Victor McLaglen | |
|---|---|
 McLaglen in 1935 | |
| Born | Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (1886-12-10)10 December 1886 |
| Died | 7 November 1959(1959-11-07) (aged 72) |
| Burial place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery,Glendale, California |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom United States |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, boxer |
| Years active | 1920–1959 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British-American actor andboxer.[1] His film career spanned from the early 1920s through the 1950s, initially as aleading man, though he was better known for hischaracter acting. He was a well-known member ofJohn Ford’sStock Company, appearing in 12 of the director’s films, seven of which co-starredJohn Wayne.
For his performance as a treacherous Irish Republican in the 1935 filmThe Informer, he won theAcademy Award for Best Actor, and was nominated forBest Supporting Actor for his role inThe Quiet Man, both directed by Ford. In 1960, he was given a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.
McLaglen claimed to have been born inTunbridge Wells,Kent, although his birth certificate records 505Commercial Road,Stepney in theEast End of London as his true birthplace.[2] His father, Andrew Charles Albert Mclaglen, was a missionary in the Free Protestant Church in South Africa,[3] and was later a bishop of theFree Protestant Episcopal Church of England.[4]
The McLaglen family is ultimately of Scottish origin, descended from a MacLachlan who settled inSouth Africa in the 19th century. The name was rendered into McLaglen from Dutch pronunciation. A.C.A. McLaglen was christened Andries Carel Albertus McLaglen inCape Town on 4 April 1851.[5]
One of ten siblings, Victor had eight brothers and a sister.[2][6] Four of his brothers also became actors: Arthur, an actor and sculptor, andClifford, Cyril, and Kenneth.[7]
Other siblings included Frederick, Lewis, and a sister, Lily. Another brother, Sydney Temple Leopold McLaglen, who appeared in one film, gained notoriety prior to World War I as ashowman and self-proclaimed worldjujutsu champion,[8] who authored a book on the subject.[9]
Victor moved with his family to South Africa for a time, where his father was Bishop of Claremont.[10]
McLaglen left home at 14 to join theBritish Army with the intention of fighting in theSecond Boer War,[11] but much to his chagrin, he was stationed atWindsor Castle in theLife Guards and was later forced to leave the army when his true age was discovered.[11]
Four years later, he moved toWinnipeg,Manitoba, Canada, where he became a local celebrity,[12] earning a living as awrestler andheavyweight boxer, with several notable wins in the ring.[13] He also briefly served as a constable in the Winnipeg Police Force in 1907.[14][15]
One of his most famous fights was against heavyweight championJack Johnson in a six-roundexhibition bout at the Vancouver Athletic Club on 10 March 1909.[11][16][17] This was Johnson's first bout since winning the heavyweight title fromTommy Burns. Between bouts, McLaglen toured with acircus, which offered $25 to anyone who could go three rounds with him.
He returned to Britain in 1913, and during the First World War was commissioned as aSecond lieutenant in the10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, on 19 June 1915.[18] He landed atBasra on 10 August 1916 and served as anAssistant Provost Marshal in Mesopotamia, ending the war as a TemporaryCaptain. (He may also have seen some service with theRoyal Irish Fusiliers.)[19][20][21] He continued boxing, and was named heavyweight champion of the British Army in 1918.[16]
After the war, he continued boxing, including a defeat at the hands of British championFrank Goddard.[11][22] His final fight was a loss by knockout to Arthur Townley in October 1920.[11] He finished his professional career with a record of 16 wins, eight losses, and a draw.
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McLaglen was visiting a sporting club when spotted by a film producer who was looking for a boxer to play the lead in a film,The Call of the Road (1920).[11] Although McLaglen had never acted before, he auditioned and got the part.[23]
He was in the adventure films:Corinthian Jack (1921) andThe Prey of the Dragon (1921). He followed it withThe Sport of Kings (1921).Donald Crisp cast him inThe Glorious Adventure (1922)[24][25] and he was inA Romance of Old Baghdad (1922),Little Brother of God (1922),A Sailor Tramp (1922),The Crimson Circle (1922),The Romany (1922), andHeartstrings (1922).[26]
McLaglen played leads inM'Lord of the White Road (1923),In the Blood (1923),The Boatswain's Mate (1923),Women and Diamonds (1924), andThe Gay Corinthian (1924).[27] He was inThe Passionate Adventure (1924), co-written byAlfred Hitchcock, andThe Beloved Brute (1924),[28]The Hunted Woman (1925), andPercy (1925).[29]
McLaglen's career took a surprise turn in 1925 when he moved toHollywood.[11] He became a popular character actor, with a particular knack for playingdrunks. He also usually playedIrishmen, leading many film fans to mistakenly assume he was Irish rather than English. McLaglen played one of the titular characters ofThe Unholy Three (1925) inLon Chaney Sr.'s original silent version of the macabrecrime drama.
McLaglen had a support part inWinds of Chance (1925), directed byFrank Lloyd, then madeThe Fighting Heart (1925) at Fox, directed byJohn Ford. Ford would have a major impact on McLaglen's career. McLaglen was inThe Isle of Retribution (1925),Men of Steel (1926), andBeau Geste (1926), playing Hank in the last.
McLaglen was the top-billedleading man in directorRaoul Walsh's First World War classicWhat Price Glory? (1926) withEdmund Lowe andDolores del Río. The film was a huge success, making over $2 million, and Fox signed McLaglen to a long-term contract.[30]
Fox put McLaglen inThe Loves of Carmen (1927) with del Río, directed by Walsh. He was top-billed inMother Machree (1928), directed by Ford. He was top-billed inA Girl in Every Port (1928), co-starringRobert Armstrong andLouise Brooks. He starred inHangman's House (1928) for Ford, a romantic drama set in Ireland, andThe River Pirate (1928), andCaptain Lash (1929). McLaglen then made two films for Ford:Strong Boy (1929) andThe Black Watch (1929).[31]
McLaglen was one of many Fox stars who had cameos in the musicalHappy Days (1929). He was reunited with Edmund Lowe and Raoul Walsh in a sequel toWhat Price Glory?,The Cock-Eyed World (1929), which was another huge success at the box office.[30]
McLaglen made a musical with Walsh,Hot for Paris (1930), then madeOn the Level (1930).A Devil with Women (1931) was a buddy comedy withHumphrey Bogart in which Bogart played McLaglen'ssidekick. He was borrowed by Paramount forDishonored (1931), starringMarlene Dietrich and directed byJoseph von Sternberg. He was inNot Exactly Gentlemen (1931) and had a cameo in the short filmThe Stolen Jools (1931). McLaglen, Lowe, and Walsh reunited for a second sequel toWhat Price Glory?,Women of All Nations (1931). He was inAnnabelle's Affairs (1931),Wicked (1931),The Gay Caballero (1932), andDevil's Lottery (1932). McLaglen and Lowe went to Paramount forGuilty as Hell (1932).
Back at Fox he was inRackety Rax (1932) then made a fourthWhat Price Glory? film with Lowe,Hot Pepper (1933). McLaglen starred inLaughing at Life (1933) and returned to Britain to makeDick Turpin (1933).[32]
McLaglen starred oppositeBoris Karloff's crazed religious fanatic in John Ford'sThe Lost Patrol (1934) at RKO, a picture about desperate soldiers gradually losing their minds fightingArabs in the desert of what is nowIraq.
At Paramount, McLaglen and Lowe were inNo More Women (1934) (a non-What Price Glory? film), then McLaglen madeWharf Angel (1934). He was one of many stars inMurder at the Vanities (1934). At Columbia, McLaglen starred inThe Captain Hates the Sea (1934) with John Gilbert. Lowe and he reunited at Fox forUnder Pressure (1935) (directed by Walsh) andThe Great Hotel Murder (1935).
Another highlight of his career was winning anAcademy Award for Best Actor for his role in Ford'sThe Informer (1935), shot at RKO, based on anovel of the same name byLiam O'Flaherty.[11] In 1945, McLaglen said that winning the Oscar had no economic benefit and that he didn't know where it was because his son had taken it to college for use as a paperweight.[33]
Back at Fox – now20th Century Fox – McLaglen madeProfessional Soldier (1935) withFreddie Bartholomew.[34] At Paramount, he was teamed withMae West inKlondike Annie (1936), then he went back to Fox forUnder Two Flags (1936) withRosalind Russell andRonald Colman.
McLaglen starred inThe Magnificent Brute (1936) for Universal,Sea Devils (1937) for RKO andNancy Steele Is Missing! (1937) for Fox. He stayed at Fox to support Robert Taylor inThis Is My Affair (1937), and notably,Shirley Temple inWee Willie Winkie (1937) directed by John Ford at Fox.[35] He had a cameo inAli Baba Goes to Town (1937).Brian Donlevy and he made a comedyBattle of Broadway (1938) at Fox,[36] then he went to Universal forThe Devil's Party (1938).
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McLaglen returned to Britain forWe're Going to Be Rich (1938) withGracie Fields. Back in Hollywood, he did some films for RKO:Pacific Liner (1939) andGunga Din (1939).[37] The latter, withCary Grant andDouglas Fairbanks Jr., was an adventure epic loosely based onRudyard Kipling's poem that served as the template decades later forIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).
He supportedNelson Eddy inLet Freedom Ring (1939) at MGM, and was inEx-Champ (1939). He supportedBrian Aherne inCaptain Fury (1939), and starred inFull Confession (1939) forJohn Farrow at RKO, the latter film being somewhat a remake ofThe Informer.
At Universal, McLaglen teamed withBasil Rathbone inRio (1939) andJackie Cooper inThe Big Guy (1939). He was top-billed inEdward Small's South Seas adventure,South of Pago Pago (1940). He remained top-billed forDiamond Frontier (1940) andBroadway Limited (1941).
McLaglen and Lowe reprised their roles fromWhat Price Glory? in the radio programCaptain Flagg and Sergeant Quirt, broadcast on theBlue Network (28 September 1941 – 25 January 1942, and onNBC 13 February 1942 – 3 April 1942).[38]
McLaglen and Lowe then played basically the same roles, but under different names inCall Out the Marines (1942) at RKO. He starred inPowder Town (1942), and went to Fox to supportGene Tierney inChina Girl (1942). He was one of many stars inForever and a Day (1943), and had a support role inTampico (1943) andRoger Touhy, Gangster (1944). McLaglen was a villain inBob Hope'sThe Princess and the Pirate (1944), and he was inRough, Tough and Ready.
McLaglen began to be exclusively a supporting actor, with parts inLove, Honor and Goodbye (1945),Whistle Stop (1946) withGeorge Raft andAva Gardner,[39]Calendar Girl (1947),The Michigan Kid (1947), andThe Foxes of Harrow (1947).
McLaglen was back with John Ford forFort Apache (1948) withJohn Wayne andHenry Fonda. It was very much a support part, as a cavalry sergeant, but so well received that McLaglen basically reprised it in the other two films in the Ford-Wayne "cavalry trilogy":She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) andRio Grande (1950) withMaureen O'Hara andBen Johnson.
McLaglen was later nominated for another Oscar, this time for aBest Supporting Actor for his role opposite John Wayne inThe Quiet Man (1952).[40] He continued to be in demand as a support actor in action films:Fair Wind to Java (1953) withFred MacMurray andPrince Valiant (1954) withJames Mason andRobert Wagner. He went to Britain forTrouble in the Glen (1954), an unsuccessful attempt to do for Scotland whatThe Quiet Man did for Ireland. Back in Hollywood, he was inMany Rivers to Cross (1955) at MGM withRobert Taylor andEleanor Parker.
McLaglen had a rare late career lead role inCity of Shadows (1955) at Republic withPatricia Crowley, and he was second-billed inBengazi (1955), but he went back to supports withLady Godiva of Coventry (1955). He had a cameo inAround the World in 80 Days (1956) withDavid Niven andCantinflas, then had another lead inThe Abductors (1957), directed by his son,Andrew V. McLaglen.
Toward the end of his career, McLaglen made several guest appearances on television, particularly in Western series such asHave Gun, Will Travel andRawhide. The episodes in which McLaglen guest-starred were both directed by his son, Andrew, who later became afilm director frequently directing John Wayne.[41]
He went to Italy forGli Italiani sono matti, and had a good part inSea Fury (1958) withStanley Baker.[42]
In 1933, he founded the California Light Horse Regiment, which included a "riding parade club, a polo-playing group and a precision motorcycle contingent".[43] He described it in a press interview as promoting "Americanism". He said it was organized to fight communists and others "opposed to the American ideal", both inside and outside the country. McLaglen was attacked by some on the left as fascist, which he denied. He said he was a "patriot of the good old-fashioned American kind".[44]
In 1935, McLaglen spent a reported $40,000 (equal to $917,379 today) to build his own stadium nearRiverside Drive and Hyperion Avenue, nearGriffith Park and theAtwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles. The stadium was used forfootball and many other activities. TheLos Angeles Riverflood of 1938 seriously damaged the stadium, and it fell into disuse thereafter.[46][47] In 1941, he was selected as thegrand marshal of the Clovis Rodeo parade inClovis, California.[48]
McLaglen was married three times. He first married Enid Lamont in 1919. The couple had two sons, Andrew, Walter, and one daughter, Sheila.[49]Andrew McLaglen was a television and film director who worked on several film projects with John Wayne. Andrew's children, Mary and Josh McLaglen, are both film producers and directors. Sheila's daughter,Gwyneth Horder-Payton, is a television director. Enid Lamont McLaglen died in 1942 as a result of ahorse-riding accident.
His second marriage was to Suzanne M. Brueggeman. That marriage lasted from 1943 until 1948. His third and final marriage was to divorcée Margaret McNichols Pumphrey, aSeattle socialite he married in 1948.[50] They remained married until his death fromcongestive heart failure in 1959.[51]
He had by that time become anaturalized U.S. citizen. His cremated remains are interred atForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, in the Garden of Memory, Columbarium of Eternal Light.[52]
On 8 February 1960, McLaglen received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame at 1735Vine Street, for his contributions to the motion-picture industry.[53][54]
McLaglen spoke five languages, includingArabic.[43]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | The Call of the Road | Alf Truscott | Lost film |
| 1921 | Carnival | Baron | Lost film |
| 1921 | Corinthian Jack | Jack Halstead | Lost film |
| 1921 | The Prey of the Dragon | Brett 'Dragon' Mercer | Lost film |
| 1921 | The Sport of Kings | Frank Rosedale | Lost film |
| 1922 | The Glorious Adventure | Bulfinch | |
| 1922 | A Romance of Old Baghdad | Miski | Lost film |
| 1922 | Little Brother of God | King Kennidy | Lost film |
| 1922 | A Sailor Tramp | The Sailor Tramp | Lost film |
| 1922 | The Crimson Circle | Lost film | |
| 1923 | The Romany | The Chief | Lost film |
| 1923 | Heartstrings | Frank Wilson | Lost film |
| 1923 | Woman to Woman | Nubian slave | Uncredited Lost film |
| 1923 | M'Lord of the White Road | Lord Annerley / John | Lost film |
| 1923 | In the Blood | Tony Crabtree | Lost film |
| 1924 | The Boatswain's Mate | Ned Travers | Lost film |
| 1924 | Women and Diamonds | Brian Owen | Lost film |
| 1924 | The Gay Corinthian | Squire Hardcastle | Lost film |
| 1924 | The Passionate Adventure | Herb Harris | Lost film |
| 1924 | The Beloved Brute | Charles Hinges | |
| 1925 | The Hunted Woman | Quade | Lost film |
| 1925 | Percy | Reedy Jenkins | Lost film |
| 1925 | The Unholy Three | Hercules, the strongman | |
| 1925 | Winds of Chance | Poleon Doret | |
| 1925 | The Fighting Heart | Soapy Williams | Lost film |
| 1926 | The Isle of Retribution | Doomsdorf | Lost film |
| 1926 | Men of Steel | Pete Masarick | Lost film |
| 1926 | Beau Geste | Hank | |
| 1926 | What Price Glory? | Capt. Flagg | |
| 1927 | The Loves of Carmen | Escamillo | |
| 1928 | Mother Machree | The Giant of Kilkenny (Terence O'Dowd) | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. Incomplete film |
| 1928 | A Girl in Every Port | Spike Madden | |
| 1928 | Hangman's House | Citizen Denis Hogan | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. |
| 1928 | The River Pirate | Sailor Fritz | |
| 1929 | Captain Lash | Captain Lash | |
| 1929 | Strong Boy | Strong Boy | Lost film |
| 1929 | The Black Watch | Capt. Donald Gordon King | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. |
| 1929 | Happy Days | Minstrel Show Performer #1 | Lost film |
| 1929 | The Cock-Eyed World | Top Sergeant Flagg | |
| 1929 | Hot for Paris | John Patrick Duke | Lost film |
| 1930 | On the Level | Biff Williams | |
| 1930 | A Devil with Women | Jerry Maxton | |
| 1931 | Dishonored | Col. Kranau | |
| 1931 | Not Exactly Gentlemen | Bull Stanley | |
| 1931 | The Stolen Jools | Sergeant Flagg | |
| 1931 | Women of All Nations | Captain Jim Flagg | |
| 1931 | Annabelle's Affairs | John Rawson / Hefly Jack | Lost film |
| 1931 | Wicked | Scott Burrows | |
| 1932 | The Gay Caballero | Don Bob Harkness / El Coyote | |
| 1932 | Devil's Lottery | Jem Meech | |
| 1932 | While Paris Sleeps | Jacques Costaud | |
| 1932 | Guilty as Hell | Detective Capt. T.R. McKinley | |
| 1932 | Rackety Rax | 'Knucks' McGloin | |
| 1933 | Hot Pepper | Jim Flagg | |
| 1933 | Laughing at Life | Dennis P. McHale / Burke / Captain Hale | |
| 1934 | The Lost Patrol | The Sergeant | |
| 1934 | No More Women | Forty-Fathoms | |
| 1934 | Wharf Angel | Turk | |
| 1934 | Dick Turpin | Dick Turpin | |
| 1934 | Murder at the Vanities | Police Lt. Bill Murdock | |
| 1934 | The Captain Hates the Sea | Junius P. Schulte | |
| 1935 | Under Pressure | Jumbo Smith | |
| 1935 | The Great Hotel Murder | Andrew W. 'Andy' McCabe | |
| 1935 | The Informer | Gypo Nolan | Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated —New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor |
| 1935 | Professional Soldier | Michael Donovan | |
| 1936 | Klondike Annie | Bull Brackett | |
| 1936 | Under Two Flags | J.C. Doyle | |
| 1936 | The Magnificent Brute | 'Big Steve' Andrews | as Victor McLaglen – Academy Award Winner |
| 1937 | Sea Devils | CPO William 'Medals' Malone | |
| 1937 | Nancy Steele Is Missing! | Dannie O'Neill | |
| 1937 | This Is My Affair | Jock Ramsay | |
| 1937 | Wee Willie Winkie | Sgt. Donald MacDuff | |
| 1937 | Ali Baba Goes to Town | Himself | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Battle of Broadway | Big Ben Wheeler | |
| 1938 | The Devil's Party | Marty Malone | |
| 1938 | We're Going to Be Rich | Dobbie | |
| 1939 | Pacific Liner | J.B. 'Crusher' McKay, Chief Engineer | |
| 1939 | Gunga Din | Sgt. 'Mac' MacChesney | |
| 1939 | Let Freedom Ring | Chris Mulligan | |
| 1939 | Ex-Champ | Tom 'Gunner' Grey | |
| 1939 | Captain Fury | Jerry Black aka Blackie | |
| 1939 | Full Confession | Patt McGinnis | |
| 1939 | Rio | Dirk | |
| 1939 | The Big Guy | Warden Bill Whitlock | |
| 1940 | South of Pago Pago | Bucko Larson | |
| 1940 | Diamond Frontier | Terrence Regan | |
| 1941 | Broadway Limited | Maurice 'Mike' Monohan | |
| 1942 | Call Out the Marines | Sgt. Jimmy McGinnis | |
| 1942 | Powder Town | Jeems O'Shea | |
| 1942 | China Girl | Major Bull Weed | |
| 1943 | Forever and a Day | Archibald Spavin (hotel doorman) | |
| 1944 | Tampico | Fred Adamson | |
| 1944 | Roger Touhy, Gangster | Herman 'Owl' Banghart | |
| 1944 | The Princess and the Pirate | Captain Barrett ak The Hook | |
| 1945 | Rough, Tough and Ready | Owen McCare | |
| 1945 | Love, Honor and Goodbye | Terry O'Farrell | |
| 1946 | Whistle Stop | Gitlo | |
| 1947 | Calendar Girl | Matthew O'Neil | |
| 1947 | The Michigan Kid | Curley Davis | |
| 1947 | The Foxes of Harrow | Captain Mike Farrell | |
| 1948 | Fort Apache | Sgt. Festus Mulcahy | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. |
| 1949 | She Wore a Yellow Ribbon | Top Sgt. Quincannon | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. |
| 1950 | Rio Grande | Sgt. Maj. Timothy Quincannon | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne. |
| 1952 | The Quiet Man | Squire 'Red' Will Danaher | WithJohn Ford &John Wayne Nominated —Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1953 | Fair Wind to Java | O'Brien | |
| 1953 | This Is Your Life | Himself | episode: Victor McLaglen |
| 1954 | Prince Valiant | Boltar | |
| 1954 | Trouble in the Glen | Parlan | |
| 1955 | Many Rivers to Cross | Mr. Cadmus Cherne | |
| 1955 | City of Shadows | Big Tim Channing | |
| 1955 | Bengazi | Robert Emmett Donovan | |
| 1955 | Lady Godiva of Coventry | Grimald | |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Helmsman of the SS Henrietta | |
| 1957 | The Abductors | Tom Muldoon | |
| 1958 | Have Gun – Will Travel | Mike O'Hare | Episode: "The O'Hare Story" |
| 1958 | The Italians They Are Crazy | Sergente O'Riley | |
| 1958 | Sea Fury | Captain Bellew | |
| 1959 | Rawhide | Harry Wittman | Episode: "Incident of the Shambling Man", (final appearance) |
Boxing record for Victor McLaglen fromBoxRec(registration required)
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