After serving in the Army Air Corps during WWII, he entered into a seven year studio contract with Columbia Pictures. Although Mathews said his favorite role was that of Johann Strauss, Jr. in the Disney two-part telefilm biopic The Waltz King (1963), he is perhaps best known for his leading roles in children’s fantasy films such as The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), The Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960) and Jack the Giant Killer (1962). He was convincing, and sometimes brilliant, in playing opposite animated figures. Mathews also acted in a number of horror and science fiction films.
In 1961, he met Tom Nicoll, a British display manager at Harvey Nichols, a luxury department store chain, and Mathews and Nicoll became partners for the next 46 years. When Mathews retired from acting in 1978, they moved to San Francisco, where they ran a clothing and antiques shop. At the age of 81 Mathews died in his sleep in San Francisco and was survived by his partner Nicoll. The City of Janesville, Wisconsin, where Mathews attended high school, subsequently renamed a street adjacent to the school "Kerwin Mathews Court". The renovated building now houses the Janesville Performing Arts Center.
Mathews opposite Nadia Sanders in OSS117:
One of my first man-crushes. Dreamy
ReplyDeleteSame here - he was FAR too handsome to be straight, eh ?!!?!?!?
DeleteGreat actor was my hero as a boy when I first saw The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
ReplyDeleteMy father and mother were friends with "Matt" in Beloit. Later, when I was 5 ears old and living with my folks in Pasadena, we got together on several occasions. I remember him bringing me gifts (puppets and and a costume from a production he had been working on). He was very generous and kind.
DeleteHello, I'm doing a research project on Kerwin for my job, and I was hoping to find more information on his relationship with his partner. I know that when they were together, it was a time of much scrutiny. Do you know if Kerwin ever underwent any discrimination and mal treatment when he came out? Thank you!
DeleteI am 63 years old and I still dream of him...always gulliver
ReplyDeleteSuch a gorgeous man!
ReplyDeleteI’m 55 and when I was a boy one of my favorite movies was The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I had an instant attraction to Kerwin . My subconscious gaydar must have been in operation at age 5. I have an autographed photo of him as Sinbad which hangs in the main salon of my boat. He was always my favorite sailor. ��
ReplyDeleteHis handsomeness is on the order of Matt Bomer!Apparently, he had no trouble with his sexuality ( at least I can't find anything on google questioning his orientation.) From all accounts, he was a nice guy --not into himself, as some of these pretty boys seem to be!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe he never appeared on Perry Mason.
ReplyDeleteWould think that Raymond Burr would have sought him out considering the times.
Handsome and humble man. Imagine Tom has passed too...?
I’m grateful for handsome & gay actors like Kerwin Mathews and the like. He dominated the silver screen bringing joy to many, yet in private was comfortable enough with his own sexuality to seek a lifetime partner and then relocate to the world’s gay Mecca: San Francisco. He had no need for a “marriage of convenience” to hide his sexuality. Drop dead handsome, completely comfortable in his own skin, and a shining star in his craft, Kerwin Mathews paved the way for modern day gay trailblazers like Matt Bomer and the like to carry the torch. We’re here, we’re queer, we’re out & we’re proud.
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