John Kerr, star of ‘Tea and Sympathy,’ ‘South Pacific,’ dies at 81
Kerr began his acting career on the stage, making his Broadway debut in “Bernardine” in 1953. He won a Tony for his role as a sensitive, effeminate schoolboy in the Robert Anderson play “Tea and Sympathy” and starred with Deborah Kerr (no relation) in the 1956 film version. He played Lt. Joe Cable, who grows beyond the racism he learned as a child, in the 1958 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific.”
The actor was also noted for his performance in Vincent Price horror film “The Pit and the Pendulum” (1961) and had a substantial career acting in television. Kerr first appeared on TV in a 1953 episode of “Lux Video Theatre,” appeared on “Studio One in Hollywood” and “Playhouse 90” and made guest appearances on shows ranging from “Gunsmoke” to “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.” He recurred as an assistant district attorney on “Arrest and Trial” and as the DA on “Peyton Place.”
John Grinham Kerr was born in New York City into a family of actors; his parents were Geoffrey Kerr and June Walker.
He was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College.
In the late 1960s he sought to become a television director, and though he was mentored by Leo Penn, he soon decided that such work was not for him, and Kerr went to UCLA law school and became a practicing attorney in Beverly Hills. He continued to make occasional appearances on television, however, recurring as a prosecutor on “The Streets of San Francisco.”
Kerr was married to Priscilla Smith from 1952-72.
Survivors include second wife Barbara Chu, whom he married in 1979; a son and two daughters by his first marriage; and two stepchildren by his second.
Stage credits
Run Title Role Director Theatre Notes
08/5/40 - 08/10/40 Tomorrow and Tomorrow Ruth's Son Arthur Walton The Cape Playhouse
07/19/49 - 07/24/49 O Mistress Mine Michael Brown
10/16/52 - 02/28/53 Bernardine Arthur Beaumont Guthrie McClintic Playhouse Theatre Theatre World Award
09/30/53 - 06/18/55 Tea and Sympathy Tom Robinson Lee Elia Kazan Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Longacre Theatre
48th Street Theatre Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play
New York Drama Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Donaldson Award for Best Supporting Actor of the Season
09/23/54 - 11/13/54 All Summer Long Don Alan Schneider Coronet Theatre
Booth Theatre
02/03/58 - 03/09/58 The Infernal Machine Oedipus Herbert Berghof Phoenix Theatre
11/25/58 - 12/27/58 Cue for Passion Tony Burgess Elmer Rice Henry Miller's Theatre
04/06/59 - 04/19/59 The Hasty Heart Lachie Fred Miller Theatre
07/23/59 - 07/27/59 The Glass Menagerie Tom Wingfield Lobero Theatre
12/03/60 - 12/28/60 Bus Stop Bo Decker Himself Fred Miller Theatre Also director
Other credits
Dream Girl (1947, summer repertory)
Joan of Lorraine (1946, summer repertory)
September Tide (1949, summer repertory)
Billy Budd (1951, Brattle Theatre)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1951, Brattle Theatre)
Twelfth Night (1951, Brattle Theatre)
A Sleep of Prisoners (1952, Brattle Theatre)
Ring Round the Moon (1954, Hyde Park Theatre)
The Rainmaker (1960, Wharf Theater)
Five Finger Exercise (1961, La Jolla Playhouse)
Sound Of Murder (1961, La Jolla Playhouse) - As director
Love and Like (1962, UCLA Theatre Group)
Antigone (1962, UCLA Theatre Group)
Hamlet (1963, Stanford University)
Liliom (1964, University of Oregon)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1964) - As producer
Androcles and the Lion (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
Oedipus Rex (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
J.B. (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
Waiting for Godot (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
Spoon River Anthology (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
Desire Under the Elms (1964, American National Theater and Academy) - As producer
The Tenth Man (1967, New York City Center)
Mister Roberts (1965, Melodyland Theatre & Circle Star Theater)
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Director Notes
1955 The Cobweb Steven W. Holte Vincente Minnelli
1956 Gaby Gregory Y. Wendell Curtis Bernhardt
Tea and Sympathy Tom Robinson Lee Vincente Minnelli Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Male
1957 The Vintage Ernesto Barandero Jeffrey Hayden
1958 South Pacific Lt. Joseph Cable Joshua Logan Singing voice by Bill Lee
1960 The Crowded Sky Mike Rule Joseph Pevney
Girl of the Night Larry Taylor Joseph Cates
1961 The Pit and the Pendulum Francis Barnard Roger Corman
King of Kings Man at Sermon on the Mount Nicholas Ray Cameo appearance
Seven Women from Hell Lt. Bill Jackson Robert D. Webb
1972 Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues Stockbroker Paul Williams Uncredited
1973 Class of '44 Ford Hotel Bartender Paul Bogart
1974 Only God Knows Health Inspector Peter Pearson
1978 The Silent Partner Detective Lowell Daryl Duke
1979 Plague Willis - Security Guard Ed Hunt
Search and Destroy MacPherson William Fruet
1981 The Amateur CIA Agent Emil Charles Jarrott
1987 Australian Dream Frank the Swaggie Jackie McKimmie
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1953 Lux Video Theatre Tony Episode: "The White Gown"
You Are There Jesse James Episode: "The Capture of Jesse James"
Horace Mann's Miracle Young Pizzi Television film
Danger Episode: "Operation Nightmare"
1953-54 Suspense Derek Howard 2 episodes
1953-57 The Big Story Howie Madden 2 episodes
Studio One 2 episodes
1954 Justice Episode: "The Scandal That Rocked the Town"
1955 Repertory Theatre George Avery Episode: "The Bold and the Brave"
The Elgin Hour Pvt. Foster Episode: "Combat Medics"
The Alcoa Hour Jamie Hallock Episode: "Undertow"
1955-57 Climax! Various 3 episodes
1956 The Corn Is Green Morgan Evans Television film
1956-62 The United States Steel Hour 3 episodes
1957 Fireside Theatre Tom Parr Episode: "Killer's Pride"
1957-58 Playhouse 90 David McAdam / Capt. Neil Dameron 2 episodes
1958 Alcoa Theatre Flight Lt. Upton Episode: "Strange Occurrence at Rokesay"
General Electric Theater Freddie Episode: "A Question of Romance"
1959 Berkeley Square Peter Standish Television film
Riverboat Jefferson Carruthers Episode: "The Barrier"
1960 The Magical World of Disney Martin Didler Episode: "Elfego Baca: Friendly Enemies at Law"
Rawhide Bert Eaton Episode: "Incident of the Last Chance"
1961 Checkmate Wilt Kamens Episode: "The Crimson Pool"
1962 Gunsmoke Lute Willis Episode: "Half Straight"
Bus Stop Jim Carmody Episode: "Verdict of 12"
The Lloyd Bridges Show David Episode: "The Miracle of Mesa Verde"
The Defenders Jonathan Winthrop Episode: "The Apostle"
1963 The Virginian Oliver Smith Episode: "The Judgement"
Wagon Train Jim Whitlow Episode: "The Jim Whitlow Story"
1963-64 Arrest and Trial Barry Pine Recurring role
1964-65 Twelve O'Clock High Maj. Herrick / Lt. Ray Thacker 2 episodes
1965 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Glendon Baker Episode: "An Unlocked Window"
The Long, Hot Summer Duane Galloway Episode: "The Homecoming"
1965-66 Peyton Place John Fowler Main cast
1966 Run for Your Life Alex Ryder Episode: "The Day Time Stopped"
1967 Flipper Keller 2 episodes
The High Chaparral Creed Hallock Episode: "Sudden Country"
1967-70 The F.B.I. Gary Morgan / William Converse
/ Doug Parker / Clayton McGregor 7 episodes
1969 Adam-12 Father Joe Episode: "Log 93: Once a Junkie"
1969-70 The Name of the Game Father Billy Keaton / Stuart Clark 2 episodes
1970 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Dr. Philip Blackburn Episode: "The Verdict"
1971 The Young Lawyers Andrew Rogers Episode: "False Witness"
Yuma Capt. White Television film
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Clay Arnold Episode: "Men Who Care: Part 2"
Columbo Col. Roger Dutton Episode: "Dead Weight"
1972 The Longest Night Agent Jones Television film
The Rookies Price Episode: "Time Is the Fire"
1972-73 The Mod Squad Dr. Freilich / Dr. Eggers 2 episodes
1973 Incident on a Dark Street Gallagher Television film
Alias Smith and Jones George Sterling Episode: "Only Three to a Bed"
Search Senator Gordon Episode: "The Mattson Papers"
1973-76 Police Story Various 5 episodes
1973-77 The Streets of San Francisco Gerald O'Brien Recurring role
1974 Barnaby Jones Dr. Lincoln Episode: "Programmed for Killing"
1975 The Invisible Man Kirk Episode: "Eyes Only"
Medical Story Dr. Barrett Episode: "A Life in the Balance"
1976 The Blue Knight Episode: "Throwaway"
1977 McMillan & Wife Richard Valentine Episode: "Affair of the Heart"
The Feather and Father Gang Martin Stoddard Episode: "The Mayan Connection"
Washington: Behind Closed Doors Ashton Miniseries; 1 episode
1982 Seeing Things Episode: "In the Eyes of the Law"
1983 Sons and Daughters Police Officer Episode #1.278
1985 The Park Is Mine Reporter Television film
1989 The Magistrate Miller Miniseries; 2 episodes
1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Don Episode: "Tomorrow's Child"
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