Kurt Kleinmann, Artistic Director
You know him as Harry Hunsacker, the inept but endearing would-be actor who has turned would-be detective. Once a year you follow his adventures: Harry and his paid-by-the-hour friend and assistant Nigel Grouse join forces with the perpetually frazzled Lt Foster to solve crimes using Harry’s limited wits and a lot of luck!
But what about the man behind the makeup, Kurt Kleinmann? How much do you know about him?
As Kurt’s wife and producing partner, I’m in a good position to tell you almost anything you’d like to know. This isn’t going to be a comprehensive biography, just a few nuggets to help you understand the creator of this series that has brought so much laughter to so many people!
First some background: Kurt is the youngest of four boys born to Erwin and Bette Kleinmann. Those of you who have been with us since the 1980s will remember that Kurt’s parents (known as Mr and Mrs K) were a constant presence in the early years. They provided support in a myriad of ways, and thanks to Mrs K’s vacuuming addiction, the little theatre on Main Street in Deep Ellum was always spotless!
Kurt always knew he would be an actor, and that goal led him to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication at the University of Texas at Arlington (before they had an actual theatre degree program). After brief stints in San Francisco and New York, Kurt came back to the DFW area, and in October 1985, Pegasus Theatre opened its doors with Kurt as Artistic Director.
From the beginning Kurt was devoted to comedy. He held the two-fold belief that comedy was both harder and more impactful than drama, and the years have not dimmed this view. His passion for comedy sometimes posed challenges, as grant-writing organizations would question the need for a comedy-focused theatre. But Kurt persisted, and the many lives he has touched have been his reward.
Kurt also had a firm belief in the power of collaboration among theatres. He was instrumental in the formation of Chimera, a group of 5-6 theatres that shared ideas and marketing efforts in the late 80s to early 90s. And Kurt was voted the president of the Dallas Theatre League for the first five years of its existence, spearheading the creation of the Leon Rabin awards and accompanying ceremony.
For all the public recognition Kurt has received, he is at his core a shy man. When we are out for the evening and someone recognizes me as The Lady in Red, Kurt will silently make himself scarce before they realize that was Harry Hunsacker standing next to me. Sometimes he can’t make a clean getaway, as in the time he was on a gurney headed for an operation and the man on the gurney next to him said “Be careful with him. That’s Harry Hunsacker!”
But above all else Kurt is a gracious man with a big heart. This is obvious in the bonds that form with our staff, people who follow Kurt for his vision and his values. It is also obvious in his second passion: animal rescue. Over the years we’ve rescued a couple of dozen cats and dogs, one squirrel, and a number of injured birds Kurt personally nursed back to health. And it is obvious in the time Kurt takes with the public after each show, even when his back problems have him in severe pain.
I’ll end this entry with the two questions I get asked most frequently about Kurt:
Question: Is Kurt as funny in real life as he is on stage?
Answer: YES! A friend of mine once said it perfectly when she noted “You must laugh all the time!” It’s true, and I’m lucky to be so close to so much cleverness on a daily basis.
Question: How much do Kurt and Harry have in common?
Answer: More than meets the eye! Harry’s childlike enthusiasm, his persistence in the face of obstacles, his bouts of self-doubt — I see all of these in my husband.
But ultimately Harry Hunsacker has such broad appeal because most people can relate in some way. Maybe they’ve had a dream that they never quite fulfilled. Maybe they’ve felt the sting of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Harry persists in spite of these things, and his gift to all viewers is that in the end, optimism and hope always win out!