William Henry Kerr was a renowned British and Australian film and television actor, born on June 10, 1922, in Cape Town, South Africa, to a family deeply rooted in the performing arts. He spent his early years in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia, where he began his acting career as a child actor during the Great Depression.
Kerr's breakthrough role came in 1934 with the Australian film "The Silence of Dean Maitland," one of the country's first talking films. After serving in the Second World War, he moved to England to further his acting career, where he became a regular feature on the BBC radio series "Variety Bandbox" during the 1940s. His distinctive catchphrase, "I'm only here for 4 minutes...," became a trademark of his acting style.
In the 1950s, Kerr had a recurring role as an Australian lodger in the BBC radio comedy series "Hancock's Half Hour." Initially portrayed as a sharper character, he eventually developed into a more dim-witted persona, often becoming the butt of Hancock's jokes. His television appearances in Britain included a 1968 episode of the popular sci-fi series "Doctor Who" and a long-running part in the early 1960s BBC-TV soap "Compact."
Kerr also enjoyed significant success on the British stage, playing the role of The Devil in the original West End production of "Damn Yankees," directed by Bob Fosse, and Cole. He worked with notable comedic talents, including Spike Milligan, in stage plays such as "The Bed-Sitting Room" and "The Good Old Bad Old Days." In 1975, he co-starred with Anthony Newley in the long-running musical "The Good Old Bad Old Days."
Kerr's filmography includes appearances in notable British films, such as "The Dam Busters" and "The Wrong Arm of the Law," before he eventually returned to Australia. Although best known for his comedic roles, particularly in "Hancock's Half Hour," he has since played a range of serious roles, including in Peter Weir's films "Gallipoli" (1981) and "The Year of Living Dangerously" (1982).
In the 1980s, Kerr worked on the Australian stage in musicals such as "My Fair Lady," receiving excellent reviews for his portrayal of Alfred Doolittle. He continued to work in television, appearing in shows like "Glenview High" and "Minty" in the 1990s. Kerr has also been involved in documentaries, providing narration for various productions, including "No Survivor - The Mysterious Loss of HMAS Sydney" and "Malice or Mutiny."
Kerr passed away on August 28, 2014, leaving behind a legacy as a talented and versatile actor, with a career spanning over six decades.
