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Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Portrait byAllan Warren, 1973 | |
| Born | Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. (1909-12-09)December 9, 1909 |
| Died | May 7, 2000(2000-05-07) (aged 90) New York City, New York, US |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1916–1997 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
| Father | Douglas Fairbanks |
| Relatives | Jack Whiting (stepfather) Mary Pickford (stepmother) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1941–1954 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | Beach Jumpers |
| Battles / wars |
|
| Awards | |
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr.KBE (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, producer, andUnited States Navy officer. He was a leading man during theGolden Age of Hollywood, notably inadventure andswashbuckling roles like inThe Prisoner of Zenda (1937),Gunga Din (1939), andThe Corsican Brothers (1941). He was the son ofDouglas Fairbanks and the stepson ofMary Pickford, and his first marriage was to actressJoan Crawford, who "picked up his father's swashbuckling style and later cut a dash in high society and royal circles."[1]
Fairbanks was a decorated Naval officer during theSecond World War, overseeing theBeach Jumpers special warfare unit. For his war service, he received several military accolades including theSilver Star, theLegion of Merit, the FrenchLegion of Honour andCroix de Guerre, and the BritishDistinguished Service Cross.[1]
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. was born in New York City in 1909. He was the only child of actorDouglas Fairbanks and Anna Beth Sully, the daughter of wealthy industrialist Daniel J. Sully. Fairbanks' father was one of cinema's first icons, noted for such swashbucklingadventure films asThe Mark of Zorro,Robin Hood, andThe Thief of Bagdad. Fairbanks had small roles in his father's filmsAmerican Aristocracy (1916) andThe Three Musketeers (1921).
His parents divorced when he was nine years old, and both remarried.[2][3] He lived with his mother in New York, California, Paris, and London.[4]
Fairbanks began his education at the exclusive Hollywood School for Boys in Los Angeles.[5] After his mother and stepfather moved to New York, he attended the Bovee School, a private grammar school for boys.[6] While attending Bovee, he was also enrolled in an after-school drill academy calledKnickerbocker Greys, which he attended for a year while assigned to the drum corps.[6] After moving back to California, he attendedHarvard Military School,[7] followed by studies at thePolytechnic School inPasadena.[6] After his mother and he moved to France, Fairbanks attendedLycée Janson-de-Sailly.[6]
Largely on the basis of his father's name, in May 1923, Fairbanks Jr. was given a contract withParamount Pictures at age 13, at $1,000 a week for three years. He was signed byJesse L. Lasky, who said the junior Fairbanks "is the typical American boy at his best" and said he likely would be featured in a film aboutTom Sawyer.[8][9]
"I do not think it is the right thing for the boy to do", said his father. "I want to see him continue his education. He is only 13 years old."[10] The young actor arrived in Hollywood in June 1923 and was mobbed.[11]
Tom Sawyer was not made. Instead, Fairbanks Jr. appeared inStephen Steps Out (1923).[12][13][14] The film was not a hit.
Paramount and he parted ways by mutual consent and Doug went to Paris to resume his studies. A year later, he returned to the studio, hired at what Fairbanks called "starvation wages", and having him work as a camera assistant.[15]
"I was anxious to build my career as an actor slowly and painstakingly", he said in 1928. "I don't want to be a young, blond leading man with an aquiline nose and shiny white teeth."[16]
Paramount gave him supporting roles inThe Air Mail (1925) andWild Horse Mesa (1925).[17]
Sam Goldwyn borrowed him to play the juvenile inStella Dallas (1925), which wound up being his first box-office success.[18] He had supporting roles in Paramount'sThe American Venus (1926), andPadlocked (1926). At Warner Bros., Fairbanks was inBroken Hearts of Hollywood (1926), then, at Metropolitan Pictures, he was inMan Bait (1927).[19]
AtMGM, he was inEdmund Goulding'sWomen Love Diamonds (1927) and forAlfred E. Green at Fox he was inIs Zat So? (1927). He supportedWill Rogers inA Texas Steer (1927). Also in 1927, Fairbanks made his stage debut inYoung Woodley based on a book byJohn Van Druten.[20] Fairbanks Jr received excellent reviews and the production was a success – the play did much to improve his reputation in Hollywood. A regular audience member wasJoan Crawford, with whom Fairbanks became romantically involved.[21][22] He also appeared in a stage production ofSaturday's Children.[16]
Fairbanks' second lead role was inDead Man's Curve (1928) forFBO. He wasHelene Chadwick's leading man inModern Mothers (1928) at Columbia, and he starred inThe Toilers (1928) for Tiffany. Fairbanks starred in another for Columbia,The Power of the Press (1928), directed byFrank Capra.[23] He went back to supporting roles forThe Barker (1928) at First National, his first "talkie"[24] andA Woman of Affairs (1928) at MGM withGreta Garbo andJohn Gilbert.
Fairbanks had another starring role at FBO withThe Jazz Age (1929) and received top billing overLoretta Young inFast Life (1929) at Warner Bros. He appeared in MGM'sOur Modern Maidens (1929) opposite Crawford.[12]
First National gave Fairbanks a starring role inThe Careless Age (1929), and he was reunited with Young inThe Forward Pass (1929). He was one of many names inThe Show of Shows (1929). In September 1929, he returned to the stage in a production ofThe Youngest.[25]Victor Halperin cast Fairbanks in the lead ofParty Girl (1930), andTed Wilde paired him for a third time with Young inLoose Ankles (1930), back at First National.
In 1930, Fairbanks Jr. went toWarner Bros. to test for the second lead inMoby Dick. Although he did not win the part, head of productionDarryl F. Zanuck was impressed with Douglas's screen test, and cast him in an important role inThe Dawn Patrol directed byHoward Hawks.[26] Universal borrowed him to have the lead role inLittle Accident (1930) and at Warner Bros., he was in the lead inThe Sin Flood (1930). He supportedLeslie Howard in the prestigiousOutward Bound (1930) and wasBillie Dove's leading man inOne Night at Susie's (1930).
Fairbanks had a role supportingEdward G. Robinson inLittle Caesar (1931), filmed in August 1930.[27] "We knew it was going to be good when we were making it, but not that it would become a classic", he later said.[15] The movie was a big hit, and Warner Bros. offered Fairbanks Jr. a contract with cast and script approval – a condition which, Fairbanks Jr. says, was only offered to one other actor at the studio,Richard Barthelmess.[26]
"By sheer accident, I had four successes in a row in the early '30s, and although I was still in my 20s, I demanded and received approval of cast, story, and director. I don't know how I got away with it, but I did!"[28] Because he spoke French, he was put inL'aviateur (1931). Back in Hollywood, he was inChances (1931) andI Like Your Nerve (1931) with Young.
In June 1931, he starred in another play,The Man in Possession, which he also produced along withSid Grauman. Fairbanks said he wanted to stay away from costume adventures, which were associated with his father.[29] He starred in two pictures for Alfred E Green,Gentleman for a Day (1932), a melodrama withJoan Blondell, and the comedyIt's Tough to Be Famous (1932). He starred in a film shot in French,L'athlète incomplet (1932).
He starred inLove Is a Racket (1932) forWilliam Wellman andScarlet Dawn (1932) forWilliam Dieterle. Fairbanks did another with Green,Parachute Jumper (1933), which gave an early co-starring role toBette Davis. Fairbanks starred again with Young inThe Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933) and didThe Narrow Corner (1933) with Green. RKO borrowed Fairbanks to supportKatharine Hepburn inMorning Glory (1933), a big success.
Fairbanks was reunited with Howard inCaptured! (1933). In 1934, Warner asked all its stars to take a 50% pay cut because of the Depression. Fairbanks Jr. refused and was fired from the studio. He received a job offer from Britain and spent the next few years there,[30] taking a residence in London'sPark Lane.
Fairbanks went to Britain to star inAlex Korda'sThe Rise of Catherine the Great (1934) playingGrand Duke Peter oppositeElisabeth Bergner. "Hollywood was getting to be a grind", he said at the time. "They had me doing five and six pictures a year. Some of them looked all right on paper, but they had the habit of slipping down into programmer class. Only once in three years would I get a part that I cared about. I kept going up and down the ladder and not getting any place. There was nothing stable about my career in Hollywood."[31]
He intended to return to Hollywood to appear inDesign for Living, but became ill and was replaced byGary Cooper. He did ultimately return to Hollywood forSuccess at Any Price (1934) at RKO, then returned to London forMimi (1935). The latter starredGertrude Lawrence, who became romantically involved with Fairbanks Jr.[32] He announced he would makeZorro Rides Again with his father.[31]
Fairbanks fell ill during the 1936 flu epidemic.[33]
Fairbanks set up his own film production company, Criterion Films, where the board members includedPaul Czinner.[34] Among Criterion's films wereMan of the Moment (1935),The Amateur Gentleman (1936),Accused (1936), andJump for Glory (1937). He announcedLancelot, but did not make it.[35]
Fairbanks Jr. returned to Hollywood when David O. Selznick offered him the role ofRupert of Hentzau inThe Prisoner of Zenda (1937). He had been reluctant to accept the role, but his father urged him to do it, saying it was "actor proof".[36] The movie was a big success.
In December 1937, he signed a nonexclusive contract with RKO to make two films a year for five years, at $75,000 a film.[37] RKO used him asIrene Dunne's leading man inJoy of Living (1938). At Universal, he wasDanielle Darrieux's co-star inThe Rage of Paris (1938) andGinger Rogers's in RKO'sHaving Wonderful Time (1938). Selznick used him again inThe Young in Heart (1938) withJanet Gaynor.
Fairbanks then had his biggest-ever hit with RKO'sGunga Din (1939), alongsideCary Grant andVictor McLaglen. He began to work increasingly in action/adventure films:The Sun Never Sets (1939) at Universal;Rulers of the Sea (1939) at Paramount;Green Hell (1940) forJames Whale at Universal, a flop; andSafari (1940) at Paramount.
He had a change of pace when he starred in and co-producedAngels Over Broadway (1940), written and directed byBen Hecht at Columbia. His last film before enlisting wasThe Corsican Brothers (1941), a swashbuckler made as a tribute to Fairbanks' father. Fairbanks did not have faith in the film while it was being filmed ("I thought we were cutting corners"), but it was a huge success.[15]
Fairbanks was commissioned as a reserve officer in theUnited States Navy when the United States entered World War II, and was assigned toLord Mountbatten'scommando staff in the United Kingdom.[38]
In 1941, PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt appointed him special envoy to South America. Fairbanks served on the cruiserUSS Wichita during the disastrousConvoy PQ 17 operation.[39]
Lieutenant Fairbanks was subsequently transferred toVirginia Beach, where he came under the command ofAdmiralH. Kent Hewitt, who was preparing U.S. naval forces for theinvasion of North Africa. Fairbanks convinced Hewitt of the advantages of a military deception unit, then repeated the proposal at Hewitt's behest to AdmiralErnest King,Chief of Naval Operations. King thereupon issued a secret letter on March 5, 1943, charging theVice Chief of Naval Operations with the recruitment of 180 officers and 300 enlisted men for theBeach Jumpers program.
The Beach Jumpers' mission would simulate amphibious landings with a very limited force. Operating miles from the actual landing beaches and using their deception equipment, the Beach Jumpers would lure the enemy into believing that theirs was the principal landing.
United States Navy Beach Jumpers saw their initial action inOperation Husky, the invasion ofSicily. For the remainder of the war, the Beach Jumpers conducted their hazardous, shallow-water operations throughout the Mediterranean.
For his planning the diversion-deception operations and his part in theamphibious assault on Southern France, Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks was awarded the United States Navy'sLegion of Merit with bronze V (for valor), the ItalianWar Cross for Military Valor, the FrenchLégion d'honneur and theCroix de Guerre with Palm, and the BritishDistinguished Service Cross.
Fairbanks was also awarded theSilver Star for valor displayed while serving onPT boats, and in 1942, made anOfficer of the National Order of the Southern Cross, conferred by the Brazilian government.[40][41]
Among his other exploits was the sinking of the corvette UJ-6083 (formerly theRegia MarinaGabbiano-classCapriolo) while in command of a mixed division of American PT boats and BritishInsect-class gunboats plus assorted other small craft. Fairbanks commanded fromHMS Aphis.[42] Fairbanks stayed in theUS Naval Reserve after the war, and ultimately separated from the Naval Reserve as acaptain in 1954 after having served a total of 13 years. In 1982, Fairbanks was awarded the GermanFederal Cross of Merit for his contribution to the relief of the needy in occupied Germany.[citation needed]
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Fairbanks returned to Hollywood at the conclusion of World War II. He spent two years finding a comeback vehicle, and pickedSinbad the Sailor (1947), which was not a big hit.
He followed it withThe Exile (1947), another swashbuckler, which Fairbanks wrote and produced; it was directed byMax Ophüls. The film was the first of three independent films Fairbanks was to produce – the others being a big screen version ofTerry and the Pirates, and a film calledHappy Go Lucky.[43][44] It was another box office disappointment.
He thought his career would be revived byThat Lady in Ermine withBetty Grable, but directorErnst Lubitsch died during production and was replaced byOtto Preminger; the resulting film was not a success, and Fairbanks Jr believes this cost his career momentum.[45] Fairbanks tried another swashbuckler for his own company,The Fighting O'Flynn (1949).[46]
As a confirmedAnglophile, Fairbanks spent much time in the United Kingdom post World War II, where he was well known in the highest social circles. He was made an Honorary Knight Commander of theOrder of the British Empire (KBE) in 1949. In 1950 he purchased a house, no. 28,The Boltons in Chelsea, London[47] which became his primary residence[48] until he sold it in 1973 to move to Florida.[49]
TheCollege of Arms in London granted Fairbanks acoat of arms symbolizing the U.S. and Britain united across the blue Atlantic Ocean by a silken knot of friendship.[50]
Fairbanks starred in the British thrillerState Secret (1950), written and directed bySidney Gilliat, and a comedy forVal Guest,Mr Drake's Duck (1951)[51]
Between 1954 and 1956, he also made a number of half-hour programs atone of the smaller Elstree film studios as part of asyndicatedanthology series for television calledDouglas Fairbanks Presents.[52][53]
During the 1950s, Fairbanks appeared as himself on episodes of a number of American television shows, such asYour Show of Shows,The Ford Show,The Steve Allen Plymouth Show, andWhat's My Line?.
He co-produced the filmsThe Silken Affair (1957) andChase a Crooked Shadow (1958).[54]
In 1961, he was a guest at the wedding ofKatharine Worsley toPrince Edward, Duke of Kent.[55]
He guest-starred on shows such asRoute 66,The DuPont Show of the Week,The United States Steel Hour,The Red Skelton Hour,Dr. Kildare, andABC Stage 67. He played King Richard in a TV musicalThe Legend of Robin Hood (1968).[56]
On stage, Fairbanks toured inMy Fair Lady in 1968, and inThe Pleasure of His Company several times, including tours in the U.S. in 1970–72 and the 1977 Australian production withStanley Holloway, David Langton, Carole Ray- and Christine Amore.[57][58] He appeared in some TV movies and TV series, includingThe Crooked Hearts (1972),The Hostage Tower (1980), andThe Love Boat.
His last feature film wasGhost Story (1981). His last TV roles were in the mini seriesStrong Medicine (1987) and the TV seriesB.L. Stryker. He was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1989, when he was surprised byMichael Aspel in the foyer of Thames Television's Teddington Studios.[citation needed]
Fairbanks was also involved in several successful business ventures.[59] These included manufacturing ball point pens, real estate development, management of copyrighted theatrical works, and film production.[59]
His first notable relationship was with the actress Joan Crawford, whom he began to date seriously during the filming ofOur Modern Maidens. Fairbanks and Crawford married on June 3, 1929, at the "Actors Chapel",St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church in midtown Manhattan, although neither was Catholic.[60] Fairbanks was only 19; Crawford was 3 or 4 years older. Their witnesses were his mother, Beth Sully, and actorJack Whiting,[61]: 208, 211 who were married themselves a few weeks later.[61]: 213
Fairbanks and Crawford travelled to Britain on a delayed honeymoon, where he was entertained byNoël Coward,Gertrude Lawrence,Beatrice Lillie, andPrince George, Duke of Kent. He became active in both society and politics, but Crawford was far more interested in her career and had an affair withClark Gable. In his first autobiography, he later admitted that he was also unfaithful during that period and that he unsuccessfully pursuedKatharine Hepburn during the filming ofMorning Glory. The couple divorced in 1933, but the divorce did not become final for another year.[62]
Despite their divorce, Fairbanks was quick to defend Crawford when her adopted daughterChristina Crawford publishedMommie Dearest, a scathing biography of Crawford's personal life. He firmly stated, "The Joan Crawford that I've heard about inMommie Dearest is not the Joan Crawford I knew back then."[63] In his autobiography, he stated that he never saw a hint of any significant anger outbursts from Crawford during their marriage, and that she was more likely to sulk or argue than become angry.
On April 22, 1939, Fairbanks married Mary Lee Hartford (née Mary Lee Epling), a former wife ofHuntington Hartford, theA&P supermarket heir. He remained devoted to her until her death in 1988. They had three daughters: Daphne, Victoria, and Melissa, and eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.[64] On May 30, 1991, Fairbanks married Vera Lee Shelton, a merchandiser forQVC Network Inc.[65]
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was claimed to be the naked man in the incriminating photos used as evidence in the divorce trial ofMargaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll in 1963.[66][67] However, in 2013,Lady Colin Campbell, Margaret Campbell's stepdaughter-in-law, revealed that the man in the photo was actually Bill Lyons, sales director of Pan American Airlines.[68]
In 1963, Fairbanks was also named in connection with theProfumo Scandal, allegedly having sexual affairs with bothMandy Rice-Davies andChristine Keeler a few years earlier.[69]
Fairbanks was a friend ofLaurence Olivier and was among the contributors to a documentary byThe South Bank Show titledLaurence Olivier: A Life. He was also a close friend of SirRex Harrison and was a presenter at Harrison's New York City memorial service.[citation needed]
He wrote his autobiographyThe Salad Days in 1988.[61] In addition, Fairbanks wrote a chronicle of his experiences during the Second World War,A Hell of a War, published in 1993.[70] Beyond his two volumes of autobiography, Fairbanks collaborated withRichard Schickel on the illustrated survey of Fairbanks Sr. and Jr. calledThe Fairbanks Album (1975)[71] andJeffrey Vance with a critical study/biography of Fairbanks Sr. ultimately published asDouglas Fairbanks (2008).[72]
On the morning of May 7, 2000, Fairbanks died at the age of 90 of aheart attack[73] and is interred at theHollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California, in the same tomb as his father.
Fairbanks has three stars on theHollywood Walk of Fame - one for motion pictures at 6318 Hollywood Boulevard, one for television at 6665 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for radio at 6710 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1969, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of theInternational Best Dressed List.[74]
The moving image collection of Douglas Fairbanks Jr., held at theAcademy Film Archive, includes over 90 reels of home movies.[75]
Fairbanks's personal belongings were auctioned September 13, 2011, byDoyle New York, surpassing estimated proceeds by netting over $500,000.[76]
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
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| 1946 | Screen Guild Players | The Old Lady Shows Her Medals[77] |
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