WCU Stories      August 23, 2018

R. Keith Harris ’92 survived six episodes of “The Walking Dead” before he met the fate of most of the show’s characters and was killed off by a zombie. Harris played the role of the benevolent physician Dr. Harlan Carter in AMC’s post-apocalyptic television show, the highest-rated cable series in history. “It was one of those gems that people hope for in a career,” Harris said of his time on the show. “The cast and crew were top-notch, and working with them was humbling and gratifying.” A Greensboro-based actor whose career includes more than 70 film and television credits, Harris also has appeared in the movies “Big Fish” and “A Walk in the Woods” and the TV series “Under the Dome” and “Sleepy Hollow.” Next up is a role in “The Resident,” a new medical drama series on the Fox network later this year. He also has finished work on “Shifting Gears,” a comedy-drama he wrote and produced about dirt track racing. The movie, filmed in North Carolina with WCU faculty and students working behind the scenes, premiered in theaters and is available online from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and other streaming services. “‘Shifting Gears’ was a lot of fun to write and produce. Hopefully, folks will have as much fun watching as it was to make,” he said.