JA
John Abbott
Actor
Born June 5, 1905Died May 24, 1996 (90 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 1998 | The Commissioner · as Commissioner's Laywer |
| 1987 | A Hazard of Hearts · as 2nd Gambler |
| 1983 | Cracking Up · as Surgeon |
| 1982 | Slapstick of Another Kind · as Dr. Frankenstein |
| 1978 | Edward and Mrs Simpson (TV Series) · as Mouth Organist |
| 1976 | Sherlock Holmes in New York · as Heller |
| 1976 | Holmes and Yoyo (TV Series) · as Montecito |
| 1976 | The Oregon Trail (TV Series) · as Pvt. Babcock |
| 1975 | The Black Bird · as Duquai |
| 1973 | The Cat Creature · as Dr. Reinhart |
| 1972 | Cool Million (TV Series) · as Sir Godwin Phipps-Cheston |
| 1972 | Emmerdale (TV Series) · as Rev. David Cowper |
| 1971 | The Partners (TV Series) |
| 1971 | McMillan and Wife (TV Series) · as Rochemont |
| 1971 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV Series) · as Stephan Ravazian |
| 1970 | Timeslip (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Medical Center (TV Series) · as Professor Macintyre |
| 1969 | 2000 Years Later · as Gregorius |
| 1968 | Three Guns for Texas · as Banker Irwing |
| 1968 | Land of the Giants (TV Series) · as Prof. Gorak |
| 1967 | The Jungle Book · as Akela (voice) |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Garrison's Gorillas (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Rango (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Gambit · as Emile |
| 1966 | The Iron Horse (TV Series) · as Judge Gilbert Burris |
| 1966 | Star Trek (TV Series) · as Ayleborn |
| 1965 | Get Smart (TV Series) |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) · as Dr. Sigmund Von Liebeg |
| 1965 | Laredo (TV Series) |
| 1965 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Professor Shenko |
| 1965 | Lost in Space (TV Series) · as Sesmar |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told · as Aben |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage (TV Series) · as Senator Wigfall |
| 1964 | My Living Doll (TV Series) · as Felix |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) · as Dr. Ellias Swan |
| 1964 | Flipper (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Bewitched (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Wendy and Me (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Rogues (TV Series) · as Sir Egbert |
| 1964 | Destry (TV Series) · as Jake Weatherby |
| 1964 | The Munsters (TV Series) · as Dr. Frankenstein Iv |
| 1963 | Who's Minding the Store? · as Mr. Orlandos |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) · as Pantaleev |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Conrad Jaeger |
| 1963 | The Farmer's Daughter (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1962 | I'm Dickens... He's Fenster (TV Series) · as Prime Minister |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) · as Sir Trevor Gielgud Burton-Guiness |
| 1961 | The Dick Powell Show (TV Series) · as Col. Campos |
| 1961 | The DuPont Show of the Week (TV Series) · as The General |
| 1961 | Great Ghost Tales (TV Series) · as Mr. Arcularis |
| 1960 | The Jim Backus Show (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1960 | Outlaws (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Thriller (TV Series) · as Kriss Milo ('the Mask Of Medusa') |
| 1960 | Hong Kong (TV Series) · as Alec Borg |
| 1959 | Maigret (1960) (TV Series) · as Extra In Film Sequences |
| 1959 | The Detectives (1959) (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The Play of the Week (TV Series) · as Dr. Bonfant |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) · as Murdock |
| 1959 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The June Allyson Show (TV Series) · as Professor Brent |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Tightrope (TV Series) · as Gideon |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) · as Dr. Felstrand |
| 1958 | The Ann Sothern Show (TV Series) · as Carter |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Peter Gunn (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Gigi · as Manuel |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's Storybook (TV Series) · as Uncle Venner |
| 1957 | Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) · as Stefan |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Prof. Carlos Muntz |
| 1957 | Sally (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travel (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Omar Khayyam · as Yusuf |
| 1957 | Public Pigeon No. 1 · as Dipso Dale Rutherford |
| 1956 | The Adventures of Hiram Holliday (TV Series) · as Thief |
| 1956 | Telephone Time (TV Series) |
| 1955 | The Miracle on 34th Street · as Dr. Sawyer |
| 1955 | Matinee Theater (TV Series) |
| 1955 | The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Mr. Munro |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Professor Lute Bone |
| 1955 | The Jane Wyman Show (TV Series) · as Barrett |
| 1955 | Science Fiction Theatre (TV Series) · as John Bowers |
| 1954 | Studio 57 (TV Series) · as Roger Hudson |
| 1953 | The Steel Lady · as Mustafa El Melik |
| 1953 | Sombrero · as Don Daniel |
| 1953 | Rogue's March · as Herbert Bielensen |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Professsor Meyerdal |
| 1952 | Thunder in the East · as Nitra Puta |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) · as Col. Barton |
| 1952 | The Merry Widow · as Marshovian Ambassador |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Chang |
| 1951 | Crosswinds · as Sykes |
| 1951 | Thunder on the Hill · as Abel Harmer |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1949 | Madame Bovary · as Mayor Tuvache |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Travers |
| 1948 | Dream Girl · as Cast |
| 1948 | The Woman in White · as Frederick Fairlie |
| 1947 | If Winter Comes · as Mr. Twyning |
| 1947 | Adventure Island · as Huish |
| 1947 | The Web · as Charles Murdock |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1947 | Time Out of Mind · as Max Leiberman |
| 1946 | Humoresque · as Rozner |
| 1946 | Deception · as Bertram Gribble |
| 1946 | Anna and the King of Siam · as Phya Phrom |
| 1946 | One More Tomorrow · as Joseph Baronova |
| 1946 | The Bandit of Sherwood Forest · as Will Scarlet |
| 1946 | The Notorious Lone Wolf · as Lal Bara |
| 1945 | Saratoga Trunk · as Roscoe Bean |
| 1945 | Pursuit to Algiers · as Jodri |
| 1945 | The Crime Doctor's Warning · as Jimmy Gordon |
| 1945 | A Thousand and One Nights · as Ali |
| 1945 | The Vampire's Ghost · as Webb Fallon |
| 1945 | The Power of the Whistler · as Kaspar Andropolous |
| 1944 | The Falcon in Hollywood · as Martin S. Dwyer |
| 1944 | End of the Road · as Chris Martin |
| 1944 | Once Upon a Time · as Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Cry of the Werewolf · as Peter Althius (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Abroad with Two Yanks · as Salesman |
| 1944 | Secrets of Scotland Yard · as Mortimer Cope |
| 1944 | Summer Storm · as Lunin |
| 1944 | The Mask of Dimitrios · as Mr. Pappas |
| 1943 | Jane Eyre · as Mason |
| 1943 | The Cross of Lorraine · as Baker |
| 1943 | Dangerous Blondes · as Roland X. Smith (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Mission to Moscow · as Grinko (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Hangmen Also Die! · as Hostage (scenes Deleted) |
| 1943 | They Got Me Covered · as Gregory Vanesou |
| 1943 | The Gorilla Man · as Dr. Ferris |
| 1943 | London Blackout Murders · as Jack Rawlings |
| 1942 | Nightmare · as Carl Aka Charles |
| 1942 | Get Hep to Love · as Professor Radowsky |
| 1942 | Mrs. Miniver · as Fred |
| 1942 | Rubber Racketeers · as Dumbo |
| 1942 | This Above All · as Joe |
| 1942 | Joan of Paris · as English Spy |
| 1941 | The Shanghai Gesture · as Poppy's Escort |
| 1940 | Missing Ten Days · as André |
| 1939 | The Great Commandment · as Starving Beggar |
| 1939 | The Saint in London · as Count Stephen Duni |
| 1938 | This Man Is News · as Hood With Foreign Accent |
| 1937 | The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel · as Flower Seller |
| 1937 | Under Secret Orders · as Armand |
| 1937 | |
| 1931 | The Conquest of the Air · as Jean-François Pilâtre De Rozier |