John Kerr

Biography

John Kerr was an American actor and attorney who began on the stage before working in film and television. He was born in New York City and grew up nearby, the son of two stage and film actors. His first Broadway role came in 1953 in Mary Coyle Chase's Bernardine, and he received a Theatre World Award for it. In 1954 he won a Tony Award for his performance in Robert Anderson's Tea and Sympathy. He repeated that role in the 1956 film Tea and Sympathy, earning a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. He played Lieutenant Joseph Cable in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific (1958). Other films included The Cobweb (1955) and The Pit and the Pendulum (1961). On television, he had a regular role on Peyton Place. During the 1970s he largely shifted from acting to law, and he practiced in Beverly Hills until 2000.

81years old at death

Born November 15, 1931New York City
Died February 2, 2013Pasadena
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
John Grinham Kerr (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 6
Career span: 18 years1955 to 1973

Genres

Drama67%, 4 films
Crime17%, 1 film
Horror17%, 1 film
Musical17%, 1 film
Mystery17%, 1 film

First and latest

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First role
In 1953 Kerr first appeared on Broadway in Bernardine, a comedy by Mary Coyle Chase set in a high school. His work in that show earned him a Theatre World Award.
Behind the camera
In 1964, Kerr produced a summer season for the American National Theater and Academy, which took place at Beverly Hills High School.

John Kerr movies on Netflix

Incident on a Dark Street1973IMDb rating 5.1as Gallagher
Yuma1971IMDb rating 6.4as Capt. White
The Pit and the Pendulum1961IMDb rating 7.0as Francis Barnard
South Pacific1958IMDb rating 6.8as Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC
Tea and Sympathy1956IMDb rating 7.3as Tom Robinson Lee
The Cobweb1955IMDb rating 6.3as Steven W. Holte

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Pit and the Pendulum1961 Drama, Horror, Mysteryas Francis Barnard
IMDb rating 7.019K votes
South Pacific1958 Musical, Romance, Waras Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC
IMDb rating 6.811K votes
Tea and Sympathy1956as Tom Robinson Lee
IMDb rating 7.33.8K votes
The Cobweb1955as Steven W. Holte
IMDb rating 6.32.4K votes
Yuma1971as Capt. White
IMDb rating 6.4859 votes
Incident on a Dark Street1973as Gallagher
IMDb rating 5.1247 votes

Worked with

John Kerr shares two films with Tom Laughlin, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Tom Laughlin

Vincent Price

William Shatner

Richard Widmark

Edgar Buchanan

Lauren Bacall

Vincente MinnelliDirector, 2 films

Films together

Tom Laughlin2 films together, 1956 to 1958
Tom Laughlin's page
- South Pacific1958IMDb rating 6.8Kerr as Lt. Joseph Cable, USMCLaughlin as Lt. Buzz Adams
- Tea and Sympathy1956IMDb rating 7.3Kerr as Tom Robinson LeeLaughlin as Ralph
Vincent Price1 film together, 1961
Vincent Price's page
- The Pit and the Pendulum1961IMDb rating 7.0Kerr as Francis BarnardPrice as Nicholas Medina
William Shatner1 film together, 1973
William Shatner's page
- Incident on a Dark Street1973IMDb rating 5.1Kerr as GallagherShatner as Deaver G. Wallace
Richard Widmark1 film together, 1955
Richard Widmark's page
- The Cobweb1955IMDb rating 6.3Kerr as Steven W. HolteWidmark as Dr. Stewart 'Mac' McIver
Edgar Buchanan1 film together, 1971
Edgar Buchanan's page
- Yuma1971IMDb rating 6.4Kerr as Capt. WhiteBuchanan as Mules McNeil
Lauren Bacall1 film together, 1955
Lauren Bacall's page
- The Cobweb1955IMDb rating 6.3Kerr as Steven W. HolteBacall as Meg Faversen Rinehart
Vincente MinnelliDirector, 2 films, 1955 to 1956
All films by Vincente Minnelli
- Tea and Sympathy1956IMDb rating 7.3Kerr as Tom Robinson Lee
- The Cobweb1955IMDb rating 6.3Kerr as Steven W. Holte

Awards

Three awards and honors from 1953 to 1954, one of them major.

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John Kerr's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Tony Awards
1954	Best Featured Actor in a Play	Won
Other honors
1953	Theatre World Award	Won
	Donaldson Awards	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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