Weldon Heyburn | |
|---|---|
 Heyburn in 1936 | |
| Born | Weldon Heyburn Franks (1903-09-19)September 19, 1903 Washington, D.C., U.S. (uncertain) |
| Died | May 18, 1951(1951-05-18) (aged 47) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1924–1950 |
| Spouses | |
Weldon Heyburn (bornWeldon Heyburn Franks;[1] September 19, 1903 – May 18, 1951) was an American character actor.
The son of Marie Pierce andUnited States Army Col. Wyatt G. Franks,[2] Heyburn was most likely born in Washington, D.C.[3] although other sources indicateSelma, Alabama orDelaware City, Delaware as the place of birth.[2][4]
Heyburn attended Central High School and Emerson Institute (both in Washington, D.C.), before attending theUniversity of Alabama.[5]
In the 1920s, Heyburn represented himself as "the son of Charles Heyburn, judge of the United States Supreme Court" and "the nephew of Weldon Heyburn, the late Senator of Iowa."[6] The senator's niece denied any kinship, saying in 1925 that Heyburn was "an impostor if he persists in his claims", with other members of the family supporting her assertion.[7]
In the mid-1920s, Heyburn was the "leading man in aLansing, Mich., stock company."[8] HisBroadway credits includeThe Mystery Man (1927),Troyka (1930,Good Men and True (1935), andI Want a Policeman (1936).[9]
In 1931, Heyburn ventured into film. An August 31, 1931, newspaper article reported, "After playing leading man for such stage stars asJeanne Eagels,Lenore Ulric andMary Boland, he has given up the stage to become a feature screen player like his roommate and fellow gridiron player,John Mack Brown."[10]
During World War II, Heyburn served in the U.S.Army Signal Corps.[citation needed]
In 1924, Heyburn married actress Phyllis Connard. They divorced October 15, 1926.[8]
Heyburn married Norwegian starGreta Nissen March 30, 1932,[11] in Tijuana, Mexico.[12] They met when they appeared together inThe Silent Witness (1932),[2] she as the female lead, he as an unbilled player. On October 19, 1935, Nissen went to court to have the marriage annulled, "charging their marriage ... was illegal and violated legal witness and residence requirements."[13] The annulment was granted April 30, 1936.[14]
Heyburn married Jane Eichelberger ("prominent socially in New York and Cleveland") on May 5, 1936, at Heyburn's home in Brentwood, California.[15] They divorced in 1939. His last marriage was to socialite Virginia Maggard in September 1939. He was divorced when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1942.[citation needed]
He also had relationships with actress Grace Brinkley and debutante Dorothy McCallam.[citation needed]
A drinking problem effectively ended his career in the mid-1940s and his health rapidly declined. He entered the Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles suffering from cancer of the mouth, right adrenal and kidney and died there of pneumonia. He was interred inArlington National Cemetery inArlington County, Virginia.[16]
Heyburn appeared in about 65 films from 1930 through 1950. They include:
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