John Abbott
Acting
John Albert Chamberlain Kefford was an English character actor professionally known as John Abbott. His memorable roles include the invalid Frederick Fairlie in the 1948 film The Woman in White and the pacifist Ayelborne in the Star Trek episode "Errand of Mercy". as well as a Shakespearean actor. In 1934, he began his career in show business when he made his professional stage debut in a revival of Dryden's Aureng-zebe with Sybil Thorndike. He then joined the Old Vic Company and appeared in Shakespearean roles, including Claudius in a production of Hamlet at Elsinore Castle in Denmark with Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and Alec Guinness. His first Broadway role was that of Count Mancini in He Who Gets Slapped in 1946. He also appeared on Broadway in Monserrat and The Waltz of the Toreadors. He made his film debut in Mademoiselle Docteur in 1937 and went on to act in scores of films in the next 30 years. Among his film credits are Mission to Moscow, Jane Eyre, A Thousand and One Nights, Humoresque, and The Greatest Story Ever Told. His television appearances in that time were even more numerous, beginning with pioneering broadcasts by the BBC before the Second World War. In the early days of the Second World War, Abbott worked at the British Embassy in Stockholm. When the time came to leave, he had to by way of the United States. While in the U.S., he was offered a part in Hollywood in 1941 and ended up living there for the rest of his life. On American television between the 1950s and 1970s, Abbott had roles on a wide variety of series such as Kraft Television Theatre, Studio 57, Gunsmoke, Matinee Theatre, Bonanza, Thriller, Star Trek, Mannix, Iron Horse, and Bewitched. Although he was blacklisted during the Red Scare of the 1950s, a producer who wanted to hire him eventually succeeded in getting the actor removed from the list.In his final years, Abbott taught acting to students free of charge. Abbott died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from natural causes on 24 May 1996 at the age of 90.
Known for
Acting127
movieThe Commissioner
1998
Commissioner's Laywer
movieA Hazard of Hearts
1987
2nd Gambler
movieSmorgasbord
1983
Surgeon
movieSlapstick of Another Kind
1982
Dr. Frankenstein
Blunt Instrument
1981
Dr. Durrant
tvEdward and Mrs Simpson
1978
Mouth Organist
movieThe Black Bird
1975
Duquai
movieThe Cat Creature
1973
Dr. Reinhart
tvCool Million
1972
Sir Godwin Phipps-Cheston
tvPaul Temple
1969
Floor Manager
tvMedical Center
1969
Professor MacIntyre
movieThe Epic That Never Was
1969
Ms. Robson's Host (uncredited)
movie2000 Years Later
1969
Gregorius
movieThree Guns for Texas
1968
Banker Irwing
tvLand of the Giants
1968
Prof. Gorak
movieThe Jungle Book
1967
Akela (voice)
movieGambit
1966
Emile
tvStar Trek
1966
Ayleborn
tvGet Smart
1965
Mondo
tvLost in Space
1965
Sesmar
Profiles in Courage
1964
Senator Wigfall
tvThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
Dr. Ellias Swan
tvThe Rogues
1964
Sir Egbert
movieWho's Minding the Store?
1963
Mr. Orlandos
tvBurke's Law
1963
Conrad Jaeger
tvThe Beverly Hillbillies
1962
Sir Trevor Gielgud Burton-Guiness
tvThe Islanders
1960
Harwood Gones
tvThriller
1960
Kriss Milo ('The Mask of Medusa')
tvAdventures in Paradise
1959
Murdock
tvThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
Professor Brent
tv77 Sunset Strip
1958
Dr. Felstrand
movieGigi
1958
Manuel
tvPerry Mason
1957
Prof. Carlos Muntz / Dr. Durwood Tobey
tvHave Gun, Will Travel
1957
Winston Ainslee
moviePublic Pigeon No. 1
1957
Dipso Dale Rutherford
tvTelephone Time
1956
Jutchenko
movieThe Miracle on 34th Street
1955
Dr. Sawyer
tvThe 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
Dr. Albert Sawyer
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Mr. Munro
tvGunsmoke
1955
Professor Lute Bone / Eddie
movieThe Steel Lady
1953
Mustafa el Melik
movieSombrero
1953
Don Daniel
movieRogue's March
1953
Herbert Bielensen
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953
Professsor Meyerdal / Nathan
movieThunder in the East
1952
Nitra Puta
tvCavalcade of America
1952
Col. Barton
movieThe Merry Widow
1952
Marshovian Ambassador
movieThunder on the Hill
1951
Abel Harmer
movieCrosswinds
1951
Sykes
movieNavy Bound
1951
Pappa Cerrano
movieSideshow
1950
Pierre
movieMadame Bovary
1949
Mayor Tuvache
tvStudio One
1948
Travers
movieThe Woman in White
1948
Frederick Fairlie
movieIf Winter Comes
1947
Mr. Twyning
movieThe Web
1947
Charles Murdock
movieTime Out of Mind
1947
Max Leiberman
movieHumoresque
1947
Rozner
movieDeception
1946
Bertram Gribble
movieAnna and the King of Siam
1946
Phya Phrom
movieOne More Tomorrow
1946
Joseph Baronova
movieThe Bandit of Sherwood Forest
1946
Will Scarlet
movieThe Notorious Lone Wolf
1946
Lal Bara
movieSaratoga Trunk
1945
Roscoe Bean
movieThe Crime Doctor's Warning
1945
Jimmy Gordon
movieHoneymoon Ahead
1945
Welles
movieThe Power of the Whistler
1945
Kaspar Andropolous
movieThe Vampire's Ghost
1945
Webb Fallon
movieThe Falcon in Hollywood
1944
Martin S. Dwyer
movieEnd of the Road
1944
Chris Martin
movieCry of the Werewolf
1944
Peter Althius
movieAbroad with Two Yanks
1944
Salesman
movieSecrets of Scotland Yard
1944
Mortimer Cope
movieU-Boat Prisoner
1944
Alfonse Lamont
movieOnce Upon a Time
1944
Reporter (uncredited)
movieThe Mask of Dimitrios
1944
Mr. Pappas
movieJane Eyre
1943
Mason
movieThe Cross of Lorraine
1943
Baker (uncredited)
movieDangerous Blondes
1943
Roland X. Smith (uncredited)
movieMission to Moscow
1943
Grinko (uncredited)
movieHangmen Also Die!
1943
Hostage (scenes deleted)
movieThey Got Me Covered
1943
Gregory Vanesou
movieThe Gorilla Man
1943
Dr. Ferris
movieLondon Blackout Murders
1943
Jack Rawlings
movieNightmare
1942
Carl aka Charles
movieGet Hep to Love
1942
Professor Radowsky
movieJoan of Paris
1942
English Spy
movieThe Shanghai Gesture
1941
Poppy's Escort
movieThe Great Commandment
1939
Starving Beggar / Starving Begger (uncredited)
movieThe Saint in London
1939
Count Stephen Duni
movieThis Man Is News
1938
Hood with Foreign Accent
movieReturn of the Scarlet Pimpernel
1937
Flower Seller
movieThe Conquest of the Air
1931
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier