Lance Kerwin
A 1970s teen idol whose sensitive portrayals of adolescence made him a familiar face in American living rooms before he stepped away from the spotlight.
1960–2023 (age 63)·American actor·Birthday: November 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Lance Kerwin arrived on television screens just as the medium was beginning to take teenage life seriously. With his earnest demeanor and everyboy looks, he became one of the defining young actors of the late 1970s. His breakout role as the titular 'James at 15' (later 'James at 16') tackled coming-of-age issues with a novelistic gravity, following a teenager navigating family, love, and identity. This was preceded by a memorable turn in the TV movie 'The Loneliest Runner,' and he chilled audiences as the vampire-hunting Mark Petrie in the adaptation of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.' After a rapid rise, Kerwin's acting career slowed in the 1980s as he consciously moved away from Hollywood. He lived a largely private life, later working as a youth counselor, his early fame a chapter from a distant past.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Lance was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lance Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Lance's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2023Died at 63
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
Key Achievements
- Starred in the groundbreaking NBC drama series 'James at 15,' which realistically portrayed teenage life in the 1970s.
- Delivered a memorable performance as Mark Petrie in the acclaimed 1979 TV miniseries adaptation of 'Salem's Lot.'
- Played the lead role in the 1976 TV film 'The Loneliest Runner,' directed by Michael Landon.
Did You Know?
He was a dedicated youth pastor in Hawaii for a period after his acting career slowed.
He turned down the role of Gary in the sitcom 'Family Ties,' which later went to Michael J. Fox.
His father was a television director and writer, providing an early introduction to the industry.
“I was just a kid trying to act, and suddenly everyone knew my face.”
