Ken Steadman

Ken Steadman June 26 1969 September 20 1996 was an American film and television actor He tragically died in an accident while filming Desert Storm S03E06 an episode of the Fox television series Sliders 1995 in the desert near Victorville On September 20 1996 while transporting a dune buggy between scenes the vehicle overturned crushing him instantly His passenger Christopher Maleki was seriously injured Born in Aberdeen Washington Ken had a happy childhood despite his parents divorce He maintained strong relationships with both his natural parents and their remarried spouses giving him a solid foundation Though school was challenging he maintained a B average and excelled in skiing football and track still holding his high schools pole vault record He was an active and determined teenager Growing up his stepfather managed a saltwater park fostering Kens love for the outdoors and the Orcas that frequented the area His determination was remarkable at 15 he declared his goal of becoming an astronaut and earning his pilots license Despite his parents initial skepticism about his ability to fund it Ken at 16 had his pilots license having paid for 90 of it himself through sacrifice and hard work After a year in the Navy ROTC program at college Ken took a break and moved to Bullhead City Nevada to work in a casino and spend time with his father Here he met people from the entertainment industry sparking his desire to become an actor Despite having no prior acting experience drama involvement or even speech classes he set his sights on Hollywood His family expected him to fail and return to college but Ken was resolute He visited home only to share his experiences in the demanding world of acting He worked various jobswaiter bouncer carpenterto fund acting lessons headshots and representation He even learned to ride horses and performed as a jouster A smalltown kid Ken faced overwhelming odds but his unwavering determination propelled him through the initial years He refused to give up gradually honing his skills building confidence and working tirelessly on his craft He possessed a special spark that carried him through difficult times In Hollywood Ken built a new family of friends managers actors a girlfriend and a cat named Perry He found managers Susan Daniel and Adam who believed in his talent He began securing guest star appearances on TV series and his managers noted he had broken away from the pack and was ready for the big time His promising career was tragically cut short on September 20 1996 His death a preventable accident ended a life that profoundly impacted many