Lance Kerwin, the previous youngster actor who shot to fame within the late Nineteen Seventies because the star of the generally controversial NBC teen drama sequence James at 15, died Tuesday of undetermined causes in San Clemente, CA. He was 62.

His dying was introduced by his daughter Savanah in a Fb publish right this moment.

Kerwin, who was a busy youngster actor all through the ’70s, additionally starred within the 1979 TV miniseries Salem’s Lot, based mostly on the novel by Steven King. He performed the central character of Mark Petrie, the younger horror movie buff turned vampire hunter. Within the movie’s most chilling and memorable scene, he’s visited by a schoolmate who has change into a vampire and floats eerily outdoors Mark’s bed room window.

Kerwin’s TV profession started within the early- to mid-Nineteen Seventies with appearances on such reveals as Little Home on the Prairie, Emergency! and Surprise Lady, however his breakthrough position got here in 1977 with James at 15. The approaching-of-age drama sequence was an try by creator-writer Dan Wakefield to current a extra lifelike depiction of youngsters than was widespread on the time.

The present made headlines in 1978 when, with the brand new title James at 16, Kerwin’s title character misplaced his virginity with a Swedish trade scholar.

Two years later, Kerwin co-starred within the TV-movie The Boy Who Drank Too A lot, starring Scott Baio as a teenage alcoholic.

Kerwin continued performing all through the mid-Nineteen Nineties, normally as a visitor star on episodic TV. By the tip of the last decade he had retired from performing to change into a youth minister. He later moved to Hawaii to work for the U-Flip for Christ ministry. A 2021 GoFundMe web page indicated Kerwin had fallen on exhausting instances after struggling numerous well being points.

Together with Savanah, he’s survived by his kids Fox, Terah, Kailani and Justus. Info on a deliberate after-life ceremony is predicted within the coming weeks.