Lance Kerwin, ‘Salem’s Lot’, ‘James at 15’, star, dies at 62

Lance Kerwin, another star went to the skies.

Actor Lance Kerwin, who played Mark Petrie, the boy who turns into a vampire hunter in the Stephen King miniseries "Salem's Lot," and the TV series "James at 15," passed away on Tuesday in San Clemente, California.

He was 62. According to his daughter Savanah, an autopsy is being done to ascertain the cause of death.

As a young actor who first gained notoriety for his work in television and movies like "The Boy Who Drank Too Much," Kerwin started his acting career. In season 2, "James at 15" changed to "James at 16."

Even though "James at 15" was only on for two seasons, Kerwin's leading part made him a teen idol. Millions of girls flocked to the teenage star during the 1970s, which helped him land numerous cover stories in fan publications like Tiger Beat.

He discussed working with Tobe Hopper on "Salem's Lot" in a 2019 interview, claiming that Hopper was on a “whole different level from most directors I had worked with.”

The "James at 15" actor participated in numerous TV shows and films throughout the 1970s, such as "Wonder Woman," "Insight," "The Family Holvak," and "Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy." He played one of his final parts in the 1995 film "Outbreak," then he made a comeback the following year in "The Wind and the Reckoning."

In "Little House on the Prairie," "Emergency!" and "Cannon," Kerwin made his television debut as a young teen. Kerwin was born on November 6, 1960 in Newport Beach, California.

The five kids Kerwin left behind are Savanah, Fox, Terah, Kailani, and Justus.