Louis Calhern | |
|---|---|
 Calhern in 1946 | |
| Born | Carl Henry Vogt (1895-02-19)February 19, 1895 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 12, 1956(1956-05-12) (aged 61) Nara, Nara, Japan |
| Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1921–1956 |
| Spouses | |
Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known by hisstage nameLouis Calhern, was an American actor.[1] Described as a “star leading man of the theater and a star character actor of the screen,”[2] he appeared in over 100 roles on theBroadway stage and in films and television, between 1923 and 1956. He was nominated for theAcademy Award and theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor for portraying U.S. Supreme Court JusticeOliver Wendell Holmes in the 1950 filmThe Magnificent Yankee.
Often cast in films as distinguished and sophisticated characters,[2] Calhern's other notable film roles included the scheming Ambassador Trentino in the classicMarx Brothers comedyDuck Soup (1933), the antagonist toRobert Donat'sEdmond Dantès inThe Count of Monte Cristo (1934), the head of theUS Secret Service inAlfred Hitchcock'sNotorious (1946), the pivotal villain Alonzo Emmerich inJohn Huston’s film noirThe Asphalt Jungle (1950),Buffalo Bill in the musicalAnnie Get Your Gun (1950), and thetitle character inJoseph L. Mankiewicz all-star1953 film adaptation of Julius Caesar. He won a Special Jury Prize at the15th Venice International Film Festival for his performance inExecutive Suite (1954).
Calhern was born Carl Henry Vogt in Brooklyn, New York, in 1895, the son of German immigrants Eugene Adolf Vogt and Hubertina Friese Vogt. He had one known sibling, a sister.[3] His father was a tobacco dealer.[4] His family left New York while he was in elementary school and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was raised. While playing high school football, a stage manager from a touringtheatrical stock company noticed the tall, handsome youth and hired him as a bit player. Another source states "Grace George hired his entire high school football team as supers for a Shakespearean play."[4]
Just before World War I, Calhern returned to New York to pursue an acting career. He began as a prop boy and bit player with various touring and burlesque companies. He became a matinee idol after being in a play titledCobra.[citation needed] Calhern's burgeoning career was interrupted byWorld War I; he served in France in the143rd Field Artillery of theU.S. Army.[5]
Due to theanti-German sentiment during World War I, he changed his German given name, Carl. His stage name is an amalgam of his adopted hometown of St. Louis and his first and middle names, Carl and Henry (Calhern).[citation needed]
Calhern began working in silent films for directorLois Weber in the early 1920s, the most notable beingThe Blot (1921). A newspaper article commented: "The new arrival in stardom is Louis Calhern, who, until Miss Weber engaged him to enact the leading male role inWhat's Worth While?, had been playing leads in the Morosco Stock company of Los Angeles."[6]
In 1923, Calhern left the movies, deciding to devote his career entirely to the stage. He returned to films early in the sound era where he was primarily cast as a character actor, while he continued to play leading roles on the stage. In 1945, Calhern won theDonaldson Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance inThe Magnificent Yankee.
Among Calhern's notable screen portrayals were as the partner in crime toSpencer Tracy andBette Davis in20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932), as Ambassador Trentino in the classicMarx Brothers comedyDuck Soup (1933), as Major Dort inThe Life of Emile Zola (1937), and as the spy boss ofCary Grant inAlfred Hitchcock'sNotorious (1946).
In 1948, Calhern joinedMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a contract player, receiving wide acclaim for three diverse roles that he appeared in for the studio in 1950: a singing role asBuffalo Bill in the film version of the musicalAnnie Get Your Gun; as a double-crossing lawyer and sugar daddy to a youngMarilyn Monroe inJohn Huston'sThe Asphalt Jungle; and his Oscar-nominated performance asOliver Wendell Holmes inThe Magnificent Yankee (re-creating his role from the Broadway stage). He was subsequently cast in thetitle role ofJoseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1953 all-starfilm version ofShakespeare’sJulius Caesar, earning more praise.
Calhern played the role of the devious George Caswell, the manipulative board member of Tredway Corporation, in the 1954 production ofExecutive Suite, followed by the role of a jaded, acerbic high school teacher inBlackboard Jungle (1955). His performance as cheerfully lecherous Uncle Willie inHigh Society (1956), a musical remake ofThe Philadelphia Story, was his final film appearance.
Calhern battled alcoholism for much of his adult life; as a result, he lost several important screen and stage roles.[3] According to former wifeNatalie Schafer, Calhern's inability to overcome his addiction ended their marriage. While he was willing to consult doctors, she said Calhern refused to attendAlcoholics Anonymous because he was an atheist and considered AA to be a religious organization. Calhern ultimately overcame his alcohol addiction by the late 1940s.[7]
On May 12 1956, Calhern died unexpectedly at age 61 of a heart attack in Nara, Japan, while there to filmThe Teahouse of the August Moon. His body was cremated and was interred atHollywood Forever Cemetery inLos Angeles, California.[8]
Calhern's Broadway credits include:[9][10]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Academy Awards | Best Actor | The Magnificent Yankee | Nominated | [11] |
| 1946 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | — | Won | [12] |
| 1950 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | The Magnificent Yankee | Nominated | [13] |
| 1954 | Venice Film Festival | Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting | Executive Suite | Won |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
