John Sylvester White
Encyclopedia
John Sylvester White was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-born American
actor
.
He was best known for his starring role as "Keith Barron" on the television soap opera
Search for Tomorrow
from 1951 to 1952, and many years later, to a different generation as the crabby, diminutive high school Vice-Principal "Mr. Woodman", on the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter
, from 1975 until 1979. He was also the first husband of Joan Stanton who was known as Joan Alexander
in the 1940s when she was the voice of Lois Lane on the radio version of “The Adventures of Superman
”. The couple was married in 1944 and were later divorced probably due to John's continuing battle with alcoholism which halted his acting career in the mid 1950s.
He died in 1988 from pancreatic cancer
in Waikiki, Hawaii.
, a bedroom community suburb of Northeast Washington D.C., where his father, an attorney
also, of the same name, was elected the first mayor
of the community in July, 1927. As In 1918, Colmar Manor was subdivided into building lots with houses constructed of modest one- and two-story wood-frame buildings.
The streets were originally named after President Woodrow Wilson (1913–21), members of his cabinet, and other prominent men of the era. Some time later, the streets were renamed to conform to the system in use in the District of Columbia.[ lots and
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
He was best known for his starring role as "Keith Barron" on the television soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
from 1951 to 1952, and many years later, to a different generation as the crabby, diminutive high school Vice-Principal "Mr. Woodman", on the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
, from 1975 until 1979. He was also the first husband of Joan Stanton who was known as Joan Alexander
Joan Alexander
Joan Alexander was an American actress known for her role as Lois Lane on radio's The Adventures of Superman from the early 1940s to 1951.-Early life and career:...
in the 1940s when she was the voice of Lois Lane on the radio version of “The Adventures of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
”. The couple was married in 1944 and were later divorced probably due to John's continuing battle with alcoholism which halted his acting career in the mid 1950s.
He died in 1988 from pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in Waikiki, Hawaii.
Early life
John Sylvester White was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in the new town of Colmar Manor, MarylandColmar Manor, Maryland
Colmar Manor is a town located in Prince George's County, Maryland. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,257. As the town developed at the beginning of the 20th century, it assumed a name derived from its proximity to the District of Columbia—the first syllable of Columbia...
, a bedroom community suburb of Northeast Washington D.C., where his father, an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
also, of the same name, was elected the first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the community in July, 1927. As In 1918, Colmar Manor was subdivided into building lots with houses constructed of modest one- and two-story wood-frame buildings.
The streets were originally named after President Woodrow Wilson (1913–21), members of his cabinet, and other prominent men of the era. Some time later, the streets were renamed to conform to the system in use in the District of Columbia.[ lots and