Robert Montgomery (actor) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 3/23/11 7:15 PM

Robert Montgomery (actor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Montgomery (May 21, 1904 — September 27, 1981) Robert Montgomery was an American actor and director.

Contents « | Early life Starring = 2 Career a 3 Death = 4 Filmography "5 References From the trailer for Night Must Fall (1937) = 6 External links Born Henry Montgomery Jr. May 21, 1904 Early life Beacon, New York, U.S. Died September 27, 1981 (aged 77) Montgomery was born Henry Montgomery Jr. in Beacon, New York City, New York, U.S.

New York, then known as "Fishkill Landing", the son of

Mary Weed (née Barney) and Henry Montgomery, Sr?! His early childhood was one of privilege, since his father was Years 1929-60 president of the New York Rubber Company. When his active

father committed suicide in 1922 by jumping off the

Occupation Actor, director

Spouse Elizabeth Bryan Allen (1928-1950) (divorced) Elizabeth "Buffy" Grant Harkness (1950-1981) (his death)

Brooklyn Bridge 3] the family's fortune was gone.

Career

Montgomery went to New York City to try his hand at writing and acting. He established a stage career, and became popular enough to turn down an offer to appear

opposite Vilma Banky in the film This Is Heaven.'*! Sharing a stage with George Cukor gave him an in to Hollywood, where, in 1929, he debuted in So This Is College. Montgomery entered the moving picture

industry during the revolution of the talkies, which made it more difficult to impress the studio.!4! One writer claimed that Montgomery was able to establish himself because he "proceeded with confidence, agreeable with

everyone, eager and willing to take suggestions."!4! During the production of So This Is College, he learned from and questioned crew members from several departments, including sound crew, electricians, set designers, camera crew and film editors.!4] In a later interview, he confessed that "it showed [him] that making a motion picture is a great co-operative project." [4]

So This Is College gained him attention as Hollywood's latest newcomer, and he was put in one production

after another, with his popularity growing steadily .'4! He initially played exclusively in comedy roles, but portrayed a character in his first drama film in The Big House (1930). The studio was initially reluctant to assign him in such a role, until "his earnestness, and his convincing arguments, with demonstrations of how he

would play the character" won him the assignment.'*! From The Big House on, he was in constant demand.!41 Appearing as Greta Garbo's romantic interest in Inspiration (1930) started him toward stardom with a rush.

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Norma Shearer chose him to star opposite her in The Divorcee (1930), Strangers May Kiss (1931), and Private

Lives (1931), which led to stardom on a high rank |41 During this time, Montgomery appeared in the first filmed version of When Ladies Meet (1933).

In 1935, Montgomery became President of the Screen Actors Guild, and was elected again in 1946. In 1937, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor as a psychopath in the chiller Night Must Fall. After this, he returned to playing light comedy roles, even though he continued his search for dramatic roles.!4! Montgomery was nominated again for an Oscar in 1942 for Here Comes Mr. Jordan. During World War II, he joined the Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander.

In 1945, he returned to Hollywood, making his uncredited directing debut with They Were Expendable, where he directed some of the PT Boat scenes when director John Ford was unable to work for health reasons. His first credited film as director was Lady in the Lake (1947), in which he also starred, and which brought him mixed reviews.

Active in Republican politics and concerned about communist influence in the entertainment industry, Montgomery was a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947.

The next year, 1948, Montgomery hosted the Academy Awards. He hosted an Emmy Award-winning television series, Robert Montgomery Presents, in the 1950s. The Gallant Hours , a 1960 film Montgomery directed and co-produced with its star, his friend James Cagney, was the last film or television production he was connected with in any capacity, as actor, director or producer.

In 1954, Montgomery took an unpaid position as consultant and coach to President Dwight D. Eisenhower,

advising him on how to look his best in his television appearances before the nation.>! A pioneering media consultant, Montgomery had an office in the White House during this time.

Montgomery has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for movies at 6440 Hollywood Boulevard, and another for television at 1631 Vine Street. He was a longtime summer resident of North Haven, Maine.

Death

Montgomery died of cancer at age 77 in New York City. His daughter, actress Elizabeth Montgomery (1933- 1995), and son, Robert Montgomery, Jr. (1936—2000) both died of cancer as well.

Filmography

Film ren ca) Title b4] 4 Role b4 b4 Notes 1929 The Single Standard Extra Uncredited 1929 Three Live Ghosts William Foster 1929 So This Is College Biff 1929 Untamed Andy McAllister 1929 Their Own Desire John Douglas Cheever 1930 Free and Easy Larry 1930 The Divorcee Don

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1930 1930 1930 1930 1930 1931 1931 1931 1931 1931 1931 1932 1932 1932 1932 1932

1933

1933 1933 1933 1933

1934

1934 1934 1934 1934

1935

1935 1935 1936 1936

1936

1937

1027

The Big House

The Sins of the Children Our Blushing Brides Love in the Rough War Nurse

Inspiration

The Easiest Way Strangers May Kiss Shipmates

The Man in Possession Private Lives

Lovers Courageous But the Flesh Is Weak Letty Lynton

Blondie of the Follies Faithless

Hell Below

Made on Broadway When Ladies Meet Another Language Night Flight

Fugitive Lovers

The Mystery of Mr. X Riptide

Hide -Out

Forsaking All Others

Biography of a Bachelor Girl

Vanessa: Her Love Story No More Ladies Petticoat Fever

Trouble for Two

Piccadilly Jim

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

Als W714 NAL. n4 C n11

Kent Marlowe Nick Higginson Tony Jardine

Jack Kelly

Lt. Wally O'Brien André Montell

Jack 'Johnny' Madison Steve

John Paul Jones Raymond Dabney Elyot Chase

Willie Smith

Max Clement

Hale Darrow

Larry Belmont William 'Bill' Wade Lieut. Thomas Knowlton, USN

Jeff Bidwell Jimmie Lee

Victor Hallam Auguste Pellerin

Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine

Nicholas Revel

Tommie Trent

Jonathan 'Lucky' Wilson Dillon 'Dill'/'Dilly' Todd Richard 'Dickie' Kurt

Benjamin Herries Sheridan Warren Dascom Dinsmore Prince Florizel

James 'Piccadilly Jim'

Crocker, Jr.

Lord Arthur Dilling

Alternative title: The Suicide Club

Nominated—Academy Award for Best

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179/

1937 1937 1938 1938 1938 1939 1940 1940

1940

1941 1941

1941

1941 1945 1947 1947 1948 1948 1949 1949 1950 1960

Year b4 p4

AVESTUL LVLUSE L'ULL

Ever Since Eve

Live, Love and Learn The First Hundred Years Yellow Jack

Three Loves Has Nancy Fast and Loose

The Earl of Chicago Busman's Honeymoon

The Door with Seven Locks

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Rage in Heaven Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Unfinished Business They Were Expendable Lady in the Lake

Ride the Pink Horse The Saxon Charm

June Bride

Poet's Pub

Once More, My Darling Your Witness

The Gallant Hours

Title b4 4

vVauny

Freddie Matthews Bob Graham

David Conway John O'Hara Malcolm 'Mal' Niles Joel Sloane

Robert Kilmount Lord Peter Wimsey

Craig the butler

David Smith Philip Monrell

Joe Pendleton

Tommy Duncan

Lt. John Brickley Phillip Marlowe Lucky Gagin

Matt Saxon

Carey Jackson Dancer

Collier 'Collie' Laing Adam Heyward

Narrator

Television Role }4 4

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Actor

Alternative title: Haunted Honeymoon

Alternative title: Chamber of Horrors

Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor

Uncredited

Notes

1950-57 |Robert Montgomery Presents | Host 1958 Navy Log Host Episode: "The Butchers of Kapsan" References

1. ^ Obituary Variety, September 30, 1981.

2. ^ "Elizabeth Montgomery's Family Tree" (http://www.bewitched.net/lizgenealogy.htm) . Bewitched. net.

file: ///Users /davidoxford/Desktop/ Biographies /Robert%20Montgomery%20(actor)%20-%2 OWikipedia,%2 0the%20free%2 0encyclopedia.webarchive

http://www .bewitched.net/lizgenealogy htm. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

. ^ "article" (http://query nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html ?res=9 AO07EEDB 1039E133A25750C0A9619C94639SD6CF) .

New York Times. July 3, 1922. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html? res=9A07EEDB 1039E133A25750C0A9619C946395D6CF. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

_ Aabede fg hij k "Garbo's Lover in ‘Inspiration’ Was Lucky Role for Montgomery", The Milwaukee Journal, March

22, 1945, p. 1

. ^ "Behind the Scenes — Robert Montgomery, New York Times article, March 1, 1956"

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Robert Montgomery (actor) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 3/23/11 7:15 PM

(http://select nytimes .com/gst/abstract.html ?res=F109 1 EFA3E58157B93C3A91788D85F428585F9) . Select.nytimes.com. March 1, 1956. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html? res=F1091EFA3E58157B93C3A91788D85F428585F9. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

External links

= Robert Montgomery (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0599910/) at the Internet Movie Database

= Robert Montgomery (http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=53470) at the Internet Broadway Database

= Robert Montgomery (http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm? search_by=people&keyword=name&first=Robert&last=Montgomery&middle=) at Internet Off- Broadway Database

= Robert Montgomery images (http://film.virtual-history .com/person.php?personid=642)

= Robert Montgomery (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi? page=gr&GRid=2958) at Find a Grave

= Donald Phelps: The Rich Boy — The Reticent Artistry of Robert Montgomery (http://www.rouge.com.au/1/montgomery .html)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Montgomery_(actor)"

= This page was last modified on 22 February 2011 at 14:54.

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