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John Kerr

John Kerr

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.

Personal information

Birthday

1931-11-15

Birth Place

New York, New York, USA

Movies and TV shows :

poster

Adam-12

1968

7.1

TV
poster

Alias Smith and Jones

1971

6.9

TV
Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows

Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows

1999

0.0

Movie
poster

Arrest and Trial

1963

5.0

TV
poster

Bus Stop

1961

0.0

TV
Class of '44

Class of '44

1973

5.9

Movie
poster

Climax!

1954

2.7

TV
poster

Columbo

1971

8.1

TV
Gaby

Gaby

1956

7.0

Movie
poster

General Electric Theater

1953

5.5

TV
Girl of the Night

Girl of the Night

1960

5.0

Movie
poster

Gunsmoke

1955

6.5

TV
poster

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951

8.8

TV
Horace Mann's Miracle

Horace Mann's Miracle

1953

0.0

Movie
Incident on a Dark Street

Incident on a Dark Street

1973

5.0

Movie
poster

Lux Video Theatre

1950

5.5

TV
poster

Police Story

1973

7.1

TV
poster

Profiles in Courage

1964

5.0

TV
poster

Rawhide

1959

7.0

TV
Rex Newman

Rex Newman

1953

0.0

Movie
poster

Riverboat

1959

6.3

TV
poster

Run for Your Life

1965

7.2

TV
poster

Search

1972

6.9

TV
Search and Destroy

Search and Destroy

1979

6.8

Movie
South Pacific

South Pacific

1958

6.1

Movie
poster

Studio One

1948

4.4

TV
poster

Suspense

1949

4.2

TV
Tea and Sympathy

Tea and Sympathy

1956

6.9

Movie
poster

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962

7.8

TV
The Cobweb

The Cobweb

1955

5.8

Movie
The Crowded Sky

The Crowded Sky

1960

5.6

Movie
poster

The Defenders

1961

6.2

TV
poster

The F.B.I.

1965

5.4

TV
poster

The High Chaparral

1967

6.5

TV
poster

The Long, Hot Summer

1965

5.0

TV
The Longest Night

The Longest Night

1972

6.2

Movie
poster

The Mod Squad

1968

6.5

TV
poster

The Name of the Game

1968

6.8

TV
poster

The New Avengers

1976

6.9

TV
The Ninth Day

The Ninth Day

1957

0.0

Movie
poster

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948

5.6

TV
The Pit and the Pendulum

The Pit and the Pendulum

1961

6.9

Movie
The Quatermass Xperiment

The Quatermass Xperiment

1955

6.6

Movie
poster

The Ray Bradbury Theater

1985

6.9

TV
poster

The Rookies

1972

6.9

TV
The Silent Partner

The Silent Partner

1978

7.1

Movie
poster

The Streets of San Francisco

1972

7.0

TV
poster

The United States Steel Hour

1953

4.0

TV
The Vintage

The Vintage

1957

5.5

Movie
poster

The Virginian

1962

6.4

TV
poster

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954

7.6

TV
poster

Toma

1973

7.8

TV
Yuma

Yuma

1971

5.9

Movie