Lance Kerwin, ‘James at 15’ and ‘Salem’s Lot’ Star, Dies at 62 - The New York Times

Lance Kerwin, a erstwhile kid histrion who played the rubric relation successful the 1970s coming-of-age play “James astatine 15” and a vampire huntsman successful a mini-series based connected the Stephen King caller “Salem’s Lot,” died connected Tuesday astatine his location successful San Clemente, Calif. He was 62.

His decease was confirmed by his girl Savanah Kerwin, who said that a origin had not been determined and that the household was awaiting the results of an autopsy.

In 1977, erstwhile Mr. Kerwin was 16, helium was formed successful a tv movie, “James astatine 15,” that served arsenic the aviator occurrence for the NBC bid of the aforesaid name. The show, which ran for 21 episodes, followed the teen adventures of a sandy-haired budding photographer, James Hunter, who has moved with his household to Boston from Oregon.

The amusement tackled superior themes similar sex, alcoholism and pregnancy. It besides made Mr. Kerwin a teenage idol.

Writing successful The Washington Post a fewer weeks into the show’s run, the professional Tom Shales said that portion “James astatine 15” was “not perfect, not revolutionary, not ever deliriously urgent,” it was “still the astir respectable caller amusement bid of the season.”

“And if it romanticizes adolescence done the play trials and triumphs of its teenage hero,” helium continued, “at slightest it does truthful successful much ambitious, inquisitive and authentic ways than the mean TV teeny-bop.”

The amusement ran into occupation with NBC’s censors implicit a publication that called for James to suffer his virginity, to a Swedish speech student, connected his 16th day (when the programme would beryllium retitled “James astatine 16”). The web objected to the script’s usage of the connection “responsible” arsenic a euphemism for commencement control, and agreed to aerial the occurrence lone “if the lad suffers for it and is someway punished,” the novelist Dan Wakefield, the show’s creator, told The New York Times successful 1978.

The disagreement led to Mr. Wakefield’s resignation earlier the occurrence was broadcast, connected Feb. 9, 1978. “James astatine 16” was canceled successful May of that year.

Lance Michael Kerwin was calved connected Nov. 6, 1960, successful Newport Beach, Calif., to Don and Lois Kerwin. When helium was increasing up, he told The Times successful 1982, helium was truthful addicted to tv that helium could not work erstwhile helium reached the 4th grade.

After his parents divorced, his parent and stepfather “unplugged the television,” helium said.

“Every time aft schoolhouse I would travel location and work retired large with my parent and stepfather — stories, plays and scripts that they would bring location from work,” helium said.

In summation to his girl Savanah, Mr. Kerwin’s survivors see his wife, Yvonne Kerwin, and 4 different children: Fox, Terah, Kailani and Justus. Complete accusation connected survivors was not instantly available.

Mr. Kerwin’s acting vocation began successful the aboriginal 1970s with tiny roles connected fashionable TV shows similar “Little House connected the Prairie,” “Gunsmoke” and “Wonder Woman.” From 1974 to 1976, helium appeared successful 5 installments of “ABC Afterschool Special,” the daytime acquisition anthology bid aimed astatine young people.

In 1979, helium starred successful the mini-series adaptation of “Salem’s Lot.” The bid followed a novelist who returns to his New England hometown to constitute a publication and encounters vampires who person invaded the town. Mr. Kerwin played Mark Petrie, a teen who helps the writer halt the vampires.

Mr. Kerwin continued acting done the 1980s and into 1990s. He appeared successful the 1985 subject fabrication movie “Enemy Mine” and the 1995 thriller “Outbreak,” astir a deadly plague.

By the clip helium was making “Outbreak,” Mr. Kerwin “was actively struggling with sobriety,” Savanah Kerwin said, which whitethorn person played a relation successful his determination to locomotion distant from acting.

In 2010, Mr. Kerwin pleaded blameworthy to a complaint of second-degree theft for falsifying documents to get authorities aesculapian assistance and nutrient stamps successful Hawaii, The Associated Press reported. He was sentenced to 5 years of probation and was ordered to execute 300 hours of assemblage service.

“I’ve been struggling with the misdeed of cause usage for a agelong time,” Mr. Kerwin told The Los Angeles Daily News successful 1999, successful an interrogation conducted portion helium was successful a rehabilitation halfway successful Perris, Calif. “I’ve gotten successful years of abstinence. The past clip I recovered myself turning to drugs again, I came present to reconstruct my locomotion with the Lord.”

Later, his girl said, helium helped tally the rehabilitation programme U-Turn for Christ and was a younker pastor determination for respective years.

“He was perpetually trying to assistance radical who were struggling to find God oregon go sober,” she said. “That was his absorption for the remainder of his life.”

Sheelagh McNeill contributed research.