John Kerr (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Kerr
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Kerr in 1957
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John Grinham Kerr
November 15, 1931 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | February 2, 2013 (aged 81) Pasadena, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Harvard University UCLA Law School |
| Occupation | Actor (1940-1987), attorney (1969-2000) |
| Years active | 1940–2000 |
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| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Geoffrey Kerr June Walker |
| Relatives | Frederick Kerr (grandfather) |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1954 Tea and Sympathy Theatre World Award 1956 Tea and Sympathy |
John Grinham Kerr (born November 15, 1931 – died February 2, 2013) was an American actor and lawyer. He started his career on Broadway, which is a famous theater area in New York City. He became well-known for his roles in plays like Bernardine and Tea and Sympathy.
Later, John Kerr also acted in movies and TV shows. He played the same role in the film version of Tea and Sympathy, which won him a Golden Globe Award. He also starred as Lieutenant Joseph Cable in the movie musical South Pacific. In the 1970s, he mostly stopped acting to become a lawyer. He worked as a lawyer in Beverly Hills until he retired in 2000.
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Early Life and Education
John Kerr was born on November 15, 1931, in New York City. His parents, Geoffrey Kerr and June Walker, were both actors. His grandfather, Frederick Kerr, was also a famous British actor. Because of his family, John became interested in acting from a young age.
He grew up in New York City and went to Phillips Exeter Academy for high school. After that, he studied at Harvard University. He also worked at a theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and took part in summer plays. For a while, he even studied Russian history at Columbia University.
Acting Career Highlights
John Kerr had a successful career both on stage and in front of the camera.
Stage Performances
John Kerr made his first appearance on Broadway in 1953. He acted in a high school comedy called Bernardine, and for this role, he won a Theatre World Award.
From 1953 to 1955, he earned great praise for his role as a troubled student in the play Tea and Sympathy. In 1954, he won a Tony Award for this performance, which is one of the biggest awards in theater! He later starred in the movie version of the play too. He also acted in other plays like All Summer Long and The Infernal Machine.
Film and Television Roles
John Kerr's first TV acting job was in 1954 on a show called Justice. He played a basketball player on the show. His mother even appeared with him in one episode!
He made several movies, including The Cobweb and Gaby in 1956. In Gaby, he starred with Leslie Caron. Interestingly, his grandfather, Frederick Kerr, had been in an earlier version of that story called Waterloo Bridge.
In 1956, John Kerr starred with Deborah Kerr (they were not related) in the movie Tea and Sympathy. He played the same character he had played on stage.
A notable moment in his career was when he turned down the role of Charles Lindbergh in the movie The Spirit of St. Louis. He said he didn't agree with some of Lindbergh's past views. The role then went to Jimmy Stewart.
John Kerr also had a big role in the famous musical movie South Pacific (1958). He played Lt. Joe Cable, a marine sent on a dangerous spy mission. He also appeared in the movie The Crowded Sky (1960) and the horror film The Pit and the Pendulum (1961).
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he appeared in many TV shows. He was a guest star on popular series like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, and Adam-12. He also had a regular role as District Attorney John Fowler on the TV show Peyton Place from 1965 to 1966. Later, he played prosecutor Gerald O'Brien on The Streets of San Francisco.
Becoming a Lawyer
John Kerr became interested in directing films for a while. However, he soon realized it wasn't for him. So, he decided to go to UCLA Law School to become a lawyer. He earned his law degree in 1970 and passed the California bar exam.
After that, he started a full-time career as a lawyer in Beverly Hills. Even though he was a lawyer, he still took on small acting roles in TV shows from time to time. He retired from his law practice in 2000.
Personal Life
John Kerr married Priscilla Smith in 1952, but they divorced in 1972. He then married Barbara Chu in 1979. He had two daughters and one son with Priscilla, and also gained a stepson and stepdaughter from his marriage to Barbara.
John Kerr passed away on February 2, 2013, due to heart failure. He was 81 years old.
Stage Credits
- Bernardine (1952-1953) - Won Theatre World Award
- Tea and Sympathy (1953-1955) - Won Tony Award
- All Summer Long (1954)
- The Infernal Machine (1958)
- Bus Stop (1960) - Also directed
Filmography
Film
- 1955: The Cobweb
- 1956: Gaby
- 1956: Tea and Sympathy - Won Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer
- 1958: South Pacific - as Lt. Joseph Cable
- 1960: The Crowded Sky
- 1961: The Pit and the Pendulum
- 1979: Plague
- 1981: The Amateur
Television
- 1954: Justice
- 1956: The Corn Is Green (Television film)
- 1960: Rawhide
- 1962: Gunsmoke
- 1963-1964: Arrest and Trial - as Barry Pine
- 1965: The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
- 1965-1966: Peyton Place - as John Fowler
- 1969: Adam-12
- 1971: Columbo - as Col. Roger Dutton
- 1973-1977: The Streets of San Francisco - as Gerald O'Brien
- 1974: Barnaby Jones
- 1977: McMillan & Wife
Images for kids
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Kerr in 1957
See also
In Spanish: John Kerr (actor) para niños
