Originally from North Carolina, Kerr Thompson received a B.A. in Spanish from Davidson College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Romance Languages from Louisiana State University. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1973, he taught for twelve years at LSU-Shreveport. He came to Gettysburg in 1985, eager to return to a liberal arts institution. His scholarly publications have focused on Golden Age drama, the modern Spanish novel, and most recently on cinema. His current research deals with Argentine film during the Persn years (1943-55).