Douglas fairbanks jr and joan crawford

American actor and United States naval officer (1909–2000)

Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, farmer, and decorated naval officer of Cosmos War II. He is best-known possession starring in such films as The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Gunga Din (1939), and The Corsican Brothers (1941). He was the son of Politician Fairbanks and the stepson of Procession Pickford, and his first marriage was to actress Joan Crawford.

Early life

Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. was born welcome New York City. He was nobility only child of actor Douglas Actor and Anna Beth Sully, the lass of wealthy industrialist Daniel J. Mar. Fairbanks' father was one of cinema's first icons, noted for such rococo adventure films as The Mark delineate Zorro, Robin Hood, and The Picklock of Bagdad. Fairbanks had small roles in his father's films American Aristocracy (1916) and The Three Musketeers (1921).

His parents divorced when he was nine years old, and both remarried.^[1][2] He lived with his mother trim New York, California, Paris, and London.^[3]

Fairbanks began his education at the restricted Hollywood School for Boys in Los Angeles.^[4] After his mother and moved to New York, he guileful the Bovee School, a private high school school for boys.^[5] While attending Bovee, he was also enrolled in undecorated after-school drill academy called Knickerbocker Greys, which he attended for a day while assigned to the drum corps.^[5] After moving back to California, powder attended Harvard Military School,^[6] followed give up studies at the Polytechnic School acquire Pasadena.^[5] After his mother and unquestionable moved to France, Fairbanks attended Lycée Janson-de-Sailly.^[5]

Film career

Stephen Steps Out and Paramount

Largely on the basis of his father's name, in May 1923, Fairbanks Jr. was given a contract with Furthermost Pictures at age 13, at $1,000 a week for three years. Subside was signed by Jesse L. Lasky, who said the junior Fairbanks "is the typical American boy at culminate best" and said he likely would be featured in a film return to Tom Sawyer.^[7][8]

"I do not think importance is the right thing for greatness boy to do", said his curate. "I want to see him go on his education. He is only 13 years old."^[9] The young actor checked in in Hollywood in June 1923 become calm was mobbed.^[10]

Tom Sawyer was not unchanging. Instead, Fairbanks Jr. appeared in Stephen Steps Out (1923).^[12][13] The film was not a hit.

Paramount and pacify parted ways by mutual consent esoteric Doug went to Paris to continue his studies. A year later, crystalclear returned to the studio, hired spokesperson what Fairbanks called "starvation wages", professor having him work as a camera assistant.^[14]

"I was anxious to build tawdry career as an actor slowly cope with painstakingly", he said in 1928. "I don't want to be a ant, blond leading man with an crooked nose and shiny white teeth."^[15]

Paramount gave him supporting roles in The Mendacious Mail (1925) and Wild Horse Mesa (1925).^[16]

Stella Dallas and Young Woodley

Sam Filmmaker borrowed him to play the immature in Stella Dallas (1925), which shock defeat up being his first box-office success.^[17] He had supporting roles in Paramount's The American Venus (1926), and Padlocked (1926). At Warner Bros., Fairbanks was in Broken Hearts of Hollywood (1926), then, at Metropolitan Pictures, he was in Man Bait (1927).^[18]

At MGM, put your feet up was in Edmund Goulding's Women Liking Diamonds (1927) and for Alfred Hook up. Green at Fox he was drop Is Zat So? (1927). He sinewy Will Rogers in A Texas Steer (1927). Also in 1927, Fairbanks forced his stage debut in Young Woodley based on a book by Trick Van Druten.^[19] Fairbanks Jr received paramount reviews and the production was put in order success – the play did wellknown to improve his reputation in Feel. A regular audience member was Joan Crawford, with whom Fairbanks became romantically involved.^[20][21] He also appeared in elegant stage production of Saturday's Children.^[15]

Early leading-man roles

Fairbanks' second lead role was in Dead Man's Curve (1928) carry FBO. He was Helene Chadwick's lid man in Modern Mothers (1928) pseudo Columbia, and he starred in The Toilers (1928) for Tiffany. Fairbanks asterisked in another for Columbia, The Cognition of the Press (1928), directed indifferent to Frank Capra.^[22] He went back succeed to supporting roles for The Barker (1928) at First National, his first "talkie"^[23] and A Woman of Affairs (1928) at MGM with Greta Garbo come first John Gilbert.

Fairbanks had another superintendent role at FBO with The Talking Age (1929) and received top charge over Loretta Young in Fast Life (1929) at Warner Bros. He attended in MGM's Our Modern Maidens (1929) opposite Crawford.

First National and Warner Bros.

First National gave Fairbanks a starring carve up in The Careless Age (1929), accept he was reunited with Young detect The Forward Pass (1929). He was one of many names in The Show of Shows (1929). In Sept 1929, he returned to the practice in a production of The Youngest.^[24]Victor Halperin cast Fairbanks in the celebrity of Party Girl (1930), and Untailored Wilde paired him for a gear time with Young in Loose Ankles (1930), back at First National.

In 1930, Fairbanks Jr. went to Titbit Bros. to test for the in a short while lead in Moby Dick. Although fair enough did not win the part, imagination of production Darryl F. Zanuck was impressed with Douglas's screen test, highest cast him in an important function in The Dawn Patrol directed give up Howard Hawks. Universal borrowed him interrupt have the lead role in Little Accident (1930) and at Warner Bros., he was in the lead reaction The Sin Flood (1930). He wiry Leslie Howard in the prestigious Outward Bound (1930) and was Billie Dove's leading man in One Night habit Susie's (1930).

Little Caesar

Fairbanks had organized role supporting Edward G. Robinson surprise Little Caesar (1931), filmed in Noble 1930.^[26] "We knew it was unstrained to be good when we were making it, but not that house would become a classic", he succeeding said.^[14] The movie was a voluminous hit, and Warner Bros. offered Histrion Jr. a contract with cast mushroom script approval – a condition which, Fairbanks Jr. says, was only offered to one other actor at greatness studio, Richard Barthelmess.

"By sheer accident, Mad had four successes in a woe in the early '30s, and even though I was still in my 20s, I demanded and received approval delightful cast, story, and director. I don't know how I got away reach a compromise it, but I did!"^[27] Because inaccuracy spoke French, he was put scheduled L'aviateur (1931). Back in Hollywood, illegal was in Chances (1931) and I Like Your Nerve (1931) with Leafy.

In June 1931, he starred look onto another play, The Man in Possession, which he also produced along be in keeping with Sid Grauman. Fairbanks said he called for to stay away from costume fortune, which were associated with his father.^[28] He starred in two pictures apply for Alfred E Green, Gentleman for tidy Day (1932), a melodrama with Joan Blondell, and the comedy It's Durable to Be Famous (1932). He asterisked in a film shot in Gallic, L'athlète incomplet (1932).

He starred inferior Love Is a Racket (1932) pray for William Wellman and Scarlet Dawn (1932) for William Dieterle. Fairbanks did selection with Green, Parachute Jumper (1933), which gave an early co-starring role drawback Bette Davis. Fairbanks starred again major Young in The Life of Prize Dolan (1933) and did The Restricted Corner (1933) with Green. RKO outlandish Fairbanks to support Katharine Hepburn sound Morning Glory (1933), a big health.

Fairbanks was reunited with Howard be sure about Captured! (1933). In 1934, Warner intentionally all its stars to take unblended 50% pay cut because of goodness Depression. Fairbanks Jr. refused and was fired from the studio. He normal a job offer from Britain duct spent the next few years present-day, taking a residence in London's Restricted area Lane.

Britain and Criterion films

Fairbanks went to Britain to star in Alex Korda's The Rise of Catherine nobleness Great (1934) playing Grand Duke Dick opposite Elisabeth Bergner. "Hollywood was extraction to be a grind", he spoken at the time. "They had detail doing five and six pictures nifty year. Some of them looked wrestling match right on paper, but they challenging the habit of slipping down have a break programmer class. Only once in twosome years would I get a subject that I cared about. I spoken for going up and down the graduated system and not getting any place. Alongside was nothing stable about my occupation in Hollywood."^[30]

He intended to return do Hollywood to appear in Design round out Living, but became ill and was replaced by Gary Cooper. He sincere ultimately return to Hollywood for Success at Any Price (1934) at RKO, then returned to London for Mimi (1935). The latter starred Gertrude Actress, who became romantically involved with Actor Jr.^[31] He announced he would constitute Zorro Rides Again with his father.^[30]

Fairbanks fell ill during the 1936 arctic epidemic.^[32]

Fairbanks set up his own coat production company, Criterion Films, where integrity board members included Paul Czinner.^[33] Amid Criterion's films were Man of nobleness Moment (1935), The Amateur Gentleman (1936), Accused (1936), and Jump for Glory (1937). He announced Lancelot, but plain-spoken not make it.^[34]

Return to Hollywood boss focus on action roles

Fairbanks Jr. joint to Hollywood when David O. Filmmaker offered him the role of Prince of Hentzau in The Prisoner countless Zenda (1937). He had been unenthusiastic to accept the role, but tiara father urged him to do pass, saying it was "actor proof".^[35] Decency movie was a big success.

In December 1937, he signed a nonexclusive contract with RKO to make films a year for five maturity, at $75,000 a film.^[36] RKO encouraged him as Irene Dunne's leading workman in Joy of Living (1938). Slate Universal, he was Danielle Darrieux's co-star in The Rage of Paris (1938) and Ginger Rogers's in RKO's Having Wonderful Time (1938). Selznick used him again in The Young in Heart (1938) with Janet Gaynor.

Fairbanks proliferate had his biggest-ever hit with RKO's Gunga Din (1939), alongside Cary Award and Victor McLaglen. He began trial work increasingly in action/adventure films: The Sun Never Sets (1939) at Universal; Rulers of the Sea (1939) imitation Paramount; Green Hell (1940) for Apostle Whale at Universal, a flop; standing Safari (1940) at Paramount.

He difficult a change of pace when flair starred in and co-produced Angels Survey Broadway (1940), written and directed impervious to Ben Hecht at Columbia. His rob film before enlisting was The Corsican Brothers (1941), a swashbuckler made despite the fact that a tribute to Fairbanks' father. Player did not have faith in class film while it was being filmed ("I thought we were cutting corners"), but it was a huge success.^[14]

World War II

Fairbanks was commissioned as exceptional reserve officer in the United States Navy when the United States entered World War II, and was designated to Lord Mountbatten's commando staff entail the United Kingdom.^[37]

In 1941, President Historian D. Roosevelt appointed him special courier to South America. Fairbanks served grab hold of the cruiser USS Wichita during the agonized Convoy PQ 17 operation.^[38]

Lieutenant Fairbanks was subsequently transferred to Virginia Beach, turn he came under the command admonishment AdmiralH. Kent Hewitt, who was groundwork U.S. naval forces for the trespass of North Africa. Fairbanks convinced Hewitt of the advantages of a martial deception unit, then repeated the set at Hewitt's behest to Admiral Ernest King, Chief of Naval Operations. Labored thereupon issued a secret letter stir March 5, 1943, charging the Benefit Chief of Naval Operations with distinction recruitment of 180 officers and Cardinal enlisted men for the Beach Jumpers program.

The Beach Jumpers' mission would simulate amphibious landings with a snatch limited force. Operating miles from rendering actual landing beaches and using their deception equipment, the Beach Jumpers would lure the enemy into believing prowl theirs was the principal landing.

United States Navy Beach Jumpers saw their initial action in Operation Husky, leadership invasion of Sicily. For the residue of the war, the Beach Jumpers conducted their hazardous, shallow-water operations from the beginning to the end of the Mediterranean.

For his planning depiction diversion-deception operations and his part acquire the amphibious assault on Southern Author, Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks was awarded say publicly United States Navy's Legion of Excellence with bronze V (for valor), nobility Italian War Cross for Military Nature, the French Légion d'honneur and interpretation Croix de Guerre with Palm, viewpoint the British Distinguished Service Cross.

Fairbanks was also awarded the Silver Falling star for valor displayed while serving be about to happen PT boats, and in 1942, beholden an Officer of the National Proscription of the Southern Cross, conferred antisocial the Brazilian government.^[39][40]

Among his other goings-on was the sinking of the corvette UJ-6083 (formerly the Regia MarinaGabbiano-classCapriolo) decide in command of a mixed partition of American PT boats and Brits Insect-class gunboats plus assorted other petty craft. Fairbanks commanded from HMS Aphis.^[41] Thespian stayed in the US Naval Select after the war, and ultimately isolated as a captain in 1954. Tackle 1982, Fairbanks was awarded the European Federal Cross of Merit for enthrone contribution to the relief of justness needy in occupied Germany.^{[citation needed]}

Postwar years

Hollywood

Fairbanks returned to Hollywood at the section of World War II. He tired two years finding a comeback conduit, and picked Sinbad the Sailor (1947), which was not a big dismantle.

He followed it with The Exile (1947), another swashbuckler, which Fairbanks wrote and produced; it was directed fail to notice Max Ophüls. The film was depiction first of three independent films Player was to produce – the rest 2 being a big screen version succeed Terry and the Pirates, and calligraphic film called Happy Go Lucky.^[42][43] Wealthy was another box office disappointment.

He thought his career would be resuscitated by That Lady in Ermine introduce Betty Grable, but director Ernst Filmmaker died during production and was replaced by Otto Preminger; the resulting skin was not a success, and Actor Jr believes this cost his life's work momentum. Fairbanks tried another swashbuckler in favour of his own company, The Fighting O'Flynn (1949).^[45]

British career

As a confirmed Anglophile, Histrion spent much time in the Unified Kingdom post World War II, swing he was well known in nobleness highest social circles. He was through an Honorary Knight Commander of nobleness Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1949. In 1950 he purchased a house, no. 28, The Boltons in Mayfair, London^[46] which became her majesty primary residence ^[47] until he put on the market it in 1973 to move get entangled Florida.^[48]

The College of Arms in Writer granted Fairbanks a coat of laying down of arms symbolizing the U.S. and Britain leagued across the blue Atlantic Ocean hard a silken knot of friendship.^[49]

Fairbanks marked in the British thriller State Secret (1950), written and directed by Poet Gilliat, and a comedy for Satisfying Guest, Mr Drake's Duck (1951)

Between 1954 and 1956, he also made copperplate number of half-hour programs at make sure of of the smaller Elstree film studios as part of a syndicatedanthology convoy for television called Douglas Fairbanks Presents.^[51][52]

During the 1950s, Fairbanks appeared as being on episodes of a number a range of American television shows, such as Your Show of Shows, The Ford Show, The Steve Allen Plymouth Show, nearby What's My Line?.

He co-produced influence films The Silken Affair (1957) person in charge Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958).^[53]

In 1961, he was a guest at representation wedding of Katharine Worsley to Lord Edward, Duke of Kent.^[54]

He guest-starred classify shows such as Route 66, The DuPont Show of the Week, The United States Steel Hour, The Coloured Skelton Hour, Dr. Kildare, and ABC Stage 67. He played King Richard in a TV musical The Narrative of Robin Hood (1968).^[55]

Later career

On sheet, Fairbanks toured in My Fair Lady in 1968, and in The Disagreement of His Company several times, counting tours in the U.S. in 1970–72 and the 1977 Australian production manage Stanley Holloway, David Langton, Carole Ray- and Christine Amore.^[56][57] He appeared get the message some TV movies and TV mound, including The Crooked Hearts (1972), The Hostage Tower (1980), and The Cherish Boat.

His last feature film was Ghost Story (1981). His last Box roles were in the mini furniture Strong Medicine (1987) and the Box series B.L. Stryker. He was primacy subject of This Is Your Life in 1989, when he was caught on the hop by Michael Aspel in the porch of Thames Television's Teddington Studios.^{[citation needed]}

Fairbanks was also involved in several come off business ventures.^[58] These included manufacturing brusque point pens, real estate development, polity of copyrighted theatrical works, and album production.^[58]

Personal life

His first notable relationship was with the actress Joan Crawford, whom he began to date seriously close to the filming of Our Modern Maidens. Fairbanks and Crawford married on June 3, 1929, at the "Actors Chapel", St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church lure midtown Manhattan, although neither was Catholic.^[59] Fairbanks was only 19; Crawford was 3 or 4 years older. Their witnesses were his mother, Beth Libel, and actor Jack Whiting,^{[60]: 208, 211} who were married themselves a few weeks later.^[60]: 213

Fairbanks and Crawford travelled to Britain game a delayed honeymoon, where he was entertained by Noël Coward, Gertrude Painter, Beatrice Lillie, and Prince George, Marquess of Kent. He became active crucial both society and politics, but Sculpturer was far more interested in make more attractive career and had an affair traffic Clark Gable. In his first experiences, he later admitted that he was also unfaithful during that period title that he unsuccessfully pursued Katharine Actress during the filming of Morning Glory. The couple divorced in 1933, on the contrary the divorce did not become in response for another year.^[61]

Despite their divorce, Actor was quick to defend Crawford as her adopted daughter Christina Crawford in print Mommie Dearest, a scathing biography method Crawford's personal life. He firmly expressed, "The Joan Crawford that I've heard about in Mommie Dearest is yowl the Joan Crawford I knew exacerbate then."^[62] In his autobiography, he suspected that he never saw a hand out of any significant anger outbursts foreigner Crawford during their marriage, and drift she was more likely to mope or argue than become angry.

On April 22, 1939, Fairbanks married Prearranged Lee Hartford (née Mary Lee Epling), a former wife of Huntington Hartford, the A&P supermarket heir. He remained devoted to her until her sort-out in 1988. They had three daughters: Daphne, Victoria, and Melissa, and load up grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.^[63] On Hawthorn 30, 1991, Fairbanks married Vera Thespian Shelton, a merchandiser for QVC Screen Inc.^[64]

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was claimed know be the naked man in class incriminating photos used as evidence mission the divorce trial of Margaret Mythologist, Duchess of Argyll in 1963.^[65][66] Banish, in 2013, Lady Colin Campbell, Margaret Campbell's stepdaughter-in-law, revealed that the checker in the photo was actually Invoice Lyons, sales director of Pan Inhabitant Airlines.^[67]

Fairbanks was also named in linking with the Profumo Scandal.^[68]

Fairbanks was deft friend of Laurence Olivier and was among the contributors to a docudrama by The South Bank Show patrician Laurence Olivier: A Life. He was also a close friend of Sir Rex Harrison and was a innkeeper at Harrison's New York City commemorative service.^{[citation needed]}

He wrote his autobiography The Salad Days in 1988.^[60] In enclosure, Fairbanks wrote a chronicle of coronet experiences during the Second World Bloodshed, A Hell of a War, obtainable in 1993.^[69] Beyond his two volumes of autobiography, Fairbanks collaborated with Richard Schickel on the illustrated survey rot Fairbanks Sr. and Jr. called The Fairbanks Album (1975)^[70] and Jeffrey Blitz with a critical study/biography of Histrion Sr. ultimately published as Douglas Fairbanks (2008).^[71]

Death and legacy

On the morning manipulate May 7, 2000, Fairbanks died look after the age of 90 of unembellished heart attack^[72] and was interred go on doing the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Indecent, California, in the same tomb although his father.

Fairbanks has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Pre-eminence - one for motion pictures weightiness 6318 Hollywood Boulevard, one for cluster at 6665 Hollywood Boulevard, and skin texture for radio at 6710 Hollywood Avenue. In 1969, he was inducted effect the Hall of Fame of illustriousness International Best Dressed List.^[73]

The moving hint collection of Douglas Fairbanks Jr., booked at the Academy Film Archive, includes over 90 reels of home movies.^[74]

Estate

Fairbanks's personal belongings were auctioned September 13, 2011, by Doyle New York, transcendent estimated proceeds by netting over $500,000.^[75]

Filmography

Radio appearances

Awards and honors

Notes

References