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Geoffrey Kerr

December 08, 2023

Geoffrey Kerr (born Geoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen; 26 January 1895 – 1 July 1971) was a British stage and film actor and writer during the middle of the 20th century.

Geoffrey Kerr
Born
Geoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen

(1895-01-26)26 January 1895
London, England
Died(1971-07-01)1 July 1971 (aged 76)
Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Occupation(s)Actor and writer
Years active1917–1956
SpouseJune Walker
ChildrenJohn Kerr (1931–2013)

Early life edit

Geoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen was born on 26 January 1895, in London, the son of character actor and theatrical manager Frederick Kerr and his wife Lucy Houghton Keen, née Dowson. His younger sister was the actor Molly Kerr. He was educated at Charterhouse School, where his father had been a pupil, and was intending to join the Civil Service until he wrote and appeared in a very successful school play and decided on a career in the theatre.[1]

At the start of World War I, he obtained a commission in the Shropshire Light Infantry,[1] and saw active service in the trenches. A friend from his theatre days before the war arranged for him to receive training in the Royal Flying Corps but he was wounded when his plane crashed and spent the remainder of the war as an instructor in aerial gunnery with the rank of Captain.[1][2] In 1920, he travelled to the United States for the first time to appear with his father on Broadway. From that point on for the remainder of the 1920s, he travelled back and forth across the Atlantic quite often, appearing on Broadway in New York City, and making silent films back home in Britain.

Stage career edit

On Broadway, as Geoffrey Kerr, he performed in such plays as The Stork (1925) and London Calling, the latter which he wrote. He also directed occasionally, and co-starred with wife June Walker on Broadway in The Bachelor Father (1928). He ended his acting career in 1934, though he did appear in a play on Broadway in 1949–50, to celebrate the silver Broadway anniversary of the two stars Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.[3]

  • Just Suppose, playing George (1 November 1920 – January ?, 1921)
  • East of Suez, playing Harold Knox (21 September 1922 – December ?, 1922)
  • You and I, playing Roderick White (19 February 1923 – June ?, 1923)
  • The Changelings, playing Wicky Faber (17 September 1923 – January ?, 1924)
  • In His Arms, playing Ernest Fairleigh (13 October 1924 – November ?, 1924)
  • The Stork, playing Lionel Deport (26 January 1925 – February ?, 1925)
  • 'First Love", playing Jean (8 November 1926 – December ?, 1926)
  • The Bachelor Father, playing John Ashley (28 February 1928 – October ?, 1928)
  • Ada Beats the Drum, directed by Geoffrey Kerr (8 May 1930 – June ?, 1930)
  • London Calling, written by Geoffrey Kerr, playing George Craft (18 October 1930 – October  ?, 1930)
  • This is New York, playing Joseph Gresham Jr. (28 November 1930 – January ?, 1931)
  • Collision, playing Dr. Gestzi (16 February 1932 – February ?, 1932)
  • We Are No Longer Children, playing Jean Servin (31 March 1932 – April ?, 1932)
  • Domino, playing Cremone (16 August 1932 – August ?, 1932)
  • Foolscap, staged by Geoffrey Kerr, playing Shakespeare (11 January 1933 – January ?, 1933)
  • Yellow Jack, playing Stackpoole (6 March 1934 – May 1934)
  • I Know My Love, playing Frederic Chanler (2 November 1949 – 3 June 1950)

Film career edit

Geoffrey Kerr became known in the film industry when he co-starred with his father in the British silent film 12.10 (1919), although he did appear in several other silent films prior to that. Most of his silent films were British productions; the "talkies" in 1931 were US productions.

Writing career edit

From 1935 until the late 1940s, Kerr was a screenwriter and playwright; he also wrote several British television productions in the early 1950s. His best-known film credits include Rene Clair's Break the News (1938), the wartime comedy/melodrama Cottage to Let (1941), and the period drama Jassy (1947). One of Kerr's screenplays from 1936 resurfaced in 1988 as the British TV production, The Tenth Man.

His credits include:

In addition, Kerr wrote a fantasy novel, Under the Influence (1954), about a London bank cashier who can read people's minds, but only when drunk. Kerr attempted to co-write a screenplay with George S. Kaufman based on that novel, but the screenplay remained unfinished.[4]

Personal life edit

He married June Walker in 1926. They had one child in 1931, a son, John Kerr, who also became an actor but later qualified as a lawyer, like his grandfather.[1] He separated from his wife in 1938, and they divorced in 1943.

Death edit

Geoffrey Kerr died 1 July 1971, in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, aged 76.[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Frederick Kerr (1930). Recollections of a Defective Memory. London: Thornton Butterworth.
  2. ^ "FRED—THE KERRS—GEOFFREY" New York Times Drama/Music/Fashion/Screen, 7 November 1920, page 88 (available online at the New York Times archive
  3. ^ "Broadway Openings/I Know My Love" (review) Billboard, 12 November 1949, page 46 (available online at Online Google Books archive
  4. ^ George S. Kaufman biodata[permanent dead link] at the Tome website

External links edit

December 08, 2023
geoffrey, kerr, born, geoffrey, kemble, grinham, keen, january, 1895, july, 1971, british, stage, film, actor, writer, during, middle, 20th, century, borngeoffrey, kemble, grinham, keen, 1895, january, 1895london, englanddied, 1971, july, 1971, aged, aldershot. Geoffrey Kerr born Geoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen 26 January 1895 1 July 1971 was a British stage and film actor and writer during the middle of the 20th century Geoffrey KerrBornGeoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen 1895 01 26 26 January 1895London EnglandDied 1971 07 01 1 July 1971 aged 76 Aldershot Hampshire EnglandOccupation s Actor and writerYears active1917 1956SpouseJune WalkerChildrenJohn Kerr 1931 2013 Contents 1 Early life 2 Stage career 3 Film career 4 Writing career 5 Personal life 6 Death 7 References 8 External linksEarly life editGeoffrey Kemble Grinham Keen was born on 26 January 1895 in London the son of character actor and theatrical manager Frederick Kerr and his wife Lucy Houghton Keen nee Dowson His younger sister was the actor Molly Kerr He was educated at Charterhouse School where his father had been a pupil and was intending to join the Civil Service until he wrote and appeared in a very successful school play and decided on a career in the theatre 1 At the start of World War I he obtained a commission in the Shropshire Light Infantry 1 and saw active service in the trenches A friend from his theatre days before the war arranged for him to receive training in the Royal Flying Corps but he was wounded when his plane crashed and spent the remainder of the war as an instructor in aerial gunnery with the rank of Captain 1 2 In 1920 he travelled to the United States for the first time to appear with his father on Broadway From that point on for the remainder of the 1920s he travelled back and forth across the Atlantic quite often appearing on Broadway in New York City and making silent films back home in Britain Stage career editOn Broadway as Geoffrey Kerr he performed in such plays as The Stork 1925 and London Calling the latter which he wrote He also directed occasionally and co starred with wife June Walker on Broadway in The Bachelor Father 1928 He ended his acting career in 1934 though he did appear in a play on Broadway in 1949 50 to celebrate the silver Broadway anniversary of the two stars Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne 3 Just Suppose playing George 1 November 1920 January 1921 East of Suez playing Harold Knox 21 September 1922 December 1922 You and I playing Roderick White 19 February 1923 June 1923 The Changelings playing Wicky Faber 17 September 1923 January 1924 In His Arms playing Ernest Fairleigh 13 October 1924 November 1924 The Stork playing Lionel Deport 26 January 1925 February 1925 First Love playing Jean 8 November 1926 December 1926 The Bachelor Father playing John Ashley 28 February 1928 October 1928 Ada Beats the Drum directed by Geoffrey Kerr 8 May 1930 June 1930 London Calling written by Geoffrey Kerr playing George Craft 18 October 1930 October 1930 This is New York playing Joseph Gresham Jr 28 November 1930 January 1931 Collision playing Dr Gestzi 16 February 1932 February 1932 We Are No Longer Children playing Jean Servin 31 March 1932 April 1932 Domino playing Cremone 16 August 1932 August 1932 Foolscap staged by Geoffrey Kerr playing Shakespeare 11 January 1933 January 1933 Yellow Jack playing Stackpoole 6 March 1934 May 1934 I Know My Love playing Frederic Chanler 2 November 1949 3 June 1950 Film career editGeoffrey Kerr became known in the film industry when he co starred with his father in the British silent film 12 10 1919 although he did appear in several other silent films prior to that Most of his silent films were British productions the talkies in 1931 were US productions The Profligate 1917 Wilfred 12 10 1919 Geoffrey Brooke The Usurper 1919 Bonamy Tredgold Torn Sails 1920 Ivor Parry The Great Day 1920 Dave Leeson The Mirage 1920 Richard Dalziell Love s Boomerang 1922 Saville Mender The Man from Home 1922 Horace Granger Simpson Just Suppose 1926 Count Anton Teschy Women Love Once 1931 Allen Greenough The Runaround 1931 Fred Once a Lady 1931 Jimmy Fenwick final film role Writing career editFrom 1935 until the late 1940s Kerr was a screenwriter and playwright he also wrote several British television productions in the early 1950s His best known film credits include Rene Clair s Break the News 1938 the wartime comedy melodrama Cottage to Let 1941 and the period drama Jassy 1947 One of Kerr s screenplays from 1936 resurfaced in 1988 as the British TV production The Tenth Man His credits include The Ghost Goes West 1935 scenario Weekend Millionaire 1935 writer aka Once in a Million UK original title The Tenth Man 1936 writer A Star Fell from Heaven 1936 writer Living Dangerously 1936 writer Break the News 1938 writer Sweet Devil 1938 writer Under Your Hat 1940 his play adapted for film Bombsight Stolen 1941 his play adapted for film aka Cottage to Let UK original title Jassy 1947 writer The Calendar 1948 writer Fools Rush In 1949 writer The Monster of Killoon 1952 British television play My Husband and I 1956 British TV series writer of an unknown number of episodes In addition Kerr wrote a fantasy novel Under the Influence 1954 about a London bank cashier who can read people s minds but only when drunk Kerr attempted to co write a screenplay with George S Kaufman based on that novel but the screenplay remained unfinished 4 Personal life editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed April 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message He married June Walker in 1926 They had one child in 1931 a son John Kerr who also became an actor but later qualified as a lawyer like his grandfather 1 He separated from his wife in 1938 and they divorced in 1943 Death editGeoffrey Kerr died 1 July 1971 in Aldershot Hampshire England aged 76 citation needed References edit a b c d Frederick Kerr 1930 Recollections of a Defective Memory London Thornton Butterworth FRED THE KERRS GEOFFREY New York Times Drama Music Fashion Screen 7 November 1920 page 88 available online at the New York Times archive Broadway Openings I Know My Love review Billboard 12 November 1949 page 46 available online at Online Google Books archive George S Kaufman biodata permanent dead link at the Tome websiteExternal links editGeoffrey Kerr at IMDb Geoffrey Kerr at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Geoffrey Kerr amp oldid 1180286667, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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