Lance Kerwin

Acting

Lance Kerwin

Born — Died

1960-11-06 — 2023-01-24

Place of birth

Newport Beach, California, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

53 titles

Lance Michael Kerwin (November 6, 1960 – January 24, 2023) was an American actor, known primarily for roles in television and film during his childhood and teen years in the 1970s. He played lead roles in the TV series James at 15, and the made-for-TV films The Loneliest Runner and Salem's Lot. Kerwin was raised in Lake Elsinore, California. His father was an acting coach, who brought home scripts for his son to read. His mother was also a performer and, later, a talent agent. He was the youngest of five brothers. His brother Shane was his stand-in. In the 1970s, Kerwin appeared in a number of made-for-TV movies and series. He was, said former theater critic and British Film Institute gove…

Known for

Murder, She Wrote poster
7.5

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.

Murder, She Wrote

1984

Little House on the Prairie poster
8.0

When the big woods of Wisconsin becomes a difficult spot for hunting, Charles Ingalls reluctantly decides to move his family, pioneering west. Their life on the farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s is full of adventure, tragedy, and triumph. Based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Little House on the Prairie

1974

Simon & Simon poster
6.7

A.J. Simon is a polished fellow with a taste for classic cars and tailored suits. Rick Simon is his less refined (but still pleasant) older brother who has a taste for cowboy boots and four-wheel drive pickups. The two of them live in San Diego, where they own a private detective agency.

Simon & Simon

1981

Emergency! poster
8.0

The crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51, particularly the paramedic team, and Rampart Hospital respond to emergencies in their operating area.

Emergency!

1972

Hotel poster
6.8

Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty. Based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling and set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. Establishing shots of the hotel were filmed in front of The Fairmont San Francisco atop the Nob Hill neighborhood. Episodes followed the activities of passing guests, as well as the personal and professional lives of the hotel staff.

Hotel

1982

Cannon poster
6.7

Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.

Cannon

1971

Film credits

1980s · 9 titles

Enemy Mine poster
7.0

A soldier from Earth crashlands on an alien world after sustaining battle damage. Eventually he encounters another survivor, but from the enemy species he was fighting; they band together to survive on this hostile world. In the end the human finds himself caring for his enemy in a completely unexpected way.

Enemy Mine

1985

Advice to the Lovelorn poster
5.0

A failed pilot for a series centering on Maggie Dale, an advice columnist. This was somewhat in the tradition of shows like Fantasy Island. When she receives a letter, the writer's situation is played out for us, then she writes her advice and the writer reads her response and does his/her best to act upon it.

Advice to the Lovelorn

1981

The Fourth Wise Man poster
7.0

Artaban is a young Magus (Wise Man) who desires to follow the star to the birthplace of the coming King, against the counsel of his friends and family. Carrying three precious jewels to give to the baby Messiah, Artaban and his reluctant servant Orontes set off to join the caravan of the three other wise men. They miss the caravan, but Artaban continues the search for his King, always one step behind. Artaban spends much of his remaining wealth and all of his energy helping the poor and unfortunate people he meets, until at the end of his life he finally finds Jesus--at His trial! Has Artaban wasted his life in a foolish quest? Will he ever get the chance to present his gifts to the King?

The Fourth Wise Man

1985

A Killer in the Family poster
6.4

Three teenage boys break their father out of prison only to discover that he is a murderous sociopath. Based on a true story.

A Killer in the Family

1983

The Boy Who Drank Too Much poster
4.7

A high school athlete is well on the road to becoming an alcoholic like his ex-hockey pro father until his teammate and best friend commits himself to saving him from his self-destructive habit.

The Boy Who Drank Too Much

1980

Children of Divorce poster
7.5

The conflict and separation of their parents and the impact on four youngsters from three socially different families is the thrust of this drama.

Children of Divorce

1980

The Snow Queen poster
NR

Kay and Gerda are best friends. A wicked goblin who likes to cause trouble casts a spell on Kay to separate them. The Snow Queen snatches him away to her castle. Gerda must go find him. Will she ever do so? Is the Snow Queen helping him or is she freezing his heart forever?

The Snow Queen

1985

The Mysterious Stranger poster
7.5

The film version of the same-titled book by Mark Twain. A young printer's apprentice imagines himself back in the days of Guttenberg, helping him to print the Bible. The next thing he knows he has conjured up a young spirit from the future who casts spells over striking printers and causes general mischief.

The Mysterious Stranger

1982

Side Show poster
8.5

A teenage boy who runs off to join the circus as a side show puppeteer stumbles onto the dark secrets of the fellow performers.

Side Show

1981

1970s · 13 titles

The Meanest Men in the West poster
4.0

Bronson and Marvin star as murderous half-brothers who are running from the law as well as each other. A climatic confrontation proves to each of them just how mean the other can be. "The Meanest Men in the West" is actually an amalgam of two episodes of the hit 1960's TV series, "The Virginian." In one installment, a wealthy man's daughter is kidnapped by a nasty gunslinger. But the crime is only just a means for the ruffian to draw the tough title character into a blood- thirsty revenge scheme. In the second, a drifter burglarizes the Shiloh ranch. Then an unhinged girl relies on the man to aid in her flight from home.

The Meanest Men in the West

1978

Pssst! Hammerman's After You! poster
7.0

Life becomes a terror for sixth-grader Mouse Fawley after he calls the school bully an ape man.

Pssst! Hammerman's After You!

1974

Reflections of Murder poster
6.8

The wife and mistress of the abusive headmaster of a boy's school plot and carry out his murder. They dump his body in the murky swimming pool at the school and await for it to surface. After several days, some unusual circumstances point to clues that he is not dead after all.

Reflections of Murder

1974

The Death of Richie poster
7.0

A sensitive but confused teenager feels pressure from all directions and turns to drugs, which causes problems for him in school and at home.

The Death of Richie

1977

James at 15 poster
7.0

A 15-year-old whose family moves from Oregon to Boston misses the girlfriend he left behind, so he runs away to see her. On the way he hooks up with a female art student in her 20s who is also hitchhiking across the country, from whom he learns some valuable lessons about life. This was the pilot film for the two-season series.

James at 15

1977

Long Way Home poster
NR

The Holvak family house the escaped convict named Craw that the son befriends. Reverend Holvak's faith is tested and young Ramey faces a choice between a friendship and his family.

Long Way Home

1975

The Loneliest Runner poster
7.1

A young boy who still wets the bed finds escapism from his abusive mother and his own embarrassment by going running after school.

The Loneliest Runner

1976

The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer poster
7.0

Clifford Swimmer, an angry and abusive man cruel to his wife and son, wants out if his marriage. With the help of a scientist he clones a replacement who takes over as head of the family while the real Clifford travels the world. The clone turns out to be a gentle and sensitive husband and father, a complete opposite of the original, and the wife and son come to love him. When the real Clifford comes back and finds his family happy with the clone he becomes angry and jealous and things take a deadly turn.

The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer

1974

Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy poster
NR

The story of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's older brother Joseph, who undertakes a dangerous mission during World War II.

Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy

1977

The Healers poster
9.0

The director of an urban medical center faces various major problems during the course of running the hospital.

The Healers

1974

The Greatest Gift poster
5.5

Reverend Holvak, a weak rural preacher from the 1940s, fights stiff-necked church deacons along with a violent, bullying sheriff whilst protecting his loved ones.

The Greatest Gift

1974

Amelia Earhart poster
NR

Biography follows the life of famed woman pilot Amelia Earhart, including her marriage to a famous publisher and her disappearance during a flight in 1937.

Amelia Earhart

1976

Cheering Section poster
4.7

A high school football star tries to romance the new girl at the school who happens to be his coach's daughter.

Cheering Section

1977

Series credits

Murder, She Wrote poster
7.5

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.

Murder, She Wrote

1984

Little House on the Prairie poster
8.0

When the big woods of Wisconsin becomes a difficult spot for hunting, Charles Ingalls reluctantly decides to move his family, pioneering west. Their life on the farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s is full of adventure, tragedy, and triumph. Based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Little House on the Prairie

1974

Simon & Simon poster
6.7

A.J. Simon is a polished fellow with a taste for classic cars and tailored suits. Rick Simon is his less refined (but still pleasant) older brother who has a taste for cowboy boots and four-wheel drive pickups. The two of them live in San Diego, where they own a private detective agency.

Simon & Simon

1981

Emergency! poster
8.0

The crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51, particularly the paramedic team, and Rampart Hospital respond to emergencies in their operating area.

Emergency!

1972

Hotel poster
6.8

Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty. Based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling and set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. Establishing shots of the hotel were filmed in front of The Fairmont San Francisco atop the Nob Hill neighborhood. Episodes followed the activities of passing guests, as well as the personal and professional lives of the hotel staff.

Hotel

1982

Cannon poster
6.7

Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.

Cannon

1971

ABC Afterschool Special poster
6.5

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

ABC Afterschool Special poster
6.5

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

ABC Afterschool Special poster
6.5

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

ABC Afterschool Special poster
6.5

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

ABC Afterschool Special poster
6.5

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

ABC Afterschool Special

1972

Gunsmoke poster
6.7

Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.

Gunsmoke

1955

Trapper John, M.D. poster
6.6

Trapper John, M.D. is an American television medical drama and spin-off of the film MASH, concerning a lovable doctor who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, California. The show ran on CBS from September 23, 1979, to September 4, 1986.

Trapper John, M.D.

1979

Police Story poster
7.0

Detective Cheng is commissioned by Interpol to destroy the Empire of Chaiba, a worldwide criminal organization based in Southeast Asia. He initiates an undercover operation to infiltrate the organization.

Police Story

1973

The Bionic Woman poster
7.0

After fully recovering from her near fatal bout of bionic rejection, Jaime Sommers, the first female cyborg, is assigned to spy missions of her own.

The Bionic Woman

1976

Wonder Woman poster
7.0

With the strength of Hercules, the wisdom of Athena, the speed of Mercury and the beauty of Aphrodite, she’s Wonder Woman. Beautiful Amazon princess Wonder Woman travels to 1940s America disguised as Diana Prince, assistant to handsome but trouble-prone Major Steve Trevor. Using her golden belt, which imbues her with astonishing strength, her bullet-deflecting bracelets, a golden lasso that dispels dishonesty and an invisible supersonic plane, Wonder Woman combats evil.

Wonder Woman

1975

Faerie Tale Theatre poster
8.1

A live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.

Faerie Tale Theatre

1982

Salem's Lot poster
6.8

Ben Mears has returned to his hometown to write a book about the supposedly haunted Marsten House. When people around the Marsten House start dying mysteriously, Mears discovers that the owner of the mansion is actually a vampire who is turning them into an army of undead slaves.

Salem's Lot

1979

Battle of the Network Stars poster
6.4

Battle of the Network Stars was a series of competitions where television stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of nineteen of these competitions were held, all of which were aired by ABC. In 2013, the show appeared in TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest game shows ever.

Battle of the Network Stars

1976

Finder of Lost Loves poster
6.8

The Finder of Lost Loves TV show was a 60 minute drama series on ABC about a private investigator who specialized in finding lost loves from the past for his heartbroken clients.

Finder of Lost Loves

1984

James at 16 poster
6.8

James at 15 (later James at 16) is an American drama series that aired on NBC during the 1977–1978 season. Protagonist James Hunter is the son of a college professor who has moved his family across the country to take a teaching job, transplanting James from Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts. James has a hard time fitting into his new surroundings.

James at 16

1977

Good Heavens poster
7.0

Good Heavens was an ABC comedy anthology series produced by Columbia Pictures Television that aired between February 29 to June 26, 1976. It ranked #17 in the Nielsen ratings during the 1975-76 television season. The main character was Mr. Angel, who was an Emissary of Heaven that came down to Earth to grant wishes to those who had performed a good deed. Episodes featured actors such as Don Ameche, Susan Dey, Sandy Duncan, Pat Harrington Jr., Florence Henderson, Alex Karras, Penny Marshall, Hugh O'Brian, Loretta Swit, Brenda Vaccaro, and Fred Willard.

Good Heavens

1976

The New Lassie poster
6.9

The New Lassie is an American children and family oriented drama series which aired in first-run syndication from September 8, 1989 to February 15, 1992. The series stars Will Estes as Will McCullough, Lassie's new master. Real life husband and wife Christopher and Dee Wallace-Stone co-starred as Will's parents. The New Lassie is essentially a sequel to the 1954 series, and was the latest in the line of works featuring the Lassie character, which debuted in the 1943 film Lassie Come Home, followed by several more movies and the aforementioned television series, which ran from 1954 to 1973.

The New Lassie

1989

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Child Star Confidential

2006

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

100 Greatest Kid Stars

2005

CBS Library poster
10.0

Short-lived live-action anthology series based on stories from children's books.

CBS Library

1979

No artwork available
9.0

The Family Holvak is an American drama series that aired on NBC from September, 1975 to June 28, 1977. The series centers on Rev. Tom Holvak, played by Glenn Ford, and his family living in the South during the Great Depression.

The Family Holvak

1975