Kerwin Mathews
As the dashing, sword-wielding hero of Ray Harryhausen's fantasy spectacles, he fought stop-motion monsters and ignited the imaginations of a generation.
1926–2007 (age 81)·American actor·Birthday: January 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Kerwin Mathews was an actor who found his lasting niche not in gritty dramas, but in the Technicolor daydreams of fantasy cinema. With his clean-cut good looks and earnest demeanor, he was perfectly cast as the noble adventurer in a series of special-effects landmarks. In 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,' he famously dueled a skeleton animated by Ray Harryhausen's Dynamation, a scene that became iconic. He repeated the formula as Gulliver and Jack the Giant Killer, serving as the relatable human anchor amidst magical creatures and vast landscapes. While his career later shifted to more conventional roles and European films, his legacy was cemented in that brief, glorious period where he was the quintessential Saturday matinee hero. For children of the late 1950s and early 60s, Mathews was the face of adventure, the man who made believing in cyclopes and dragons seem not just possible, but thrilling.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Kerwin was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kerwin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Kerwin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2007Died at 81
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Starred as the lead in three major fantasy film classics: 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,' 'The Three Worlds of Gulliver,' and 'Jack the Giant Killer.'
- His sword fight against a stop-motion skeleton in 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad' is considered one of the most memorable scenes in fantasy cinema history.
- Helped popularize the genre of special-effects-driven adventure films in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Did You Know?
He was a high school teacher and athletic coach in Wisconsin before being discovered for acting.
He performed many of his own stunts in the fantasy films, including the intricate skeleton duel.
Later in his career, he moved to San Francisco and owned an antique store.
“I was the guy in the suit of armor fighting the cyclops.”
