Known For
Acting
Known Credits
71
Gender
Male
Birthday
November 15, 1931 (94 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
John Grinham Kerr (November 15, 1931 – February 2, 2013), was an American actor and lawyer. He made his Broadway debut in 1953 in Mary Coyle Chase's Bernardine, a high-school comedy for which he won a Theatre World Award. In 1953-54, he received critical acclaim as a troubled prep school student in Robert Anderson's play Tea and Sympathy. In 1954, he won a Tony Award for his performance, and he starred in the film version in 1956. Kerr's first television acting role was in 1954 on NBC's Justice as a basketball player who believes that gamblers have ruined his success on the court. His mother appeared with him on the series, which focuses on the cases of attorneys with the Legal Aid Society of New York. He made The Cobweb for MGM, who liked his work so much they co-starred him with Leslie Caron in Gaby (1956), the third remake of Waterloo Bridge, which, in its original pre-Code 1931 version, featured John's grandfather, actor Frederick Kerr. Kerr starred with Deborah Kerr (no relation) in Tea and Sympathy in 1956. In a widely publicized decision in 1956, Kerr declined to play the role of Charles Lindbergh in The Spirit of St. Louis because he did not respect Lindbergh's early support of the Nazi regime in Germany prior to America's entry into World War II. "I don't admire the ideals of the hero", Mr. Kerr told The New York Post. The part went to James Stewart. Kerr had a major role in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (1958), playing Lt. Joe Cable, the newly arrived marine about to be sent on a dangerous spy mission. In The Crowded Sky (1960), Kerr played a pilot who helps the Captain (Dana Andrews) steer a crippled airliner back to earth. Another film appearance was in Roger Corman's The Pit and the Pendulum (1961). In 1963, Kerr had a continuing role on Arrest and Trial, playing Assistant DA Barry Pine. During the 1960s, Kerr guest starred on several TV series including The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Rawhide, Gunsmoke and Adam-12. He had a regular role on the ABC-TV primetime TV series, Peyton Place, playing District Attorney John Fowler during the 1965-66 season. Also in 1964-65 he appeared as guest star on several episodes of Twelve O'Clock High. In the 1970s, Kerr had a recurring role as prosecutor Gerald O'Brien on The Streets of San Francisco and he made guest appearances in several other TV programs including The Mod Squad, Columbo, McMillan and Wife, Barnaby Jones and The Feather and Father Gang. Kerr's last acting appearance was a minor role in The Park Is Mine (1986), a made-for-TV movie starring Tommy Lee Jones.
| 1999 | Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadowsas Self | |
| 1987 | Bay Covenas Ferry Captain | |
| 1985 | The Ray Bradbury Theateras Don | |
| 1981 | The Amateuras CIA Security Guard | |
| 1979 | Search and Destroyas MacPherson | |
| 1979 | Plagueas Escaping Guard | |
| 1978 | The Silent Partneras Detective #3 | |
| 1975 | Medical Storyas Dr. Barrett | |
| 1974 | Only God Knowsas Health Inspector | |
| 1973 | Tomaas | |
| 1973 | Class of '44as Ford Hotel Bartender (uncredited) | |
| 1973 | Class of '44as Hotel Bartender | |
| 1973 | Police Storyas | |
| 1973 | Incident on a Dark Streetas Gallagher - Trenier's Lawyer | |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Franciscoas | |
| 1972 | Searchas | |
| 1972 | The Longest Nightas Agent Jones | |
| 1972 | The Rookiesas Price | |
| 1971 | Columboas Roger Dutton | |
| 1971 | Yumaas Capt. White | |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jonesas | |
| 1968 | The Mod Squadas | |
| 1968 | Adam-12as Father Joe | |
| 1968 | The Name of the Gameas Billy Keaton | |
| 1968 | The Name of the Gameas Stuart Clark | |
| 1967 | The High Chaparralas Creed Hallock | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I.as Chicago Special Agent | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I.as Clayton McGregor | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I.as S.A.C. Douglas Parker | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I.as SAC Gary Morgan | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I.as SAC William Converse | |
| 1965 | The Long, Hot Summeras | |
| 1965 | Run for Your Lifeas Alex Ryder | |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courageas Whitlock | |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trialas Barry Pine | |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Houras Glendon Baker | |
| 1962 | The Virginianas Oliver Smith | |
| 1961 | King of Kingsas Man at Sermon on the Mount (uncredited) | |
| 1961 | Bus Stopas | |
| 1961 | The Defendersas Jonathan Winthrop | |
| 1961 | The Pit and the Pendulumas Francis Barnard | |
| 1960 | Girl of the Nightas Larry Taylor | |
| 1960 | The Crowded Skyas Mike Rule | |
| 1959 | Riverboatas Jefferson Carruthers | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas | |
| 1958 | South Pacificas Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC | |
| 1957 | The Vintageas Ernesto Barandero | |
| 1957 | The Ninth Dayas | |
| 1957 | Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horsesas Self - Announcing Next Week's Show | |
| 1956 | Tea and Sympathyas Tom Robinson Lee | |
| 1956 | Gabyas Gregory Y. Wendell | |
| 1955 | The Quatermass Xperimentas Photo Lab Technician (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | MGM Paradeas self | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Lute | |
| 1955 | The Cobwebas Steven W. Holte | |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disneyas Martin Didler | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Danny Barron/Steve Barron | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Matt Sloane | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Poggi | |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Houras | |
| 1953 | Rex Newmanas Howie Madden | |
| 1953 | Horace Mann's Miracleas student | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theateras Freddie | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fameas | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fameas Peter Standish | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Tony | |
| 1949 | Suspenseas | |
| 1949 | Suspenseas Derek Howard | |
| 1948 | Studio Oneas | |
| 1948 | Studio Oneas The Boy | |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouseas George Avery |