Robert Montgomery
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.
Fotos
Películas (82)
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
2015 · Self (archive footage)
Lusitanian Illusion
2010 · Self (archive footage)
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006 · Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004 · Self (archive footage)
Complicated Women
2003 · Self (archive footage)
Ingrid Bergman Remembered
1996 · Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976 · (archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
1974 · (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972 · Self (archive footage)
The Gallant Hours
1960 · Narration (American scenes), Producer, Director
Your Witness
1950 · Adam Heyward, Director
Breakdowns of 1949
1949 · Self
Once More, My Darling
1949 · Collier Laing, Director
June Bride
1948 · Carey Jackson
The Secret Land
1948 · Narrator
The Saxon Charm
1948 · Matt Saxon
Ride the Pink Horse
1947 · Lucky Gagin, Director
Lady in the Lake
1946 · Phillip Marlowe, Director
They Were Expendable
1945 · Lt. John Brickley
Unfinished Business
1941 · Tommy Duncan
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
1941 · Joe Pendleton
Rage in Heaven
1941 · Philip Monrell
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
1941 · David
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
1940 · Self
Busman's Honeymoon
1940 · Lord Peter Wimsey
The Earl of Chicago
1940 · Robert Kilmount
From the Ends of the Earth
1939 · Self
Fast and Loose
1939 · Joel Sloane
Three Loves Has Nancy
1938 · Malcolm 'Mal' Niles
Hollywood Goes to Town
1938 · Self
Hollywood Handicap
1938 · Himself
Yellow Jack
1938 · John O'Hara
The First Hundred Years
1938 · David Conway
Live, Love and Learn
1937 · Bob Graham
The Romance of Celluloid
1937 · Self
Ever Since Eve
1937 · Freddy Matthews
Night Must Fall
1937 · Danny
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
1937 · Lord Arthur Dilling
Piccadilly Jim
1936 · James Crocker, Jr.
Trouble for Two
1936 · Prince Florizel
Petticoat Fever
1936 · Dascom Dinsmore
Starlit Days at the Lido
1935 · Self
No More Ladies
1935 · Sheridan 'Sherry' Warren
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8
1935
Vanessa: Her Love Story
1935 · Benjamin Herries
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
1935 · Richard 'Dickie' Kurt
Forsaking All Others
1934 · Dillon 'Dill" Todd
Hide-Out
1934 · Jonathan 'Lucky' Wilson
Riptide
1934 · Tommie L. Trent
The Mystery of Mr. X
1934 · Nicholas Revel
Fugitive Lovers
1934 · Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine
Going Hollywood
1933 · Himself - Premiere Clip (archive footage)
Night Flight
1933 · Auguste Pellerin
Another Language
1933 · Victor Hallam
When Ladies Meet
1933 · Jimmie
Hell Below
1933 · Lieut. Thomas Knowlton USN
Made on Broadway
1933 · Jeff
Faithless
1932 · William 'Bill' Wade
Blondie of the Follies
1932 · Larry Belmont
Letty Lynton
1932 · Hale Darrow
But the Flesh Is Weak
1932 · Max Clement
Lovers Courageous
1932 · Willie Smith
Private Lives
1931 · Elyot Chase
The Man in Possession
1931 · Raymond Dabney
Shipmates
1931 · John Paul Jones
Strangers May Kiss
1931 · Steve
The Easiest Way
1931 · Jack Madison
Inspiration
1931 · André Montell
War Nurse
1930 · Wally O'Brien
Love in the Rough
1930 · Kelly
The Voice of Hollywood
1930
Our Blushing Brides
1930 · Tony Jardine
Estrellados
1930 · Self (Guest Appearance at Premiere)
The Sins of the Children
1930 · Nick Higginson
The Big House
1930 · Kent Marlowe
The Divorcee
1930 · Don
Free and Easy
1930 · Larry
Their Own Desire
1929 · John 'Jack' Douglas Cheever
Untamed
1929 · Andy McAllister
So This Is College
1929 · Biff
Three Live Ghosts
1929 · William Foster
The Single Standard
1929 · Party Boy (uncredited)
