John Abbott
Born
June 5, 1905
Died
May 24, 1996 (90 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Stepney, London, England, UK
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.
The Commissioner
Commissioner's Laywer
1998
A Hazard of Hearts
2nd Gambler
1987
Quest
1984
Smorgasbord
Surgeon
1983
Slapstick of Another Kind
Dr. Frankenstein
1982
Blunt Instrument
Dr. Durrant
1981
Outside Chance
Coroner
1978
Edward and Mrs Simpson
Mouth Organist · (1 episode)
1978
Sherlock Holmes in New York
Heller
1976
The Black Bird
Duquai
1975
The Cat Creature
Dr. Reinhart
1973
Cool Million
Sir Godwin Phipps-Cheston · (1 episode)
1972
The Partners
(1 episode)
1971
Timeslip
(1 episode)
1970
Medical Center
Professor MacIntyre · (1 episode)
1969
The Epic That Never Was
Himself – Ms. Robson's Host (uncredited)
1969
2000 Years Later
Gregorius
1969
Three Guns for Texas
Banker Irwing
1968
Land of the Giants
Prof. Gorak · (1 episode)
1968
The Jungle Book
Akela (voice)
1967
Mannix
(1 episode)
1967
Garrison's Gorillas
(1 episode)
1967
Rango
(1 episode)
1967
Gambit
Emile
1966
Star Trek
Ayleborn · (1 episode)
1966
Get Smart
(1 episode)
1965
Laredo
(1 episode)
1965
Lost in Space
Sesmar · (1 episode)
1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Aben
1965
Profiles in Courage
Senator Wigfall · (1 episode)
1964
Flipper
(1 episode)
1964
Bewitched
(1 episode)
1964
Wendy and Me
(1 episode)
1964
The Rogues
Sir Egbert · (1 episode)
1964
Who's Minding the Store?
Mr. Orlandos
1963
Burke's Law
Conrad Jaeger · (1 episode)
1963
The Beverly Hillbillies
(0 episode)
1962
The Beverly Hillbillies
Sir Trevor Gielgud Burton-Guiness · (1 episode)
1962
Ichabod and Me
(1 episode)
1961
The Islanders
Harwood Gones · (1 episode)
1960
Outlaws
(1 episode)
1960
Thriller
Kriss Milo ('The Mask of Medusa') · (1 episode)
1960
The Detectives
(1 episode)
1959
Adventures in Paradise
Murdock · (1 episode)
1959
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
(1 episode)
1959
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Professor Brent · (1 episode)
1959
The Rifleman
(1 episode)
1958
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Cat · (1 episode)
1958
Peter Gunn
(1 episode)
1958
Gigi
Manuel
1958
Perry Mason
Prof. Carlos Muntz · (1 episode)
1957
Perry Mason
Dr. Durwood Tobey · (1 episode)
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
(1 episode)
1957
Omar Khayyam
Yusuf
1957
Public Pigeon No. 1
Dipso Dale Rutherford
1957
Telephone Time
(1 episode)
1956
The Miracle on 34th Street
Dr. Sawyer
1955
Matinee Theater
(5 episodes)
1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
(1 episode)
1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Mr. Munro · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Professor Lute Bone · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Eddie · (1 episode)
1955
The Steel Lady
Mustafa el Melik
1953
Sombrero
Don Daniel
1953
Rogue's March
Herbert Bielensen
1953
General Electric Theater
Professsor Meyerdal · (1 episode)
1953
General Electric Theater
Nathan · (1 episode)
1953
Thunder in the East
Nitra Puta
1952
Cavalcade of America
Col. Barton · (1 episode)
1952
The Merry Widow
Marshovian Ambassador
1952
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Chang · (1 episode)
1951
Thunder on the Hill
Abel Harmer
1951
Crosswinds
Sykes
1951
Navy Bound
Pappa Cerrano
1951
Sideshow
Pierre
1950
Madame Bovary
Mayor Tuvache
1949
Studio One
Travers · (1 episode)
1948
The Woman in White
Frederick Fairlie
1948
If Winter Comes
Mr. Twyning
1947
Adventure Island
Huish
1947
The Web
Charles Murdock
1947
Time Out of Mind
Max Leiberman
1947
Humoresque
Rozner
1947
Deception
Bertram Gribble
1946
Anna and the King of Siam
Phya Phrom
1946
One More Tomorrow
Joseph Baronova
1946
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
Will Scarlet
1946
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Lal Bara
1946
Saratoga Trunk
Roscoe Bean
1945
Pursuit to Algiers
Jodri
1945
The Crime Doctor's Warning
Jimmy Gordon
1945
A Thousand and One Nights
Ali
1945
Honeymoon Ahead
Welles
1945
The Power of the Whistler
Kaspar Andropolous
1945
The Vampire's Ghost
Webb Fallon
1945
The Falcon in Hollywood
Martin S. Dwyer
1944
End of the Road
Chris Martin
1944
Cry of the Werewolf
Peter Althius (uncredited)
1944
Abroad with Two Yanks
Salesman
1944
Secrets of Scotland Yard
Mortimer Cope
1944
U-Boat Prisoner
Alfonse Lamont
1944
Summer Storm
Lunin
1944
Once Upon a Time
Reporter (uncredited)
1944
The Mask of Dimitrios
Mr. Pappas
1944
Jane Eyre
Mason
1943
The Cross of Lorraine
Baker
1943
Dangerous Blondes
Roland X. Smith (uncredited)
1943
Mission to Moscow
Grinko (uncredited)
1943
Hangmen Also Die!
Hostage (scenes deleted)
1943
They Got Me Covered
Gregory Vanesou
1943
The Gorilla Man
Dr. Ferris
1943
London Blackout Murders
Jack Rawlings
1943
Nightmare
Carl aka Charles
1942
Get Hep to Love
Professor Radowsky
1942
Mrs. Miniver
Fred
1942
Rubber Racketeers
Dumbo
1942
This Above All
Joe
1942
Joan of Paris
English Spy
1942
The Shanghai Gesture
Poppy's Escort
1941
Ten Days in Paris
André
1940
The Great Commandment
Starving Beggar
1939
The Saint in London
Count Stephen Duni
1939
This Man Is News
Hood with Foreign Accent
1938
Under Secret Orders
Armand
1937
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Flower Seller
1937
Street of Shadows
1937
The Conquest of the Air
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
1936