| John Abbott | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Kefford 5 June 1905 London, England |
| Died | 24 May 1996 (aged 90) Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1936–84 |
John Kefford (5 June 1905, London, England – 24 May 1996, Los Angeles, California) was an English character actor professionally known as John Abbott. His memorable roles include the invalid Frederick Fairlie in the 1948 movie The Woman in White and the pacifist Ayelborne in the Star Trek episode "Errand of Mercy". He also played Sesmar on an episode of Lost in Space "The Dream Monster" (1966).
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Abbott performed with some of England's most famous actors and was well-known as a Shakespearean actor. He never auditioned for a part, but was always asked to play a role.
In the early days of World War II, Abbott worked at the British embassy in Moscow. When the time came to leave, he had to go by way of the United States. While in the U.S., he was offered a part in Hollywood in 1941[1] and ended up living there for the rest of his life.
He continued to find work, although he was blacklisted during the Red Scare of the 1950s. Eventually, a producer, wanting to hire him, was able to get his listing removed.[2]
In his final years, Abbott taught acting students for free and inspired some of Hollywood's most famous young actors of that time.