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John Kerr

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 Kerr

Biography

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.

Known For

Acting

1999Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadowsas Self
1987Bay Covenas Ferry Captain
1985The Ray Bradbury Theateras Don
1981The Amateuras CIA Security Guard
1979Search and Destroyas MacPherson
1979Plagueas Escaping Guard
1978The Silent Partneras Detective #3
1975Medical Storyas Dr. Barrett
1974Only God Knowsas Health Inspector
1973Tomaas
1973Class of '44as Ford Hotel Bartender (uncredited)
1973Class of '44as Hotel Bartender
1973Police Storyas
1973Incident on a Dark Streetas Gallagher - Trenier's Lawyer
1972The Streets of San Franciscoas
1972Searchas
1972The Longest Nightas Agent Jones
1972The Rookiesas Price
1971Columboas Roger Dutton
1971Yumaas Capt. White
1971Alias Smith and Jonesas
1968The Mod Squadas
1968Adam-12as Father Joe
1968The Name of the Gameas Billy Keaton
1968The Name of the Gameas Stuart Clark
1967The High Chaparralas Creed Hallock
1965The F.B.I.as Chicago Special Agent
1965The F.B.I.as Clayton McGregor
1965The F.B.I.as S.A.C. Douglas Parker
1965The F.B.I.as SAC Gary Morgan
1965The F.B.I.as SAC William Converse
1965The Long, Hot Summeras
1965Run for Your Lifeas Alex Ryder
1964Profiles in Courageas Whitlock
1963Arrest and Trialas Barry Pine
1962The Alfred Hitchcock Houras Glendon Baker
1962The Virginianas Oliver Smith
1961King of Kingsas Man at Sermon on the Mount (uncredited)
1961Bus Stopas
1961The Defendersas Jonathan Winthrop
1961The Pit and the Pendulumas Francis Barnard
1960Girl of the Nightas Larry Taylor
1960The Crowded Skyas Mike Rule
1959Riverboatas Jefferson Carruthers
1959Rawhideas
1958South Pacificas Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC
1957The Vintageas Ernesto Barandero
1957The Ninth Dayas
1957Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horsesas Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
1956Tea and Sympathyas Tom Robinson Lee
1956Gabyas Gregory Y. Wendell
1955The Quatermass Xperimentas Photo Lab Technician (uncredited)
1955MGM Paradeas self
1955Gunsmokeas Lute
1955The Cobwebas Steven W. Holte
1954The Wonderful World of Disneyas Martin Didler
1954Climax!as Danny Barron/Steve Barron
1954Climax!as Matt Sloane
1954Climax!as Poggi
1953The United States Steel Houras
1953Rex Newmanas Howie Madden
1953Horace Mann's Miracleas student
1953General Electric Theateras Freddie
1951Hallmark Hall of Fameas
1951Hallmark Hall of Fameas Peter Standish
1950Lux Video Theatreas Tony
1949Suspenseas
1949Suspenseas Derek Howard
1948Studio Oneas
1948Studio Oneas The Boy
1948The Philco Television Playhouseas George Avery

Production