John Henry Kurtz (October 24, 1945 – March 8, 2008) was an American singer-songwriter and actor best known for recording an early version of the song "Drift Away", which was later popularized by Dobie Gray.
Biography
John Henry Kurtz was born on October 24, 1945, in Havertown, Pennsylvania. He released his first and only studio album, Reunion, in 1972. The album contains "Drift Away", which was written by Mentor Williams. Though many sources cite Kurtz's version as the original, it was actually first recorded by English singer and actor Mike Berry two months earlier, appearing on his 1972 debut album of the same name.
While Kurtz's musical career was unsuccessful, he later turned to acting. He lived most of his life in Vail, Colorado, and moved to New York City in 1981. He also served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era. A resident of Cape May, New Jersey, Kurtz died of cancer at Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May, New Jersey on March 8, 2008.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Cosby Mysteries | Mr. Poppy | TV movie |
| 2006 | Exiled | Newscaster | |
| 2009 | Frame of Mind | Man on the phone | Posthumous role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–1994 | Saturday Night Live | Announcer; The Global Warming Christmas Special Announcer; Colon Blow announcer; Dan Quayle: President narrator; Announcer: Pork commercials (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 1990 | H.E.L.P. | Calwin | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Law & Order | Pelletier | 1 episode |
| 1994 | The Cosby Mysteries | Mr. Poppy | 1 episode |
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Voice Announcer | 1 episode |
| 2000–2004 | Little Bill | TV Announcer; Newscaster; Baseball Announcer | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | 100 Centre Street | Hostage | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Power, Privilege & Justice | Narrator | 1 episode |
