John Abbott
Biography
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
Aben
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Mademoiselle Docteur
Bertram Gribble
Deception
Akela (voice)
The Jungle Book
Heller
Sherlock Holmes in New York
Rozner
Humoresque
Fred
Mrs. Miniver
Emile
Gambit
Mr. Pappas
The Mask of Dimitrios
Charles Murdock
The Web
Peter Althius (uncredited)
Cry of the Werewolf
Coroner
Outside Chance
Kaspar Andropolous
The Power of the Whistler
Frederick Fairlie
The Woman in White
Chris Martin
End of the Road
Martin S. Dwyer
The Falcon in Hollywood
Mayor Tuvache
Madame Bovary
English Spy
Joan of Paris
Sykes
Crosswinds
Manuel
Gigi
2nd Gambler
A Hazard of Hearts
Jodri
Pursuit to Algiers
Lunin
Summer Storm
Dr. Ferris
The Gorilla Man
Webb Fallon
The Vampire's Ghost
Count Stephen Duni
The Saint in London
Abel Harmer
Thunder on the Hill
Lal Bara
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Pappa Cerrano
Navy Bound
Pierre
Sideshow
Gregorius
2000 Years Later
Mr. Twyning
If Winter Comes
Himself – Ms. Robson's Host (uncredited)
The Epic That Never Was
Marshovian Ambassador
The Merry Widow
Mortimer Cope
Secrets of Scotland Yard
Salesman
Abroad with Two Yanks
Huish
Adventure Island
Yusuf
Omar Khayyam
Herbert Bielensen
Rogue's March
Jack Rawlings
London Blackout Murders
Welles
Honeymoon Ahead
Max Leiberman
Time Out of Mind
André
Ten Days in Paris
Alfonse Lamont
U-Boat Prisoner
Jimmy Gordon
The Crime Doctor's Warning
Dumbo
Rubber Racketeers
Surgeon
Smorgasbord
Phya Phrom
Anna and the King of Siam
Roscoe Bean
Saratoga Trunk
Hostage (scenes deleted)
Hangmen Also Die!
Mustafa el Melik
The Steel Lady
Banker Irwing
Three Guns for Texas
Joseph Baronova
One More Tomorrow
Dr. Reinhart
The Cat Creature
Joe
This Above All
Flower Seller
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Starving Beggar
The Great Commandment
Baker
The Cross of Lorraine
Mr. Orlandos
Who's Minding the Store?
Dr. Frankenstein
Slapstick of Another Kind
Mason
Jane Eyre
Carl aka Charles
Nightmare
Gregory Vanesou
They Got Me Covered
Nitra Puta
Thunder in the East
Poppy's Escort
The Shanghai Gesture
Professor Radowsky
Get Hep to Love
Ali
A Thousand and One Nights
Roland X. Smith (uncredited)
Dangerous Blondes
Dipso Dale Rutherford
Public Pigeon No. 1
Reporter (uncredited)
Once Upon a Time
Hood with Foreign Accent
This Man Is News
Don Daniel
Sombrero
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
The Conquest of the Air
Grinko (uncredited)
Mission to Moscow
Duquai
The Black Bird
Quest
Dr. Sawyer
The Miracle on 34th Street
Will Scarlet
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
Commissioner's Laywer
The Commissioner
Armand
Under Secret Orders
Dr. Durrant
Blunt Instrument
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
81
Gender
Male
Birthday
1905-06-05
Place of Birth
Stepney, London, England, UK
Also Known As
John Lloyd Abbott