Kerwin Mathews at Brian's Drive-In Theater

biography

Born in Seattle, Washington, on January 8, 1926, Kerwin Mathews relocated to Janesville, Wisconsin, after his parents divorced. He took an interest in drama as a teenager, before entering the Army Air Force in 1944, toward the end of World War II. After detaching from military service, Mathews returned to Wisconsin and enrolled at Benoit College where he majored in theater. After graduation, Mathews worked as a teacher for a few years but eventually quit and made his way to Hollywood. At 6'1" and 180 lbs., the handsome hopeful snagged a contract with Columbia in 1954. His first credited film appearance was a meaty role in the Columbia film noir vehicle 5 Against the House (1955; with Guy Madison and Kim Novak).

Mathews went on to star in several noir flicks including Columbia's sweatshop noir The Garment Jungle (1957; with Lee J. Cobb and Richard Boone) and Man on a String (1960; with Ernest Borgnine and Colleen Dewhurst). However, Mathews' best known films are the Columbia swashbucklers The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958; with Kathryn Grant) and The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960; with Jo Morrow and Lee Patterson), along with the United Artists release Jack the Giant Killer (1962; with Judi Meredith and Anna Lee).

Despite acting in some great films, Mathews' career never reach the heights he had hoped for. Roles in the underrated adventures The Devil at 4 O'Clock (1961; with Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, and Jean-Pierre Aumont) and The Pirates of Blood River (1962; with Glenn Corbett and Christopher Lee) didn't catapult him to starring roles in A pictures. Mathews' contract with Columbia ended in 1963 with the release of the Columbia/Hammer co-production Maniac (1963; with Nadia Gray). Soon Mathews went to Europe to act in a few films, including the French thriller OSS 117 (1963; with Nadia Sanders), and its sequel Shadow of Evil (1964; with Pier Angeli). In 1964, nearing 40 years of age and dissatisfied with his career, Mathews decided to take a break from films and television for a few years.

the films of kerwin mathews

5 Against the House (1955)

Brian Keith, Guy Madison, Kim Novak, Alvy Moore, and Kerwin Mathews

With Brian Keith, Guy Madison, Kim Novak, and Alvy Moore in the Columbia film noir release 5 Against the House, which was Mathews' first film

The Garment Jungle (1957)

With Gia Scala in the Columbia film noir release The Garment Jungle

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

With Kathryn Grant in Columbia's swashbuckler The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Ray Harryhausen was responsible for the special effects in this movie and also served as associate producer

Tarawa Beachhead (1958)

With Julie Adams in Columbia's war film Tarawa Beachhead

Man on a String (1959)

From Columbia's crime thriller Man on a String. LEFT: With Ernest Borgnine. RIGHT: Mathews as Bob Avery

The Warrior Empress (1960)

With Tina Louise in the Italian spectacle The Warrior Empress

The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960)

From The 3 Worlds of Gulliver. LEFT: Lobby card. CENTER and RIGHT: Mathews as Dr. Lemuel Gulliver. Ray Harryhausen did the special effects in this fantasy adventure

Maniac (1963)

With Nadia Gray in the Hammer horror thriller Maniac

Battle Beneath the Earth (1967)

Images from the sci-fi thriller Battle Beneath the Earth, released in the US by MGM

The Viscount (1967)

Images from the crime drama The Viscount, released in the US by Warner Bros.

The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (1973)

From Universal's horror release The Boy Who Cried Werewolf. LEFT: With Scott Sealey. RIGHT: With Elaine Devry

later years

Late in his film career, Mathews acted in a number of horror and science fiction films, including Battle Beneath the Earth (1967; with Robert Ayres), Octaman (1971; with Jeff Morrow and Pier Angeli), The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (1973; with Elaine Devry), and Nightmare in Blood (1978; with Barrie Youngfellow). After the release of Nightmare in Blood, Mathews retired from acting to move to San Francisco and work as an antiques dealer. He passed away on July 5, 2007, in his sleep at age 81. He was survived by his partner of 46 years, Tom Nicoll.

filmography

FILM
Nightmare in Blood (1978) with Barrie Youngfellow; directed by John Stanley
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (1973) with Elaine Devry
Octaman (1971) with Jeff Morrow, Pier Angeli, and Buck Kartalian
Death Takes a Holiday (1971) with Yvette Mimieux, Myrna Loy, and Bert Convy
Barquero (1970) with Lee Van Cleef, Mariette Hartley, Warren Oates, and Forrest Tucker
A Boy... a Girl (1969) with Dean Paul Martin, Peggy Lipton, and Karen Steele; directed by John Derek
A Darkness at Blaisedon (1968) with Louis Edmonds
The Killer Likes Candy (1968) with Gordon Mitchell and Marilu Tolo
Ghostbreakers (1967) with Kevin McCarthy, Diana Van der Vlis, Norman Fell, Larry Blyden, Richard Anderson, Michael Constantine, Margaret Hamilton, and Anne Jeffreys
Battle Beneath the Earth (1967) with Peter Arne and Vivienne Ventura
The Viscount (1967) with Edmond O'Brien and Fernando Rey
Shadow of Evil (1964) with Pier Angeli
OSS 17 (1963) with Nadia Sanders
The Waltz King (1963) with Brian Aherne and Senta Berger
Maniac (1963) with Nadia Gray
The Pirates of Blood River (1962) with Christopher Lee, Glenn Corbett, Peter Arne, Oliver Reed, and Desmond Llewelyn
Jack the Giant Killer (1962) with Anna Lee, Judi Meredith, and Roger Mobley
The Devil at 4 O'Clock (1961) with Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Jean-Pierre Aumont, and Barbara Luna
The Warrior Empress (1960) with Tina Louise and Elke Sommer
The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960) with Lee Patterson and Jo Morrow
Man on a String (1959) with Ernest Borgnine, Colleen Dewhurst, and Glenn Corbett
The Last Blitzkrieg (1958) with Van Johnson, Dick York, and Brett Halsey
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) with Kathryn Grant
Tarawa Beachhead (1958) with Julie Adams, Ray Danton, Karen Sharpe, and William Boyett
The Garment Jungle (1957) with Lee J. Cobb, Richard Boone, and Gia Scala
5 Against the House (1955) with Guy Madison, William Conrad, Kim Novak, Brian Keith, and Alvy Moore

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Ironside, episode Buddy, Can You Spare a Life?, originally aired November 16, 1972
Ironside, episode Achilles' Heel, originally aired February 17, 1972
Goodyear Theatre, episode The Obenauf Story, originally aired March 30, 1959
Matinee Theatre, episode The Suicide Club, originally aired February 25, 1958
Matinee Theatre, episode Show of Strength, originally aired May 6, 1957
Playhouse 90, episode The Country Husband, originally aired November 1, 1956
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Catch at Straws, originally aired October 3, 1956
The Ford Television Theatre, episode The Lady in the Wind, originally aired October 20, 1955
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Charlie C Company, originally aired December 9, 1954
Space Patrol, episode The Escape of Mr. Proteus, originally aired March 13, 1954

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Watch the trailers for Kerwin Mathews' 1960 adventure The 3 Worlds of Gulliver and 1963 mystery Maniac

kerwin mathews film now showing

Watch Kerwin Mathews' 1967 science fiction thriller Battle Beneath the Earth

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This page premiered September 9, 2003.
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Kerwin Mathews

(1926-2007)