Charles Leo Metten Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Charles Leo Metten, 91, Provo, Utah, passed away on September 27, 2018. He was born to Henry Leo Metten and Leona Mae Bibert Metten on September 7, 1927 in Fort Bragg, California. He married Patricia Elizabeth Horrigan on August 20, 1949 while they were students at UCLA Theater Arts Department. They are the parents of five children: Cathleen Metten, Provo; Julie Child (Curt) Sacramento, CA; Sharon Law (Vance) Provo; Joseph Metten (Joy) Mapleton; David Metten (Renate), Roseville, CA; grandparents of 17, great-grandparents of 23. Other loved ones include Bonnie Horrigan Slade (Larry) Lehi, brother and sister-in law, as well as many nieces and nephews, who loved “Uncle Chuck.” Preceded in death are his wife, Patricia Horrigan Metten, his parents, brother Robert and sister Mae. Charles attended Santa Rosa High School in California where he first realized he wanted to be an actor. At the age of 16, he worked as an extra in the Alfred Hitchcock film, Shadow of a Doubt, 1943. He served in the Army of Occupation, Japan 1946-1948. His service included acting in the Ernie Pyle Theater in Tokyo, and entertaining thousands of troops in the Pacific area. He studied Theater Arts at the University of California in Los Angeles where he earned his bachelor and master degrees. Fellow classmates were James Dean, Carol Burnett and Nancy Olson. He went on to obtain a doctorate at the State University of Iowa in Speech and Dramatic Arts in 1960. He worked at Brigham Young University for 35 years (1961-1996) during which he served as the associate director of the Honors Program, chairman of the Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts, and chairman of the Department of Theatre and Cinematic Arts. He also founded the BYU Film Program. Chuck appeared on Touched by an Angel, Promised Land, and “Movies of the Week” television programs along with many LDS church films. He also directed the Hill Cumorah Pageant and the New Zealand Temple Pageant for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Chuck served as the founding Dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts at Southern Utah University from July 1998 until his retirement in 2004. In 2005, he became involved with the Utah Shakespeare Festival where he was named director of the Plays-in-Progress Program, working with up and coming playwrights. This, along with acting and directing, kept him happy and busy until he retired again in 2017, at the age of 90. Along the way Charles made many lasting and meaningful friendships. He always said “look for the best in people” and “give a compliment a day!” Friends and Family are invited to attend his graveside service to be held Saturday, October 6, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Timpanogos Memorial Gardens, 1000 North 400 East, Orem, Utah. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com.

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Charles Leo Metten

September 7, 1927 - September 27, 2018