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Post by topbilled on Aug 25, 2024 14:29:43 GMT
Group 9: John
John Boles; John Shelton; John Beal; John Bromfield; Rosamund John; John Derek; John Agar; John Ireland; John Saxon I like how you used the "John" opportunity to include Rosamund John, topbilled. If I remember correctly, she is a favorite of yours. |
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Post by topbilled on Aug 26, 2024 14:19:52 GMT
John Shelton
In the mid-1930s John Shelton arrived in Hollywood and began to work his way up in the film industry. At first he had unbilled parts, or else scenes that wound up deleted. He didn’t catch on at Warners or RKO, but when he moved over to MGM he had a bit more luck. Metro decided he would work as a second lead in ‘A’ films and the main lead in smaller programmers. After a bit more experience John finally had a substantial break in MGM’s comedy THE GHOST GOES HOME which starred Frank Morgan in 1940. John’s young leading lady was Ann Rutherford. He was also cast opposite Lana Turner in one of her early films, and there was an assignment with Virginia Grey. The studio even teamed him up again with Ann Rutherford in another Frank Morgan picture, but he still didn’t really catch on. So he switched studios again and went to Fox. At Fox John had a nice role in a Laurel & Hardy comedy; and he appeared with Milton Berle in another comedy. But the war intervened and John was then off screen for several years. After the war he tried to restart his movie career but it had lost significant momentum. His marriage to Kathryn Grayson, whom he met at MGM, was not succeeding either.
There were a few more jobs at poverty row studios, and he had one of his last leading roles in a Columbia B film. After trying a few jobs on television, John decided to quit acting and go into business. Was it a lack of screen charisma that kept him from becoming a major star? Or was it simply that his aptitude was in other things? Who’s to say. But at least he tried.
 Suggested Viewing:THE GHOST GOES HOME (1940)DR. KILDARE GOES HOME (1940)
WE WHO ARE YOUNG (1940)KEEPING COMPANY (1940)BLONDE INSPIRATION (1941)A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO (1942)FOREIGN AGENT (1942)THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946)LITTLE MISS BROADWAY (1947)SINS OF JEZEBEL (1953)
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Post by topbilled on Aug 27, 2024 7:17:37 GMT
John Beal
Originally, John Beal had no intention of becoming an actor. When he was enrolled in college, he had goals in other areas. After graduation he went to New York to work in commercial art, but as luck would have it, he was offered a chance to understudy in a play. The acting bug bit him, and he never recovered. After some minor parts, he had a breakthrough role a short time later in the hit play ‘Another Language.’ He was signed by MGM for the film version, but declined a chance to be groomed by the studio for other parts and turned down a contract. He went back to the theater, and had another success with a play called ‘She Loves Me Not’ which ran for almost a year. This prompted Hollywood to come calling again. This time John agreed to sign a contract with RKO Pictures. RKO put him into its production of THE LITTLE MINISTER opposite Katharine Hepburn. It was a hit, and he was paired up with the actress again in the romantic drama BREAK OF HEARTS. Next he was loaned to Fox for a good role in its big budget adaptation of LES MISERABLES. This effort had him billed under Fredric March. The film’s leading lady was Rochelle Hudson. John had become a success in motion pictures, despite his reluctance to embrace the movies. However, he still returned to Broadway when opportunities arose. In the late 30s John wound up back at MGM, where he played Gladys George’s son in its remake of MADAME X. There were more films at Metro, then he started to freelance.By the time America went to war, movie tastes had begun to change. John joined the military where he made training films, and he also directed shows at army camps. After the war ended, he returned to the screen and still had significant roles. However, the quality of the pictures decreased and by 1950, he turned to television. John remained very busy on TV in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Also, there were occasional offers to return to the stage and to the movies. He continued to act until the mid-1990s. His last film was THE FIRM with Tom Cruise. When all was said and done, John had amassed over 100 screen credits. And to think he was only going to make one movie then return to the theater.
Suggested Viewing:ANOTHER LANGUAGE (1933)THE LITTLE MINISTER (1934)HAT COAT AND GLOVE (1934)BREAK OF HEARTS (1935)LES MISERABLES (1935)
M'LISS (1936)MADAME X (1937)DOUBLE WEDDING (1937)THE MAN WHO FOUND HIMSELF (1937)I AM THE LAW (1938)
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Post by topbilled on Aug 28, 2024 13:51:06 GMT
John Bromfield
John Bromfield first appeared on movie screens in the late 1940s. Known just as much for his charm as his physique, the all-American actor was a natural choice for producer Hal Wallis to sign to a contract. Wallis started him in small roles in big pictures; and the hope was to groom him for greater things. Two productions cast him alongside Burt Lancaster. Wallis also put the rising young star in pictures with Barbara Stanwyck. Assignments occurred in different genres, but typically John excelled in action-oriented films. After the contract with Wallis ended, John went to Monogram where he worked with the Bowery Boys and with Sterling Hayden.
His movie career was not what he thought it would be, but there were some good things about to come his way. Soon John landed an Esther Williams musical at MGM, where he was fourth-billed; and there was also his third-billed performance in Universal’s classic horror flick REVENGE OF THE CREATURE. After these high profile roles, John returned to low budget fare at United Artists.
He costarred with Lon Chaney Jr. in an adventure yarn; and there was a nicely made film noir with Julie London. After carving a niche in B films, John was hired by Desilu. Producer Desi Arnaz felt he would be perfect for the lead in one of their syndicated westerns, Sheriff of Cochise (later retitled as U.S. Marshal). The TV series was a hit and ran for four seasons, with 138 episodes. It did more for John’s career than the earlier Hal Wallis productions. It made him at last a household name.
After the program ended, John parlayed his earnings into a commercial fishing venture off the coast of Newport Beach. He never acted again.
 Suggested Viewing:
SORRY WRONG NUMBER (1948)ROPE OF SAND (1949)THE FURIES (1950)FLAT TOP (1952)EASY TO LOVE (1953)REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1955)THE BIG BLUFF (1955)MANFISH (1956)CRIME AGAINST JOE (1956)
HOT CARS (1956)
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Post by topbilled on Aug 29, 2024 7:01:54 GMT
Rosamund John
Rosamund John was known for her portrayals of gentle British women on the screen. Initially she had made a name for herself on the London stage in the late 1930s and early 1940s. She was content with her work in the theater, and after an early film appearance, she wasn’t exactly looking to become a movie star. But that’s what happened. After a hit play with Robert Donat, she was selected by Leslie Howard to costar with him in his next motion picture. They ended up getting along so well she worked with Howard two more times before his untimely death. In an interview decades later, Rosamund fondly described the experience and indicated she had learned a great deal from Mr. Howard as a performer. One of the films Rosamund made during this time featured Stewart Granger as her leading man, with Howard just producing. It was a wartime drama about valiant nurses called THE LAMP STILL BURNS, and it did well with audiences. The following year she played another nurse when she appeared in TAWNY PIPIT, which became her biggest hit. While considered to be a war film, the basic scenario had more light-hearted elements and allowed Rosamund the chance to do some comedy. For her next assignments, she was back to serious dramas, collaborating with Trevor Howard; James Mason; and Michael Redgrave. By the late 40s, she began to turn her energies to politics. She would still appear in films during the 1950s but she was more interested in representing her fellow performers in a British actors union. Her second husband was also active in politics and served as a member of the Labour Party. He became a cabinet minister in the 1970s, around the time Rosamund retired from acting.
 Suggested Viewing:THE FIRST OF THE FEW (1942)THE LAMP STILL BURNS (1943)TAWNY PIPIT (1944)THE WAY TO THE STARS (1945)GREEN FOR DANGER (1946)THE UPTURNED GLASS (1947)FAME IS THE SPUR (1947)WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS (1947)NO PLACE FOR JENNIFER (1949)STREET CORNER (1953)
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Post by topbilled on Aug 30, 2024 13:15:28 GMT
John Derek
John Derek’s parents were performers and both appeared in silent films. His father had even worked as a director in Australia but died when John was 21. John’s mother had continued to take small roles in films but mostly focused on her son’s upbringing. During those years, she helped instill in him an interest in motion pictures, which John carried forward the rest of his life.
In the mid-1940s, John served in the military. When he was discharged, he signed a contract with producer David Selznick and found representation with super agent Henry Wilson. Selznick and Wilson placed him in two of Selznick’s pictures– SINCE YOU WENT AWAY and I’LL BE SEEING YOU (both made at the end of the war). John had minor roles, and he didn’t catch on.
A few years later he had become friends with Humphrey Bogart and convinced Bogart to use him in the crime drama KNOCK ON ANY DOOR. It was about a hoodlum headed for the electric chair. John got the part and was a sensation. It led to a long-term contract with Columbia. Next Columbia cast him in ALL THE KING’S MEN as Broderick Crawford’s son, then there were several costume dramas and pirate pictures.  These were modestly budgeted titles where John was cast as an adventurer on the high seas. They were decent enough productions and gave him a succession of lead roles in crowd-pleasing fare. Also Columbia put him in westerns and social message dramas with top stars; in fact, he worked with Broderick Crawford several times. One of their more interesting collaborations was THE LAST POSSE, a suspenseful oater inspired by RASHOMON and told mostly in flashbacks. In the mid-50s, John left Columbia and began to work at Republic and Paramount. He did a few international films later in the decade, but he remained involved in big budget Hollywood pictures as well. Notably, he had roles in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and EXODUS. By the early 60s, he had grown dissatisfied with acting and decided to turn his attention towards photography and directing. He would go on to direct movies like his father had done, and most of them featured his various high-profile wives.
 Suggested Viewing:I'LL BE SEEING YOU (1944)KNOCK ON ANY DOOR (1949)
ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949)ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1950)
SCANDAL SHEET (1952)PRINCE OF PIRATES (1953)THE LAST POSSE (1953)
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956)
THE LEATHER SAINT (1956)
HIGH HELL (1958)
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Post by topbilled on Aug 31, 2024 11:19:55 GMT
John Agar
John Agar’s father died when he was just becoming an adult. He had several younger siblings and stayed with his mother for a few more years to help raise them. The Agars originally resided in the midwest but relocated to Los Angeles to find new opportunities. Around this time the country entered the war, and John was soon active in the military. When he finished serving he was back in Los Angeles, and met one of his sister’s friends. The friend was Shirley Temple. John and Shirley began to date and were married a short time later. Shirley was under contract with David Selznick during these years, and the producer offered to give John acting lessons and represent him, too. In 1948, the same year John and Shirley had a daughter, they both appeared in John Ford’s FORT APACHE. It was John’s motion picture debut, and it was a success with audiences. The next year Selznick put John and Shirley into the period piece ADVENTURE IN BALTIMORE, which was produced at RKO. There were several other assignments at various studios, including another picture for director John Ford. At Republic, John scored a hit in the war drama SANDS OF IWO JIMA which reunited him with John Wayne. He and Duke would work together on several more occasions.
After a five year contract with Selznick ended, John moved over to Columbia then signed a contract with Universal in the mid-50s.There were alcohol-related problems, and the end of his marriage to Shirley, but somehow John’s film career continued without losing any momentum. Signing with Universal led to his being cast in a series of science fiction flicks. Many of them would go on to become cult classics. In addition to the sci-fi stories, he was often assigned to westerns. In the late 50s John left Universal but continued to find work as a lead in other low-budget films for American International– usually science fiction or horror. In the early 60s he was making westerns for producer A.C. Lyle at Paramount. Plus there were occasional turns on television. While acting roles became less frequent in later decades, he was still appearing on screen in the 1990s, accepting whatever good offers came his way.
 Suggested Viewing:FORT APACHE (1948)ADVENTURE IN BALTIMORE (1949)SANDS OF IWO JIMA (1949)BREAKTHROUGH (1950)THE MAGIC CARPET (1951)SHIELD FOR MURDER (1954)REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1955)TARANTULA (1955)STAR IN THE DUST (1956)THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956)
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Post by topbilled on Sept 1, 2024 14:22:54 GMT
John Ireland
John Ireland did not have a rosy childhood. He never knew his father was and had to drop out of school to help support his family. But he was a tough kid who learned early how to make his way in life and those survival skills would serve him well, especially when he arrived in Hollywood. John’s first screen role occurred when he was cast in a 20th Century Fox war film in 1945. In the years leading up to his motion picture debut in A WALK IN THE SUN he became known for his skill at interpreting Shakespearean roles. He was self-taught and “found himself” through Shakespeare and those initial stage productions.
In Hollywood he was typecast as characters that were a bit rough around the edges but had a softer, vulnerable side. After a few supporting roles at Fox, he did leads in crime pictures at Eagle-Lion and there were westerns for independent producers. This arrangement suited John just fine, since he was independent by nature. Unlike other stars, John did not care to be under contract to a major studio, where he would have to kowtow to corporate politics. His own political beliefs were much more left-wing, and many of his friends were blacklisted. In 1950 he was up for an Oscar in the hard-hitting propaganda drama ALL THE KING’S MEN.
Though he did not “win,” it opened the door to more opportunities for him as an actor and then as a director. He kept busy throughout the 50s, usually in modestly budgeted indy films. Occasionally, he had a lead role in an ‘A’ picture, such as Columbia’s QUEEN BEE opposite Joan Crawford. He and Crawford were both driven and had become stars despite the bumps in the road, so they undoubtedly had a lot in common. They were rumored to have had a very passionate on-set affair. Ten years later John and Joan would team up again for Universal’s horror flick I SAW WHAT YOU DID. And by then, many of us had seen what John could do on screen in countless movies– he could create something strong and something real that showed us who he was.
 Suggested Viewing:A WALK IN THE SUN (1945)RAILROADED! (1947)RED RIVER (1948)ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949)I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949)THE SCARF (1951)THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (1955)QUEEN BEE (1955)GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (1957)I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965)
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Post by topbilled on Sept 2, 2024 14:23:32 GMT
John Saxon
John Saxon was from a working class Italian family in New York. He hadn’t even graduated from high school when his picture appeared on the cover of a magazine. Super agent Henry Wilson noticed and at 17, the young kid was signed to a contract. Wilson gave him his new ‘movie star name’ and put him into acting classes with Stella Adler. For the next two years John prepared for his first motion picture role, while Wilson negotiated a deal for him to appear in films at Universal. In 1955, at the age of 20, John made his first Universal picture, portraying a teenage delinquent in RUNNING WILD. He played a similar but more calculating character a short time afterward in THE UNGUARDED MOMENT where he was a dangerous youth stalking his pretty teacher (Esther Williams). Other films at the studio followed, and gradually he was given more romantic roles to play. During John’s early days at Universal he worked with Sandra Dee several times and more than once with Audie Murphy. The studio also gave him jobs on its television programs, usually western shows. Despite the great exposure, John did not become a lead star; he was featured mainly in supporting roles.
By the mid-60s, he was taking on character parts, where he specialized in ethnic types– cast as Italians, Arabs and Mexicans. A lot of these parts were villains, where he was seen as a bandit or a deadly revolutionary. John’s work on television provided opportunities for him to develop his range as a character actor. He had very different roles on The Virginian for Universal; in fact, he worked with several of the show’s main leads (Charles Bickford; James Drury; and Stewart Granger). When he wasn’t on screen, John spent his free time refining techniques in martial arts. This would come in handy when he was hired for Bruce Lee’s first American film, ENTER THE DRAGON. In addition to his assignments as villains and ethnic types, John also became known for playing detectives in horror films and thrillers. He made several Italian police thrillers; and he can be seen investigating deaths at a sorority house in BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). A few years later, he was investigating killings in THE NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.
He continued to remain in demand on television– he had a recurring role on Falcon Crest as Lorenzo Lamas’ father; and he was a slick Middle Eastern oil dealer in episodes of Dynasty opposite Joan Collins.
 Suggested Viewing:RUNNING WILD (1955)THE UNGUARDED MOMENT (1956)ROCK PRETTY BABY (1956)THE RESTLESS YEARS (1958)THE PLUNDERERS (1960)POSSE FROM HELL (1961)WAR HUNT (1962)THE APPALOOSA (1966)BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974)A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
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Post by topbilled on Sept 2, 2024 15:22:43 GMT
Group 10: Singers
Lawrence Tibbett; Lily Pons; Mario Lanza; Doris Day; Lauritz Melchior; Yvonne De Carlo; Perry Como; Martha Tilton; Ken Curtis; Grace Moore
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Post by topbilled on Sept 3, 2024 13:23:21 GMT
Lawrence Tibbett
While most opera stars who wind up in the movies tend to be foreign born, Lawrence Tibbett was originally a Bakersfield boy. Growing up in California, he had been the son of a lawman who was gunned down in the line of duty. Money was tight and to help make ends meet, Lawrence found jobs singing since it was something he was good at doing. Later he served in the first World War, and after his military duty, he went to Los Angeles to find more work as a singer. During his time in Los Angeles, Lawrence sang in movie theaters. Then he went to New York to professionally train for the opera. After a period of study, he snagged a job with the Metropolitan Opera, and it was the beginning of great things for him. He would go on to perform in around 600 productions with the Met. When he wasn’t focusing on opera, Lawrence took roles in musical theater, which prepared him for his subsequent movie career. It was MGM that signed Lawrence during the talkie era. Big screen musicals were suddenly all the rage. Since he had proven himself on stage and with numerous recordings and radio performances, he seemed like a natural fit for the studio. However, his tenure at MGM was not too lengthy. Lawrence would only make four films at Metro, two in 1930 and another two in 1931. He earned an Oscar nomination for one of them and had the chance to work with diverse costars like Jimmy Durante and Lupe Velez as well as Laurel & Hardy. He returned to live concert work after this, but in 1935, 20th Century Fox signed him and he made two more pictures. In 1949 one of his songs was used by Fox in the crime drama HOUSE OF STRANGERS. And while Lawrence did make one appearance on television, the rest of his career was mostly dedicated to the stage and to radio until his retirement.
Suggested Viewing:
THE ROGUE SONG (1930)NEW MOON (1930)THE CUBAN LOVE SONG (1931)THE PRODIGAL (1931)METROPOLITAN (1935)
UNDER YOUR SPELL (1936)
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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 3, 2024 13:35:46 GMT
John Saxon My favorite John Saxon role was in Vincente Minnelli's The Reluctant Debutante (1958), where he showed a real talent for sophisticated light comedy. He played opposite Sandra Dee, which couldn't hurt back then because she was skyrocketing in popularity, and alongside two pros, Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall. He more than held his own and the result is something I watch just about every time it's shown.  |
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Post by topbilled on Sept 3, 2024 13:53:07 GMT
Thanks for mentioning THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE.
Incidentally, I feel John Saxon aged better than a lot of stars from his generation. Maybe it's the photos I selected, but he seems to have fully inhabited each decade of his life in a healthy way. He doesn't appear to have "weathered" like some stars, and I get the impression he took proper care of himself.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 3, 2024 13:58:38 GMT
Lawrence Tibbett
Suggested Viewing:
THE ROGUE SONG (1930)NEW MOON (1930)THE CUBAN LOVE SONG (1931)THE PRODIGAL (1931)METROPOLITAN (1935)
UNDER YOUR SPELL (1936) I'm not familiar with any of these, or with him, to be honest, so thanks for the heads-up. MGM in particular seemed to like using operatic-style singers, like Lauritz Melchior, but they were often used in pop-up specialty numbers rather than in supporting acting roles, so I'd be curious to see how he fared in these films. Regardless, it seems as though he had a great fall-back career if either Hollywood or he lost interest. |
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Post by topbilled on Sept 3, 2024 14:05:05 GMT
Lawrence Tibbett
Suggested Viewing:
THE ROGUE SONG (1930)NEW MOON (1930)THE CUBAN LOVE SONG (1931)THE PRODIGAL (1931)METROPOLITAN (1935)
UNDER YOUR SPELL (1936) I'm not familiar with any of these, or with him, to be honest, so thanks for the heads-up. MGM in particular seemed to like using operatic-style singers, like Lauritz Melchior, but they were often used in pop-up specialty numbers rather than in supporting acting roles, so I'd be curious to see how he fared in these films. Regardless, it seems as though he had a great fall-back career if either Hollywood or he lost interest.
Maybe that negative experience is what led Tibbett to give up movies for good. But as you say, he had his live musical performances to fall back on. |
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