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Robert Montgomery

Robert Montgomery

Known for: Acting

Born 21/05/1904
Died 1981-09-27
Place of birth Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Montgomery (born Henry Montgomery Jr.; May 21, 1904 – September 27, 1981) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer. He was also the father of actress Elizabeth Montgomery. Montgomery settled in 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 Bánky in the film This Is Heaven (1929). Sharing a stage with George Cukor gave him an entry to Hollywood and a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he debuted in So This Is College (also 1929). Montgomery initially played exclusively in comedy roles, but portrayed a character in his first drama film in The Big House (1930). MGM 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. Appearing as Greta Garbo's romantic interest in Inspiration (1930) started him toward stardom with a rush. Norma Shearer chose him to star opposite her in The Divorcee (1930), Strangers May Kiss (1931), and Private Lives (1931), which led him to stardom. In another challenging role, Montgomery played a psychopath in the chiller Night Must Fall (1937), for which he received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. After World War II broke out in Europe in September, 1939, and while the United States was still officially neutral, Montgomery enlisted in London for American field service and drove ambulances in France until the Dunkirk evacuation. He then returned to Hollywood and addressed a massive rally on the MGM lot for the American Red Cross in July 1940. Montgomery returned to playing light comedy roles, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) with Carole Lombard. He continued his search for dramatic roles. For his role as Joe Pendleton, a boxer and pilot in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), Montgomery was nominated for an Oscar a second time. After the U.S. entered World War II in December 1941, he joined the United States Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander, and served on the USS Barton (DD-722) which was part of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. In 1945, Montgomery 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. Montgomery's first credited film as director and his final film for MGM was the film noir Lady in the Lake (1947), in which he also starred, which received mixed reviews. Adapted from Raymond Chandler's detective novel and sanitized for the censorship of the day, the film is unusual because it was filmed entirely from Marlowe's vantage point. Montgomery only appeared on camera a few times, three times in a mirror reflection. 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. 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.

Filmography

The Merv Griffin Show Series ★ 6,8

The Merv Griffin Show

Self

1962

Robert Montgomery Presents Series ★ 6,0

Robert Montgomery Presents

Self - Host

1950

What's My Line? Series ★ 7,0

What's My Line?

Self

1950

The Colgate Comedy Hour Series ★ 6,9

The Colgate Comedy Hour

Self

1950

Mr. & Mrs. Smith Film ★ 6,0

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

David

1941

June Bride Film ★ 7,1

June Bride

Carey Jackson

1948

They Were Expendable Film ★ 6,5

They Were Expendable

Lt. John Brickley

1945

Here Comes Mr. Jordan Film ★ 7,0

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Joe Pendleton

1941

That's Entertainment! Film ★ 7,4

That's Entertainment!

(archive footage) (uncredited)

1974

Complicated Women Film ★ 6,9

Complicated Women

Self (archive footage)

2003

That's Entertainment, Part II Film ★ 7,0

That's Entertainment, Part II

(archive footage)

1976

The Gallant Hours Film ★ 6,7

The Gallant Hours

Narration (American scenes)

1960

Lady in the Lake Film ★ 6,1

Lady in the Lake

Phillip Marlowe

1946

Breakdowns of 1949 Film ★ 6,0

Breakdowns of 1949

Self

1949

Rage in Heaven Film ★ 6,4

Rage in Heaven

Philip Monrell

1941

Ingrid Bergman Remembered Film ★ 6,7

Ingrid Bergman Remembered

Self (archive footage)

1996

Forsaking All Others Film ★ 6,0

Forsaking All Others

Dillon 'Dill" Todd

1934

Free and Easy Film ★ 6,2

Free and Easy

Larry

1930

Letty Lynton Film ★ 7,0

Letty Lynton

Hale Darrow

1932

Hollywood: The Dream Factory Film ★ 7,3

Hollywood: The Dream Factory

Self (archive footage)

1972

Riptide Film ★ 6,7

Riptide

Tommie L. Trent

1934

Ride the Pink Horse Film ★ 7,2

Ride the Pink Horse

Lucky Gagin

1947

So This Is College Film ★ 4,7

So This Is College

Biff

1929

The Romance of Celluloid Film ★ 7,0

The Romance of Celluloid

Self

1937

Lusitanian Illusion Film ★ 6,4

Lusitanian Illusion

Self (archive footage)

2010

Night Flight Film ★ 5,8

Night Flight

Auguste Pellerin

1933

Fugitive Lovers Film ★ 6,2

Fugitive Lovers

Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine

1934

Hell Below Film ★ 6,0

Hell Below

Lieut. Thomas Knowlton USN

1933

Our Blushing Brides Film ★ 5,6

Our Blushing Brides

Tony Jardine

1930

The Earl of Chicago Film ★ 6,3

The Earl of Chicago

Robert Kilmount

1940

Blondie of the Follies Film ★ 6,3

Blondie of the Follies

Larry Belmont

1932

Biography of a Bachelor Girl Film ★ 6,8

Biography of a Bachelor Girl

Richard 'Dickie' Kurt

1935

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Film ★ 5,9

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

Lord Arthur Dilling

1937

Three Loves Has Nancy Film ★ 4,2

Three Loves Has Nancy

Malcolm 'Mal' Niles

1938

Their Own Desire Film ★ 5,1

Their Own Desire

John 'Jack' Douglas Cheever

1929

When Ladies Meet Film ★ 5,7

When Ladies Meet

Jimmie

1933

The Divorcee Film ★ 6,2

The Divorcee

Don

1930

Hollywood Goes to Town Film ★ 7,0

Hollywood Goes to Town

Self

1938

The Big House Film ★ 6,6

The Big House

Kent Marlowe

1930

Untamed Film ★ 6,2

Untamed

Andy McAllister

1929

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage Film ★ 6,0

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

Self (archive footage)

2006

Your Witness Film ★ 6,2

Your Witness

Adam Heyward

1950

The Secret Land Film ★ 5,9

The Secret Land

Narrator

1948

From the Ends of the Earth Film ★ 5,0

From the Ends of the Earth

Self

1939

War Nurse Film ★ 5,2

War Nurse

Wally O'Brien

1930

Piccadilly Jim Film ★ 6,8

Piccadilly Jim

James Crocker, Jr.

1936

The First Hundred Years Film ★ 7,3

The First Hundred Years

David Conway

1938

Fast and Loose Film ★ 5,9

Fast and Loose

Joel Sloane

1939

Night Must Fall Film ★ 7,0

Night Must Fall

Danny

1937

Vanessa: Her Love Story Film ★ 6,2

Vanessa: Her Love Story

Benjamin Herries

1935

Film ★ 7,0

Checking Out: Grand Hotel

Self (archive footage)

2004

Hide-Out Film ★ 7,3

Hide-Out

Jonathan 'Lucky' Wilson

1934

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound Film ★ 6,8

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

Self

1940

The Single Standard Film ★ 5,9

The Single Standard

Party Boy (uncredited)

1929

Yellow Jack Film ★ 5,9

Yellow Jack

John O'Hara

1938

But the Flesh Is Weak Film ★ 6,3

But the Flesh Is Weak

Max Clement

1932

Live, Love and Learn Film ★ 5,6

Live, Love and Learn

Bob Graham

1937

Strangers May Kiss Film ★ 5,2

Strangers May Kiss

Steve

1931

The Saxon Charm Film ★ 4,6

The Saxon Charm

Matt Saxon

1948

Private Lives Film ★ 6,5

Private Lives

Elyot Chase

1931

Going Hollywood Film ★ 5,5

Going Hollywood

Himself - Premiere Clip (archive footage)

1933

Inspiration Film ★ 5,9

Inspiration

André Montell

1931

Hollywood Handicap Film ★ 4,8

Hollywood Handicap

Himself

1938

Love in the Rough Film ★ 5,7

Love in the Rough

Kelly

1930

Ever Since Eve Film ★ 5,8

Ever Since Eve

Freddy Matthews

1937

Another Language Film ★ 6,8

Another Language

Victor Hallam

1933

The Mystery of Mr. X Film ★ 6,8

The Mystery of Mr. X

Nicholas Revel

1934

Busman's Honeymoon Film ★ 6,0

Busman's Honeymoon

Lord Peter Wimsey

1940

Made on Broadway Film ★ 7,0

Made on Broadway

Jeff

1933

Unfinished Business Film ★ 6,5

Unfinished Business

Tommy Duncan

1941

Starlit Days at the Lido Film ★ 5,7

Starlit Days at the Lido

Self

1935

Faithless Film ★ 7,0

Faithless

William 'Bill' Wade

1932

The Sins of the Children Film ★ 4,7

The Sins of the Children

Nick Higginson

1930

The Man in Possession Film ★ 6,7

The Man in Possession

Raymond Dabney

1931

The Easiest Way Film ★ 5,4

The Easiest Way

Jack Madison

1931

Once More, My Darling Film ★ 6,5

Once More, My Darling

Collier Laing

1949

No More Ladies Film ★ 5,0

No More Ladies

Sheridan 'Sherry' Warren

1935

Trouble for Two Film ★ 6,5

Trouble for Two

Prince Florizel

1936

The Voice of Hollywood Film

The Voice of Hollywood

1930

Estrellados Film ★ 7,0

Estrellados

Self (Guest Appearance at Premiere)

1930

Shipmates Film ★ 5,8

Shipmates

John Paul Jones

1931

Lovers Courageous Film ★ 6,0

Lovers Courageous

Willie Smith

1932

Three Live Ghosts Film ★ 6,0

Three Live Ghosts

William Foster

1929

Film

Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8

1935

Petticoat Fever Film ★ 6,1

Petticoat Fever

Dascom Dinsmore

1936

Jornal Português (1938-1951) Film

Jornal Português (1938-1951)

Self (archive footage)

2015