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.
Acted in 124
1990s
- 1998
The Commissioner
Commissioner's Laywer
1980s
- 1987
- 1984
Quest
Movie
- 1983
Smorgasbord
Surgeon
- 1982
1970s
- 1978
Edward and Mrs Simpson
Mouth Organist · 1 episode
- 1976
Sherlock Holmes in New York
Heller
- 1975
The Black Bird
Duquai
- 1973
The Cat Creature
Dr. Reinhart
- 1972
Cool Million
Sir Godwin Phipps-Cheston · 1 episode
- 1970
Timeslip
TV
1960s
- 1969
The Epic That Never Was
Ms. Robson's Host (uncredited)
2000 Years Later
Gregorius
- 1968
Three Guns for Texas
Banker Irwing
- 1967
Rango
TV
- 1966
Gambit
Emile
- 1965
- 1964
Wendy and Me
TV
- 1963
Who's Minding the Store?
Mr. Orlandos
- 1962
- 1961
Ichabod and Me
TV
- 1960
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Cat · 1 episode
- 1957
Omar Khayyam
Yusuf
Public Pigeon No. 1
Dipso Dale Rutherford
- 1956
- 1955
The Miracle on 34th Street
Dr. Sawyer
- 1953
The Steel Lady
Mustafa el Melik
Sombrero
Don Daniel
Rogue's March
Herbert Bielensen
General Electric Theater
Professsor Meyerdal, Nathan · 1 episode
- 1952
Thunder in the East
Nitra Puta
The Merry Widow
Marshovian Ambassador
- 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Chang · 1 episode
Thunder on the Hill
Abel Harmer
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV
Crosswinds
Sykes
Navy Bound
Pappa Cerrano
- 1950
Sideshow
Pierre
1940s
- 1949
- 1948
The Woman in White
Frederick Fairlie
- 1947
If Winter Comes
Mr. Twyning
Adventure Island
Huish
The Web
Charles Murdock
Time Out of Mind
Max Leiberman
Humoresque
Rozner
- 1946
One More Tomorrow
Joseph Baronova
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
Will Scarlet
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Lal Bara
- 1945
The Crime Doctor's Warning
Jimmy Gordon
Honeymoon Ahead
Welles
The Power of the Whistler
Kaspar Andropolous
The Vampire's Ghost
Webb Fallon
- 1944
The Falcon in Hollywood
Martin S. Dwyer
End of the Road
Chris Martin
Abroad with Two Yanks
Salesman
Secrets of Scotland Yard
Mortimer Cope
U-Boat Prisoner
Alfonse Lamont
Once Upon a Time
Reporter (uncredited)
- 1943
The Cross of Lorraine
Baker (uncredited)
Dangerous Blondes
Roland X. Smith (uncredited)
Mission to Moscow
Grinko (uncredited)
The Gorilla Man
Dr. Ferris
London Blackout Murders
Jack Rawlings
- 1942
Nightmare
Carl aka Charles
Get Hep to Love
Professor Radowsky
Rubber Racketeers
Dumbo
This Above All
Joe
Joan of Paris
English Spy
- 1941
- 1940
Ten Days in Paris
André
1930s
- 1939
The Great Commandment
Starving Beggar, Starving Begger (uncredited)
The Saint in London
Count Stephen Duni
- 1938
This Man Is News
Hood with Foreign Accent
- 1937
Under Secret Orders
Armand
Street of Shadows
Movie
- 1931
The Conquest of the Air
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
