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Lew Ayres

Cast & creator

Lew Ayres

1908-12-28 (died at 88) Minneapolis, Minnesota, USAIMDb

Best known for Columbo, The Love Boat, Knots Landing

Lew Ayres was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in San Diego, California. A college dropout, he was found by a talent scout in the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles and entered Hollywood as a bit player. He was leading man to Greta Garbo in The Kiss (1929), but it was the role of Paul Baumer in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) that was his big break. He was profoundly affected by the anti-war message of that film, and when, in 1942, the popular star of Young Dr. Kildare (1938) and subsequent Dr. Kildare films was drafted, he was a conscientious objector. America was outraged, and theaters vowed never to show his films again, but quietly he achieved the Medical Corps status he had requested, serving as a medic under fire in the South Pacific and as a chaplain's aid in New Guinea and the Phillipines. His return to film after the war was undistinguished until Johnny Belinda (1948) - his role as the sympathetic physician treating the deaf-mute Jane Wyman won him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor. Subsequent movie roles were scarce; an opportunity to play Dr. Kildare in television was aborted when the network refused to honor his request for no cigarette sponsorship. He continued to act, but in the 1970s put his long experience into a project to bring to the west the philosophy of the East - the resulting film, Altars of the World (1976), while not a box-office success, won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award. Lew Ayres died in Los Angeles, California on December 30, 1996, just two days after his 88th birthday.

Also known as: Lewis Frederick Ayre III

Movies

101

film credits

Series

64

television credits

Career

163

1929–2004 · acting roles

Credit score

6.6

average across scored titles

Signature credits

Known for

Ordered by popularity

Columbo

Columbo

Howard Nicholson · 1971

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

Carl Hooper · 1977

Knots Landing

Knots Landing

Andrew Douglas · 1979

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

The Governor · 1969

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

Dr. Elias Haig · 1969

Across film & television

Filmography (165)

Search filmography

Showing 165 of 165 credits

Columbo

Columbo

Howard Nicholson

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

Carl Hooper

Knots Landing

Knots Landing

Andrew Douglas

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

The Governor

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

Dr. Elias Haig

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

Comm. Reginald Blackwell

Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

Sidney Dollinger

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

Lorimar Henderson

Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie

Quincy, M.E.

Quincy, M.E.

The A-Team

The A-Team

Bernie Greene

Climax!

Climax!

Bob Kilgore

The Virginian

The Virginian

Judge John Markham

My Three Sons

My Three Sons

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

Hotel

Hotel

Nelson O'Neil

Highway to Heaven

Highway to Heaven

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Cagney & Lacey

Cagney & Lacey

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Marshall Winslow

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

Route 66

Route 66

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

Sheriff Roy Kingston

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

Jason Fleet

Trapper John, M.D.

Trapper John, M.D.

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Clint Howard

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Jud Lester

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Jesse Martin

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Jonathan Cole

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

Omnibus

Omnibus

Fame

Fame

The Bionic Woman

The Bionic Woman

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Dr. Thomas Clay

Laramie

Laramie

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

President Adar

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

Dr. Paul Harris

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

Howard Moon

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

Dr. Kenneth Wilson

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

McMillan & Wife

McMillan & Wife

MGM Parade

MGM Parade

self

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

Matt Needham

Screen Director's Playhouse

Screen Director's Playhouse

Dr. John Mohler

Finder of Lost Loves

Finder of Lost Loves

Oliver Hawthorne

The Magician

The Magician

Max Braden

ABC Stage 67

ABC Stage 67

Arthur

Here Come the Brides

Here Come the Brides

Bus Stop

Bus Stop

Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot

Jason Burke

Flying High

Flying High

Wilbur Dodson

The Fantastic Journey

The Fantastic Journey

Rayat

Slattery's People

Slattery's People

Damien - Omen II

Damien - Omen II

Bill Atherton

Hawkins

Hawkins

Gus Bitterman

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Mandemus

The Interns

The Interns

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

Paul Bäumer

Saints and Sinners

Saints and Sinners

MGM: When the Lion Roars

MGM: When the Lion Roars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Lime Street

Lime Street

Henry Wade Culver

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

President Adar

Outlaws

Outlaws

That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

(archive footage)

Advise & Consent

Advise & Consent

The Vice President

Holiday

Holiday

Ned Seton

Don Camillo

Don Camillo

Doc

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

Self

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

actor 'Advise and 'Consent' (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

James Kildare

The Last Train from Madrid

The Last Train from Madrid

Bill Dexter

Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident

Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident

Allen Dulles

Cast the First Stone

Cast the First Stone

Martin

The Carpetbaggers

The Carpetbaggers

Mac McAllister

Dr. Kildare's Victory

Dr. Kildare's Victory

Dr. James Kildare

From the Ends of the Earth

From the Ends of the Earth

Self

End of the World

End of the World

Com. Joseph Beckerman

The Biscuit Eater

The Biscuit Eater

Mr. Ames

The Unfaithful

The Unfaithful

Larry Hannaford

Fingers at the Window

Fingers at the Window

Oliver Duffy

Rich Man, Poor Girl

Rich Man, Poor Girl

Henry Thayer

Kung Fu

Kung Fu

Beaumont

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

James Kildare

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Self

Panic on the Air

Panic on the Air

Jerry

Johnny Belinda

Johnny Belinda

Robert Richardson

The Story of Noah

The Story of Noah

Noah

Checking Out: Grand Hotel

Self (archive footage)

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

Dr. James Kildare

The Ice Follies of 1939

The Ice Follies of 1939

Eddie Burgess

Blow-Ups of 1946

Blow-Ups of 1946

Self

The Dark Mirror

The Dark Mirror

Scott Elliott

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

Candy

Donovan's Brain

Donovan's Brain

Dr. Patrick J. Cory

Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady

Bob Rawlston

Letters from Frank

Letters from Frank

Dan Miller

The Questor Tapes

The Questor Tapes

Vaslovik

The Capture

The Capture

Lin Vanner / Lindley Brown

King of the Newsboys

King of the Newsboys

Jerry Flynn

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

Dr. James Kildare

The Doorway to Hell

The Doorway to Hell

Louie Ricarno

Under Siege

Under Siege

John Pace

Calling Dr. Kildare

Calling Dr. Kildare

Dr. James Kildare

Night World

Night World

Michael Rand

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

Dr. James Kildare

The Way of Peace

The Way of Peace

Narrator (voice)

State Fair

State Fair

Pat Gilbert

Let’s Be Ritzy

Let’s Be Ritzy

Jimmy Sterling

Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities

Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities

Dr. Andrew Swanson

She Waits

She Waits

Dr. Sam Carpenter

Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart

Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart

Professor Cabel

The Golden Fleecing

The Golden Fleecing

Henry Twinkle

Broadway Serenade

Broadway Serenade

James Geoffrey 'Jimmy' Seymour

The Leathernecks Have Landed

The Leathernecks Have Landed

Woodruff 'Woody' Davis

The Spirit of Notre Dame

The Spirit of Notre Dame

Edward Aloysius "Bucky" O'Brian

Reunion

Reunion

Bob Hollander

New Mexico

New Mexico

Captain Hunt

Don't Bet on Love

Don't Bet on Love

Bill McCaffrey

The Stranger

The Stranger

Prof. Dylan MacAuley

The Ken Murray Show

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day

Dr. James Kildare

She Learned About Sailors

She Learned About Sailors

Larry Wilson

Heatwave!

Heatwave!

Dr. Grayson

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood

Lew Ayres

Suddenly, Love

Suddenly, Love

Mr. Graham

The Kiss

The Kiss

Pierre

The Lottery Lover

The Lottery Lover

Cadet Frank Harrington

The Crime Nobody Saw

The Crime Nobody Saw

Nick Milburn

The Man

The Man

Noah Calvin

Earth II

Earth II

President Charles Carter Durant

The Family Nobody Wanted

The Family Nobody Wanted

Carl Doss

Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

States

Hold 'Em Navy

Hold 'Em Navy

Tommy Graham

Remember?

Remember?

Sky Ames

Spring Madness

Spring Madness

Sam Thatcher

Altars of the World

Altars of the World

Director

No Escape

No Escape

John Howard Tracy

Cocoon

Cocoon

The Governor

Lady Be Careful

Lady Be Careful

Chester aka Dynamite

The Impatient Maiden

The Impatient Maiden

Dr. Myron Brown

These Glamour Girls

These Glamour Girls

Philip S. Griswold III

Iron Man

Iron Man

Kid Mason

Scandal Street

Scandal Street

Joe McKnight

Young Dr. Kildare

Young Dr. Kildare

Dr. James Kildare

East Is West

East Is West

Billy Benson

Hearts in Bondage

Hearts in Bondage

Director

Okay, America!

Okay, America!

Larry Wayne

Servants' Entrance

Servants' Entrance

Erik Landstrom

Common Clay

Common Clay

Hugh Fullerton

Big News

Big News

Copyboy (uncredited)

Spring Tonic

Spring Tonic

Caleb Enix

Murder with Pictures

Murder with Pictures

Kent Murdock

Many a Slip

Many a Slip

Jerry Brooks

Bruised Celluloid

Bruised Celluloid

Himself

Shakedown

Shakedown

Bob Sanderson

Cross Country Cruise

Cross Country Cruise

Norman Winthrop

The Upper Chamber

My Weakness

My Weakness

Ronnie Gregory

Silk Hat Kid

Silk Hat Kid

Eddie Howard

The Sophomore

The Sophomore

Sophomore Fraternity Brother (uncredited)

Up for Murder

Up for Murder

Robert Marshall

One Against Many

Dr. John Mohler