Before there was a George Lucas and Harrison Ford running around creating special-effects excitement, there was a virile, boyishly handsome actor named Kerwin Mathews who was entertaining audiences battling a variety of creatures courtesy of pioneer special effects guru Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen's legendary monsters of the late 50s and early ...
[in a 1997 interview] I have absolutely no regrets about my acting career. Sometimes I have doubts, but in balance I think it was certainly worthwhile for me to have temporarily left the real world and become an actor. I'm very proud of my work, because I did the best I could possibly do at the time. I always wanted to make one movie with a good acting role for me, but I never did. When I see actors today like William Hurt or Eric Roberts, I think they're such a gift to cinema. I wish I had the chance to do what they do. I knew that I could and many people have agreed with me, but it didn't work out that way. I still have great faith in the film business. The movies seem to be getting better all the time. Whatever direction the industry takes, I wish I were still a part of it. But I'm not going to get into the satin shirts and take a pill. I've made peace with my life.
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I was the hardest working unknown actor in the world. I used to think I had to have three films in the can at all times or my life would collapse. Work was my only source of security.
Survived by his life partner Tom Nicoll with whom he had lived from 1961 until his death in 2007.
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Was a teacher before getting into the acting field.
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Dark, dexterous, handsome hero of adventure fantasies, costumers and swashbucklers whose 50s and 60s career was bolstered by battling some of Ray Harryhausen's famous animated creatures.
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Attended Janesville High School in Janesville, Wisconsin, and Beloit College, in Beloit, Wisconsin, where he learned fencing.