Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/681774
26 SAG-AFTRA | Spring 2016 | SAGAFTRA.org Howard's Influential Shadow Extended Far and Wide K en Howard's The White Shadow, in which he portrayed the tough-but-caring Coach Ken Reeves, had a major impact around the globe, including in the development of basketball as a popular sport in Turkey. Turkey's professional basketball community has credited the show, which debuted in the country in 1980, with explosions in youth participation and fan attendance. The show's 54 episodes were dubbed and broadcast in Turkey from 1980-82, with the series repeated there in 1993 and 2001. Sports commentator Mehmet Demirkol, speaking on NTV Sports (Turkey's equivalent of ESPN), recently proposed that an arena in the country be named in Howard's honor. Sinan Güler, the current captain of the Turkey Men's National Team, told The Hollywood Reporter that the show, for the youth who were influenced by it, strengthened a connection to basketball and the lessons it could teach. "Not only did people like and start to play basketball, a lot of people liked the vision of the coach, and tried to express that over here," Güler said. Aytek Gurkan, a national team player whose heyday overlapped the original broadcast of the series, told The New York Times in a 2010 interview that Shadow was responsible for huge surges in attendance. The sport continues to enjoy massive popularity in the country to this day. In a nod to Howard's endearing character, Gurkan joked, "Everyone thought that Coach Reeves was our national team coach." CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE Ken Howard in The White Shadow ONSCREEN LEGACY Top, Howard as Thomas Jefferson in 1776, alongside Howard Da Silva and future SAG President William Daniels. Above, Howard wields a gun in The Manhunter. Left, Howard as retired police officer Max Cavanaugh on Crossing Jordan. Below left, Howard accepts his Emmy Award for Grey Gardens in 2009. Below right, Howard as television executive Hank Hooper on 30 Rock, alongside Alec Baldwin. NBC MATHEW IMAGING/ATAS NBC/PHOTOFEST CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE COLUMBIA PICTURES/PHOTOFEST