- James Dean, Rebel Without A Cause, 1955. John had beaten Jimmy to Broadway’s production of Tea and Sympathy two years earlier – plus, The Cobweb movie, 1955.. Following Dean’s death, Kerr inherited Jimmy’s lead in the TVersion of The Corn In Green.
- Dennis Hopper, Giant, 1955.
- Anthony Perkins, Friendly Persuasion, 1956. Making “mistakes on roles” is among the reasons Kerr quit Hollywood and became a trial lawyer in the 70s. He turned down this ex-Capra project for a three-picture MGM deal. “In hindsight, I’d rather have been in a movie with Gary Cooper, directed by William Wyler, then to have been in Gaby and The Vintage at MGM.”
- James Stewart, The Spirit of St. Louis, 1957. Following James Dean’s tragic death, Kerr was next choice to fly the Atlantic single-handed. He refused as he did not approve of Charles Lindberg’s pro-Hitler stand during WWII. Director Billy Wilder went with the genuine Hollywood flier, although Jimmy Stewart was 20 years too old – The Old Man and the Sky! Warners blamed Stewart for the film losing lost $6m. (Way back in the Stewart family tree is a John Kerr Stewart).
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 4