John Abbott
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Perry Mason
Prof. Carlos Muntz
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Dr. Durwood Tobey
1957
Series
Star Trek
Ayleborn
1966
Series
The Rifleman
1958
Series
Bewitched
1964
Series
Mannix
1967
Series
Matinee Theater
1955
Series
Get Smart
Mondo
1965
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Winston Ainslee
1957
Series
Peter Gunn
1958
Series
The Beverly Hillbillies
1962
Series
The Beverly Hillbillies
Sir Trevor Gielgud Burton-Guiness
1962
Series
Gunsmoke
Professor Lute Bone
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Eddie
1955
Series
Lost in Space
Sesmar
1965
Series
Studio One
Travers
1948
Series
Thriller
Kriss Milo ('The Mask of Medusa')
1960
Series
Burke's Law
Conrad Jaeger
1963
Series
Telephone Time
Jutchenko
1956
Series
Medical Center
Professor MacIntyre
1969
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Mr. Munro
1955
Film
The Jungle Book
Akela (voice)
1967
Series
77 Sunset Strip
Dr. Felstrand
1958
Series
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959
Series
Adventures in Paradise
Murdock
1959
Series
Land of the Giants
Prof. Gorak
1968
Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Dr. Ellias Swan
1964
Film
Jane Eyre
Mason
1943
Series
The Detectives
1959
Series
Flipper
1964
Series
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Dr. Albert Sawyer
1955
Series
Laredo
1965
Series
Outlaws
1960
Series
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Professor Brent
1959
Series
The Islanders
Harwood Gones
1960
Series
The Rogues
Sir Egbert
1964
Series
Paul Temple
Floor Manager
1969
Series
Cavalcade of America
Col. Barton
1952
Series
Garrison's Gorillas
1967
Profiles in Courage
Senator Wigfall
1964
Film
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Aben
1965
The Partners
1971
Film
Gigi
Manuel
1958
Series
Wendy and Me
1964
Series
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Cat
1958
Film
Mrs. Miniver
Fred
1942
Series
Rango
1967
Series
Edward and Mrs Simpson
Mouth Organist
1978
Series
Cool Million
Sir Godwin Phipps-Cheston
1972
Film
Gambit
Emile
1966
Series
Timeslip
1970
Film
Anna and the King of Siam
Phya Phrom
1946
Series
General Electric Theater
Professsor Meyerdal
1953
Series
General Electric Theater
Nathan
1953
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Chang
1951
Film
Quest
1984
Series
Ichabod and Me
1961
Film
Madame Bovary
Mayor Tuvache
1949
Film
Hangmen Also Die!
Hostage (scenes deleted)
1943
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Film
Who's Minding the Store?
Mr. Orlandos
1963
Film
A Thousand and One Nights
Ali
1945
Film
The Merry Widow
Marshovian Ambassador
1952
Film
The Mask of Dimitrios
Mr. Pappas
1944
Film
Humoresque
Rozner
1947
Film
A Hazard of Hearts
2nd Gambler
1987
Film
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
Will Scarlet
1946
Film
Sherlock Holmes in New York
Heller
1976
Film
Saratoga Trunk
Roscoe Bean
1945
Film
The Black Bird
Duquai
1975
Film
The Web
Charles Murdock
1947
Film
Rogue's March
Herbert Bielensen
1953
Film
Time Out of Mind
Max Leiberman
1947
Film
This Above All
Joe
1942
Film
Deception
Bertram Gribble
1946
Film
Pursuit to Algiers
Jodri
1945
Film
Slapstick of Another Kind
Dr. Frankenstein
1982
Film
The Woman in White
Frederick Fairlie
1948
Film
The Steel Lady
Mustafa el Melik
1953
Film
Omar Khayyam
Yusuf
1957
Film
Smorgasbord
Surgeon
1983
Film
Sombrero
Don Daniel
1953
Film
The Falcon in Hollywood
Martin S. Dwyer
1944
Film
Summer Storm
Lunin
1944
Film
Once Upon a Time
Reporter (uncredited)
1944
Film
The Commissioner
Commissioner's Laywer
1998
Film
Thunder on the Hill
Abel Harmer
1951
Film
Thunder in the East
Nitra Puta
1952
Film
Mission to Moscow
Grinko (uncredited)
1943
Film
Street of Shadows
1937
Film
Honeymoon Ahead
Welles
1945
Film
Adventure Island
Huish
1947
Film
The Miracle on 34th Street
Dr. Sawyer
1955
Film
Cry of the Werewolf
Peter Althius
1944
Film
The Cat Creature
Dr. Reinhart
1973
Film
The Epic That Never Was
Ms. Robson's Host (uncredited)
1969
Film
The Shanghai Gesture
Poppy's Escort
1941
Film
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Flower Seller
1937
Film
The Notorious Lone Wolf
Lal Bara
1946
Film
The Gorilla Man
Dr. Ferris
1943
Film
The Power of the Whistler
Kaspar Andropolous
1945
Film
The Crime Doctor's Warning
Jimmy Gordon
1945
Film
The Cross of Lorraine
Baker (uncredited)
1943
Film
They Got Me Covered
Gregory Vanesou
1943
Film
Crosswinds
Sykes
1951
Film
Joan of Paris
English Spy
1942
Film
If Winter Comes
Mr. Twyning
1947
Film
The Conquest of the Air
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
1931
Film
The Vampire's Ghost
Webb Fallon
1945
Film
Get Hep to Love
Professor Radowsky
1942
Outside Chance
Coroner
1978
Film
One More Tomorrow
Joseph Baronova
1946
Film
The Great Commandment
Starving Beggar
1939
Film
The Great Commandment
Starving Begger (uncredited)
1939
Film
Public Pigeon No. 1
Dipso Dale Rutherford
1957
Film
Three Guns for Texas
Banker Irwing
1968
Film
Dangerous Blondes
Roland X. Smith (uncredited)
1943
Film
U-Boat Prisoner
Alfonse Lamont
1944
Film
The Saint in London
Count Stephen Duni
1939
Film
This Man Is News
Hood with Foreign Accent
1938
Film
London Blackout Murders
Jack Rawlings
1943
Film
End of the Road
Chris Martin
1944
Film
Rubber Racketeers
Dumbo
1942
Film
Abroad with Two Yanks
Salesman
1944
Film
Nightmare
Carl aka Charles
1942
Film
Sideshow
Pierre
1950
Film
Secrets of Scotland Yard
Mortimer Cope
1944
Film
Navy Bound
Pappa Cerrano
1951
Film
Under Secret Orders
Armand
1937
Blunt Instrument
Dr. Durrant
1981
Film
2000 Years Later
Gregorius
1969
Film
Ten Days in Paris
André
1940