William Kerwin

William Kerwin (April 17, 1927 – October 27, 1989) was an American actor and filmmaker. He was most well known for his character roles in the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis. Career Kerwin enjoyed some success on the stage and screen before being discovered by Herschell Gordon Lewis through the promotional short Carving Magic. His first feature film with Lewis was Living Venus, and he went on to star in some of the director’s best known works such as Blood Feast. In addition to playing principal roles, Kerwin served variously as the assistant director, makeup technician, gaffer, key grip and prop man for Lewis’ films. Kerwin was thus often involved in creating the gory practical effects that would become Lewis’ trademark. Whether working with Lewis or other directors, Kerwin was closely associated with the exploitation film movement. In particular, he was known for work in nudist films and splatter films. Throughout his career, Kerwin often performed under pseudonyms such as Thomas Wood in order to appear in non-union productions. He was registered with the Screen Actors Guild under the name Willam Kerwin.