Kerwin Mathews

Infobox actor
name = Kerwin Mathews


caption = Mathews as Jack the Giant Killer
birthname =
birthdate = birth date|1926|1|8
birthplace = Seattle, Washington, USA
deathdate = death date and age|2007|7|5|1926|1|8
San Francisco, California, USA
occupation = Actor
yearsactive = 1954 -1978
spouse =
partner = Tom Nicoll (1961 – July 5, 2007)
(his death)

Kerwin Mathews (January 8 1926 – July 5 2007) was an American actor best known for playing the titular heroes in "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" (1958), "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" (1960) and "Jack the Giant Killer" (1962).

Life and career

Mathews was born in Seattle, Washington, USA and was 2 years old when moved with his divorced mother to Janesville, Wisconsin. He attended Janesville High School, graduating in 1943. Mathews said that "a kind high school teacher put me in a play, and that changed my life." According to a classmate, he was a "handsome rascal".

After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he attended and performed at nearby Milton College for two years before transferring to Beloit College on drama and music scholarships. He remained at Beloit three years after graduation teaching speech and dramatic arts and appeared in regional theater. He also taught high school English in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-mathews11jul11,1,7926658.story?track=rss |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Kerwin Mathews, 81; fantasy film hero |date=2007-07-10 |accessdate=2007-07-13]

After moving to Los Angeles in 1954, Mathews acted at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he met the head of casting for Columbia Pictures, leading to a seven-year studio contract. He appeared in several action/adventure and fantasy films of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although he felt , he "looked fondly" on his Hollywood career, with his favorite role being Johan Strauss, Jr. in the Disney two-part telefilm "The Waltz King" (1963).

He retired from acting in 1978 and moved to San Francisco, where he ran a clothing and antiques shop.cite news
url=http://www.gazetteextra.com/mathews071707.asp
title=Janesville residents remember famed actor
author=Brian Reisinger
date=July 17 2007
publisher=The Janesville Gazette
accessdate=2007-07-18] He died in his sleep in San Francisco on July 5, 2007 at the age of 81. He leaves behind his partner of 46 years, Tom Nicoll. The City of Janesville subsequently renamed a one-block street adjacent to the former Janesville High School "Kerwin Mathews Court". The renovated building now houses the Janesville Performing Arts Center. [cite news
url=http://www.gazetteextra.com/jcc_strename100907.asp
title=Street to be renamed to honor local actor
author=Ann Fiore
date=October 9 2007
publisher=The Janesville Gazette
accessdate=2007-10-09]

Filmography

Television

*"Space Patrol", "The Escape of Mr Proteus" (1954)
*"Ford Theatre"
**"Charlie C company" (1954)
**"The Lady in the Wind" (1955)
**"Catch at Straws" (1956)
*"Playhouse 90"
**"The Country Husband" (1956)
*"Matinee Theatre"
**"Show of Strength" (1957)
**"The Suicide Club" (1958)
*"Goodyear Television Playhouse"
**"The Obenauf Story" (1959)†
*"Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color"
**"The Waltz King" (1963) (two parts)
*"Ghostbreaker" (1967)†
*"Dead of Night: A Darkness at Blaisedon" (1969)†
*"Ironside" (1972)
**"Hey, Buddy, Can You Spare a Life?"
**"Achilles' Heel"
*"Death Takes a Holiday" (1971)

† Pilots for unsold series

Film

*"Five Against the House" (1955)
*"The Garment Jungle" (1957)
*"Tarawa Beachhead" (1958)
*"The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" (1958)
*"The Last Blitzkrieg" (1959)
*"Saffo, venere di Lesbo" aka "The Warrior Princess" (1960)
*"Man on a String" (1960)
*"The Three Worlds of Gulliver" (1960)
*"The Devil at 4 O'Clock" (1961)
*"Pirates of Blood River" (1962)
*"Jack the Giant Killer" (1962)
*"OSS 117" (1963) ‡
*"Maniac" (1963)
*"Panic in Bangkok" (1964) ‡
* "Shadow of Evil" (1966) ‡
*"Battle Beneath the Earth" (1967)
*"The Viscount" (1967)
*"The Killer Likes Candy" (1968)
*"A Boy...a Girl" (1969)
*"Barquero" (1970)
*"Octaman" (1971)
*"Achilles Heel" (1972)
*"The Boy Who Cried Werewolf" (1973)
*"Nightmare in Blood" (1978)

‡ OSS 117 film

References

External links

*imdb name|0558663
* [http://www.meekermuseum.com/kerwin.html Fansite/filmography]
* [http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/kerwinmathews.html Kerwin Mathews]
* [http://www.wildvoice.com/RonNasty/Posts/The-Last-Voyage-of-Sinbad-s-Kerwin-Mathews The Final Taxi Podcast on Kerwin Mathews]