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Ian Hunter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hunter inGallant Sons (1940) | |
| Born | (1900-06-13)13 June 1900 |
| Died | 22 September 1975(1975-09-22) (aged 75) London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1920–1963 |
Ian Hunter (13 June 1900 – 22 September 1975) was a Cape Colony-born British actor of stage, film and television.[1]
On his return from military service Hunter studied underElsie Fogerty at theCentral School of Speech and Drama, then based in theRoyal Albert Hall, London.[2]
Within two years he made his stage debut. He decided to work in British silent films taking a part inNot for Sale (1924) directed byW.P. Kellino forStoll Pictures.[3]
Hunter made his first trip to theUnited States becauseBasil Dean, the British actor and director, was producingRichard Brinsley Sheridan'sThe School for Scandal[4] at the Knickerbocker Theater. However, the production folded after one performance. He met the directorAlfred Hitchcock in 1927 and was featured in Hitchcock'sThe Ring (1927) and stayed forDownhill (US:When Boys Leave Home, 1927) andEasy Virtue (1928), based on theNoël Coward play.[3] By late 1928, he returned to Broadway for only a months run in the original comedyOlympia and stayed in America to work in Hollywood onSyncopation (1929) forRKO, his first sound film.
Hunter returned to London for Dean's thrillerEscape (1930). InThe Girl from 10th Avenue (1935) withBette Davis, Hunter made his connection withWarner Bros. But before settling in with them through much of the 1930s, he did three pictures in succession with British directorMichael Powell. He then appeared as the Duke inA Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) for Warner Bros. It marked the start of a string of nearly 30 films for the studio. Among the best remembered was his jovialKing Richard the Lionheart inThe Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). Hunter was also paired in seven movies withKay Francis between 1935 and 1938.
Hunter appeared inThe Little Princess (1939) as Captain Reginald Crewe.[5] And he was the benign guardian angel-like Cambreau inLoew'sStrange Cargo (1940) withClark Gable.[6] He was staying regularly busy in Hollywood until into 1942 when he returned to Britain to serve in thewar effort.
Hunter appeared once more on Broadway in 1948 and madeEdward, My Son (1949) forMGM-British withGeorge Cukor directing andSpencer Tracy andDeborah Kerr in the lead roles.[7][8] Hunter worked once more for Michael Powell (The Queen's Guards, 1961) and then retired in the middle of that decade after nearly 100 films.
Among dozens of film roles, his best-remembered appearances includeThat Certain Woman (1937) withBette Davis,Tower of London (1939, asKing Edward IV), andDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941, as Dr. Lanyon). Hunter returned to the Robin Hood legend in the TV seriesThe Adventures of Robin Hood from 1955 in the recurring role of Sir Richard of the Lea.[3]
His numerousWest End roles included appearances inLondon Life (1924),The High Road (1927),A Song of Sixpence (1930),Good Losers (1931),Can the Leopard...? (1931),Take a Chance (1931),Touch Wood (1934),Dead Secret (1952) andSouth Sea Bubble (1956).[9]
Hunter married Catharine "Casha" Pringle in 1917. They had two sons, including the actorRobin Hunter.[citation needed]
