John Gavin | |
|---|---|
 Gavin inDestry (1964) | |
| United States Ambassador toMexico | |
| In office June 5, 1981 – June 10, 1986 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Julian Nava |
| Succeeded by | Charles J. Pilliod Jr. |
| President of theScreen Actors Guild | |
| In office 1971–1973 | |
| Preceded by | Charlton Heston |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Weaver |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Juan Vincent Apablasa (1931-04-08)April 8, 1931 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 9, 2018(2018-02-09) (aged 86) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
| Occupation |
|
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1951–1955 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
John Gavin (bornJuan Vincent Apablasa; April 8, 1931 – February 9, 2018) was an American actor and diplomat who was the president of theScreen Actors Guild (1971–1973), and theUnited States Ambassador to Mexico (1981–1986).[1] Among the films he appeared in wereA Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958),Imitation of Life (1959),Spartacus (1960),Psycho (1960),Midnight Lace (1960) andThoroughly Modern Millie (1967), playing leading roles for producerRoss Hunter.
Gavin was born in Los Angeles as Juan Vincent Apablasa II. His father, Juan Vincent Apablasa Sr., was of Chilean descent and his mother, Delia Diana Pablos, was a Mexican-born aristocrat. When Juan was two, his parents divorced and his mother married Herald Ray Golenor, who adopted Juan and changed his name to John Anthony Golenor.[2][3][4]
After attending Roman Catholic schools, St. John's Military Academy (Los Angeles), andVillanova Preparatory (Ojai, California), he earned aBachelor of Arts ineconomics degree and Latin American affairs[citation needed] fromStanford University, where he was in theNavy ROTC,[5] did senior honors work in Latin American economic history, and was a member ofChi Psi fraternity.[citation needed]
During theKorean War, Gavin was commissioned in theU.S. Navy serving aboard theUSS Princeton off Korea where he served as an air intelligence officer from 1951 until the end of the war in 1953. Due to Gavin's fluency in both Spanish and Portuguese, he was assigned asflag lieutenant to AdmiralMilton E. Miles until he completed his four-year tour of duty in 1955. He received an award for his work inthe Honduras floods of 1954.[6]
In a 1960 interview, Gavin disputed rumors that he was born into wealth by revealing that he attended a preparatory school and Stanford University on scholarships.[7]
Following his naval service, Gavin offered himself as atechnical adviser to family friend and film producerBryan Foy, who was making a movie about thePrinceton. Instead, Foy arranged a screen test for Gavin withUniversal-International. Gavin initially refused the offer, but his father urged him to try it. The test was successful and Gavin signed with the studio.[8][9] "They offered me so much money I couldn't resist", he said later.[10]
Universal groomed Gavin as a leading man in the mold ofRock Hudson. He trained in Jess Kimmel's talent workshop under the name John Gilmore. His classmates includedGrant Williams,Gia Scala andJohn Saxon.[11] His first film wasRaw Edge (1956) where he played the brother ofRory Calhoun and was billed as John Gilmore. His name was changed to John Gavin for the filmsBehind the High Wall (1956),Four Girls in Town (1957), andQuantez (also 1957). Gavin was meant to star inThe Female Animal (1958) but was too busy on other projects and was replaced byGeorge Nader.[12]
Gavin's break was the lead inA Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958), directed byDouglas Sirk from the novel byErich Maria Remarque. His casting drew comparisons with the casting of the similarly inexperiencedLew Ayres in Universal's film version ofAll Quiet on the Western Front (1931).[13][14] Sirk cast Gavin for the young actor's inexperience, fresh looks, and earnest manner.[15] The film was not a success when it was released, although Gavin received praise for his performance.[15]
BeforeA Time to Love and a Time to Die had been released, Gavin was cast by Douglas Sirk supportingLana Turner inImitation of Life (1959). UnlikeA Time to Love and a Time to Die, this was a box-office success and Gavin was voted most promising male newcomer for his performance in the film by theMotion Picture Exhibitor.[16]
Gavin appeared asJulius Caesar in Universal's epicSpartacus (1960) directed byStanley Kubrick.[17] He was cast as Sam Loomis in the thrillerPsycho (1960) for directorAlfred Hitchcock. Gavin later claimed he was "terribly disturbed" by the sex and violence inPsycho, saying, "I think Hitch really got frosted with me."[15] Both films were successful, critically and commercially.
Following the success ofImitation of Life, Gavin was often cast as the handsome opposite to leading ladies but as characters who were permitted little action.[18] He co-starred againstDoris Day in the thrillerMidnight Lace,Sophia Loren in the comedicA Breath of Scandal (both 1960),[15]Susan Hayward in the melodramaBack Street and withSandra Dee inRomanoff and Juliet andTammy Tell Me True (all 1961). Most of these films were produced byRoss Hunter. He appeared periodically on television in variousanthology series. He was directed by a youngWilliam Friedkin in the episode "Off Season" (season 10, episode 29) ofThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour.[citation needed]
Gavin later claimed that he lacked training support from Universal during his early days there:
When I walked through the gate, Universal quit building actors. All of a sudden I was doing leading roles. I knew I was a tyro but they told me to shut up and act. Some of those early roles were unactable. EvenLaurence Olivier couldn't have done anything with them. The dialog included cardboard passages such as "I love you. You can rely on me, darling. I'll wait."' It was all I could do to keep from adding, "with egg on my face."[19]
Gavin disliked comparisons to Rock Hudson and in a 1960 interview said he considered quitting acting to take up law.[7] He left Universal in 1962. He signed to make several movies in Europe includingThe Assassins,The Challenge, andNight Call.[18] However, he pulled out ofThe Assassins (which becameAssassins of Rome (1965)).Night Call andThe Challenge were never made.[20] In early 1964, he starred in the TV seriesDestry.[21] The series was not a ratings success and was cancelled.
In September 1964, Gavin signed a new contract with Universal which gave him the option to take work outside the studio.[20] He appeared in the television series,Convoy, which was cancelled after a short run.[22] He appeared in the Mexican filmPedro Páramo (1967), based on the novel byJuan Rulfo. His next role was that ofMary Tyler Moore's character's stuffy boyfriend in Universal's 1920s-era musicalThoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Gavin saw the role as an opportunity to parody his performances in Ross Hunter films.[10]
In June 1966, Gavin signed a five-year non-exclusive contract with Universal.[23] He was cast in the lead inOSS 117 – Double Agent (1968), then titledNo Roses for Robert, replacingFrederick Stafford who was filmingAlfred Hitchcock'sTopaz. He acted in supporting roles inThe Madwoman of Chaillot (1969)[24] andPussycat, Pussycat, I Love You (1970), in which he parodied his own image.[25]
Gavin was signed for the role ofJames Bond in the filmDiamonds Are Forever (1971) afterGeorge Lazenby left the role.[26] However,David Picker, head ofUnited Artists, wanted the box-office assurance ofSean Connery. Gavin's contract was honored despite losing the role to Connery. According toRoger Moore'sJames Bond Diary, Gavin was slated to play Bond inLive and Let Die (1973), butHarry Saltzman insisted on a British actor for the role and Moore was given the part.[27]
Gavin was on the board of theScreen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1965. He served a term as third vice president and two terms as president from 1971 to 1973.[28] During his presidency Gavin testified before the Federal Trade Commission on phone talent rackets and met with President Richard Nixon to present the problem of excessive television reruns.[29] He presented petitions to the federal government on the issues of prime-time access rules, legislative assistance for American motion pictures, and film production by the government using non-professional actors.[30]
Gavin's presidency in the Screen Actors Guild came to an end when he was defeated byDennis Weaver in 1973. Gavin was the first incumbent president to be defeated by an independent challenger.[31]
Gavin made a foray into live theater in the 1970s, showcasing his baritone voice. He toured the summer stock circuit as El Gallo in a production ofThe Fantasticks at the South Shore Music Circus twentieth anniversary summer season June 29 - July 4, 1970, in Massachusetts.[citation needed]
In 1973, Gavin replacedKen Howard in the Broadway musicalSeesaw oppositeMichele Lee.[32] Gavin said he first turned down the musical because of his unhappiness with the quality of the book but reconsidered when Michael Bennett asked him to join the cast.[33] He played the role for seven months and toured the United States in the role withLucie Arnaz. Both the Broadway and touring production were directed byMichael Bennett.[15]
In 1973, Gavin playedAkhenaten in the television movieNefertiti y Aquenatos alongsideGeraldine Chaplin andSalah Zulfikar. In 1980, Gavin playedCary Grant in the television movieSophia Loren: Her Own Story.[34][35] He guest-starred onMannix,The Love Boat,Medical Center,Hart to Hart andFantasy Island.
Gavin was cultural adviser to theOrganization of American States from 1961 to 1965.[36]
ARepublican, Gavin was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in June 1981 by PresidentRonald Reagan. He met with opposition political parties while being a key defender of the President's anti-communist policies within Central America, which he received attention and scrutiny for. Gavin served until June 1986, when he resigned to go back to private life.[37]
In June 1986 following his work as ambassador to Mexico, Gavin became vice-president ofAtlantic Richfield in federal and international relations. In 1987, he resigned to become president ofUnivisa Satellite Communications, a subsidiary of Univisa, the Spanish language broadcasting empire.[38][39]
Gavin was president of Gamma Holdings, a global capital and consulting company which he helped found in 1968.[40] He became chairman of Gamma Services International in January 1990. He served on the boards of Causeway Capital, the Hotchkis & Wiley Funds, the TCW Strategic Income Fund, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., DII Industries, LLC, Claxson Interactive Group Inc., Anvita, Inc., the Latin America Strategy Board at HM Capital Partners LLC, Apex Mortgage Capital Inc., Krause's Furniture, Inc., Atlantic Richfield Co., International Wire Holdings Company and International Wire Group Holdings, Inc.[citation needed] Gavin served as senior counselor to Hicks Trans American Partners (a division of Hicks Holdings) and managing director and partner of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (Latin America) from 1994 to 2001. He was an independent trustee of Causeway International Value Fund.[citation needed]
Gavin served on variouspro bono boards, including UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management, Don Bosco Institute, the FEDCO Charitable Fund, the Hoover Institution, Loyola-Marymount University, the National Parks Foundation, Southwest Museum, the University of the Americas and Villanova Preparatory School.[41][42]
Gavin was married to Cicely Evans from 1957 until their divorce in 1965. They had two daughters.[43] While makingNo Roses for OSS 117 in Italy in 1967, Gavin dated co-starLuciana Paluzzi.[44]
In 1974, Gavin married stage and television actressConstance Towers. The two were introduced at a party in 1957 by Gavin's godfather,Jimmy McHugh. Towers had two children from her previous marriage to Eugene McGrath. Gavin and Towers remained married until his death in 2018.[45]
Gavin died of complications frompneumonia after a long battle withleukemia on February 9, 2018, at his home in Beverly Hills.[46][47]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Raw Edge | Dan Kirby | Credited as John Gilmore |
| Behind the High Wall | Johnny Hutchins | Credited as John Golenor[48] | |
| 1957 | Four Girls in Town | Tom Grant | [48] |
| Quantez | Teach | [48] | |
| 1958 | A Time to Love and a Time to Die | Ernst Graeber | [48] |
| 1959 | Imitation of Life | Steve Archer | [48] |
| 1960 | A Breath of Scandal | Charlie Foster | [48] |
| Psycho | Sam Loomis | [48] | |
| Spartacus | Julius Caesar | [48] | |
| Midnight Lace | Brian Younger | [48] | |
| 1961 | Romanoff and Juliet | Igor Romanoff | [48] |
| Tammy Tell Me True | Thomas "Tom" Freeman | [48] | |
| Back Street | Paul Saxon | [48] | |
| 1967 | Pedro Páramo | Pedro Páramo | |
| Thoroughly Modern Millie | Trevor Graydon | [48] | |
| 1968 | OSS 117 – Double Agent | Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath | [49] |
| 1969 | The Madwoman of Chaillot | The Reverend | [48] |
| 1970 | Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You | Charlie Harrison | [48] |
| 1973 | Keep It in the Family | Roy McDonald | [50] |
| 1976 | House of Shadows | Roland Stewart | [51] |
| 1978 | Jennifer | Senator Tremayne | [48] |
| 1981 | History of the World, Part I | Marche | [48] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Insight | The Priest | Episode: "The Martyr" |
| 1962 | Alcoa Premiere | William Fortnum | Episode: "The Jail" |
| 1963 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Dr. Don Reed | Season 1 Episode 31: "Run for Doom" |
| 1964 | Destry | Harrison Destry | Main role (13 episodes)[49] |
| 1964 | The Virginian | Charles Boulanger / Baker | Episode: "Portrait of a Widow"[49] |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Carlos | Episode: "A Truce to Terror" |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Tom Threepersons | Episode: "Threepersons" |
| 1965 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Johnny Kendall | Season 3 Episode 29: "Off Season"[49] |
| 1965 | Convoy | Commander Dan Talbot | Main role (13 episodes)[49] |
| 1970 | Cutter's Trail | Ben Cutter | Television film |
| 1971 | The Doris Day Show | Dr. Forbes | Episode: "Skiing Anyone?" |
| 1973 | Nefertiti y Aquenatos | Akhenaten | Television film |
| 1973 | Mannix | Arthur Danford | Episode: "The Danford File" |
| 1974 | ABC Wide World of Mystery | Episode: "Hard Day at Blue Nose" | |
| 1975 | The Lives of Jenny Dolan | Officer | Television film |
| 1976 | Medical Center | Lieutenant Colonel Halliday | Episode: "Major Annie, MD" |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Dan Barton | Episode: "Silent Night"[49] S1 E11 |
| 1978 | Fantasy Island | Harry Kellino | Episode: "Family Reunion"[49] |
| 1978 | Doctors' Private Lives | Dr. Jeffrey Latimer | Television film[49] |
| 1978 | Flying High | Senator James Sinclair | Episode: "South by Southwest" |
| 1978 | The New Adventures of Heidi | Dan Wyler | Television film |
| 1979 | Doctors' Private Lives | Dr. Jeffrey Latimer | Main role (4 episodes) |
| 1980 | Sophia Loren: Her Own Story | Cary Grant | Television film |
| 1980 | Hart to Hart | Craig Abernathy | Episode: "Murder, Murder on the Wall" |
| 1981 | Fantasy Island | Jack Foster | Episode: "Something Borrowed, Something Blue ..."[49] |
Mr. Roberts (1968) - Paper Mill Playhouse
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | U.S. Ambassador to Mexico 1981–1986 | Succeeded by |
