s “Tuck Everlasting,” followed by “The Eyes of the Amaryllis.” His third independently produced feature, “Vamping,” starred Patrick Duffy.

Partly on the strength of this work Fred was invited to direct half of the episodes of Nickelodeon’s first sitcom, “Hey Dude,” filmed entirely on location in Tucson, Arizona. This marked the beginning of a prolific career in network television, during which he directed more than 200 hours of episodic television. His credits include acclaimed series such as “New York Undercover,” “The Pretender,” “House,” “24,” “CSI: Miami,” “Boomtown,” “Numb3rs,” “Life,” and “Blue Bloods.” He also served as Producer or Supervising Producer on several series, including “The Pretender,” “Boomtown,” and “Blue Bloods.”

In 2016, Fred returned to short-form storytelling with the pilot “Weight,” which received the Writers Guild of America Award for Short Form New Media – Original.

His writing credits include the Columbo mystery “Columbo Goes to College,” starring Peter Falk and guest-starring Robert Culp.

Beyond film and television, Fred maintained a deep commitment to theater. He directed operas such as Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and Francis Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites,” as well as numerous stage productions in Canada, New York, Connecticut, and Los Angeles. He took particular pride in returning to his hometown of Buffalo to direct the annual mid-winter mystery play at the Studio Arena Theatre (now Shea’s 710 Theatre) over multiple seasons.

Fred was deeply grateful for the career he was able to build and never took his good fortune for granted. He relished every opportunity to mentor and encourage those aspiring to work in the arts, keenly aware of how difficult the path can be, even for the most dedicated.

Fred’s most recent project, “The Cartoonist,” which he wrote and was planning to direct, is a feature-length mystery thriller set during the Cannes Film Festival, slated to be shot on location along the Côte d’Azur in collaboration with the Paris-based production company Pistoleros.

Fred shared nearly fifty years of marriage with his wife, Elizabeth. Their life together was bonded in mutual respect, humor, intellectual companionship, and enduring love. They were each other’s closest confidants and greatest supporters.

Beyond his professional work, Fred was a devoted partner, a loyal friend, and a man of strong values. Thoughtful and private, he was deeply principled, with a dry wit and a keen eye for the human condition. Those who knew him well remember his steadiness, his insight, and the care he brought to his relationships.

A funeral mass will be held 1:00 PM, February 25, 2026, at Church of the Good Shepherd, 504 N Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

A Celebration of Life Memorial is planned for 1:00 PM, April 18, 2026, at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village, 1218 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024.

A Celebration of Life Memorial is also being planned with family and friends in Buffalo, NY this coming July. Info, when available, by request at [email protected]

In lieu of flowers, donations in Fred’s honor may be made to one of the following organizations, or to your local PBS station:

Theatre of Youth (TOY), Buffalo

https://theatreofyouth.org/donate

PBS Stations WNED-TV / NPR Buffalo Toronto

https://www.btpm.org/support

PBS SoCal

https://www.pbssocal.org/support/donate

May his memory bring comfort to those who knew him and inspiration to those who follow in his creative footsteps.