Citizendia

John Gilbert

John Gilbert in The Merry Widow (1925)
BornJohn Cecil Pringle
July 10, 1895(1895-07-10)
Logan, Utah
DiedJanuary 9, 1936 (aged 40)
Hollywood, California
Other name(s)Jack Gilbert
Spouse(s)Olivia Burwell
Leatrice Joy
Ina Claire
Virginia Bruce
For other persons named John Gilbert, see John Gilbert (disambiguation). The Merry Widow (Die lustige Witwe is an Operetta by the Austro-Hungarian Composer Franz Lehár. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42670 a substantial increase Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Leatrice Joy ( November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985)was an American film Actress best known for her career in the early Ina Claire (October 15 1893–February 21 1985 was an American stage and film actress Virginia Bruce ( September 29, 1910 – February 24, 1982) was an American actress and singer Born Helen Virginia Briggs John Gilbert may refer to John Gilbert (19th century MLB player, see Pittsburgh Pirates all-time roster John Gilbert (actor

John Gilbert (July 10, 1895 - January 9, 1936) was an actor and major star of the silent film era. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Known as "the great lover," he rivaled even the great Rudolph Valentino as a box office draw. Rudolph Valentino ( May 6, 1895 &ndash August 23, 1926) was an Italian Actor, Sex symbol, and early Though he was often cited as one of the high profile examples of an actor who was unsuccessful in making the transition to talkies, his decline as a star in fact had as much to do with studio politics and money as did the sound of his screen voice. A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image as opposed to a Silent film.

Contents

Life and career

Born John Cecil Pringle in Logan, Utah to stock company actor parents, he struggled through a childhood of abuse and neglect before coming to Hollywood as a teenager. Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42670 a substantial increase He first found work as an extra with the Thomas Ince Studios, and soon became a favorite of Maurice Tourneur, who also hired him to write and direct several pictures. Thomas Harper Ince ( November 6, 1882 – November 19, 1924) was an American Silent film Actor, director Maurice Tourneur, born February 2, 1873 &ndash died August 4, 1961, was an important international Film director and Screenwriter He quickly rose through the ranks, building his reputation as an actor in such films as Heart o' the Hills opposite Mary Pickford. Mary Pickford ( April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was an Academy Award -winning Canadian motion picture In 1921, Gilbert signed a three year contract with Fox Film Corporation, where he was cast as a romantic leading man. Leading man or leading gentleman is an informal term for the Actor who plays a love interest to the Leading actress in a film or play

In 1924, he moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he became a full-fledged star with such high-profile films as His Hour directed by King Vidor and written by Elinor Glyn; He Who Gets Slapped (1924), co-starring Lon Chaney, Sr. and Norma Shearer, and directed by Victor Sjöström; and The Merry Widow (1925) directed by Erich von Stroheim and co-starring Mae Murray. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Elinor Glyn ( October 17, 1864 - September 23, 1943) born Elinor Sutherland was a British He Who Gets Slapped is a 1924 film starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, and John Gilbert. Lon Chaney ( April 1 1883 &ndash August 26 1930) nicknamed " The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American Edith Norma Shearer (August 10 1900 - June 12 1983 was an Academy Award&ndashwinning Canadian-American actress. (in the United States sometimes known as Victor Seastrom) ( September 20, 1879 &ndash January 3, 1960) was a Swedish Actor The Merry Widow is a 1925 American MGM Romantic drama film and Black comedy directed and written by Erich von Stroheim Erich von Stroheim ( September 22, 1885 &ndash May 12, 1957) was an Austrian star of the silent film age lauded for his directorial Mae Murray ( May 10, 1889 – March 23, 1965) was an American Actress and Dancer, who became known as "The In 1925, Gilbert was once again directed by Vidor in the war epic The Big Parade, which became the second highest grossing silent film in cinema history. The Big Parade is a 1925 Silent film which tells the story of an idle rich boy who joins the Army and is sent to France to fight in His performance in this film made him a major star. The following year, Vidor reunited Gilbert with two of his co-stars from that picture, Renée Adorée and Karl Dane, for the film La Bohème which also starred Lillian Gish. Renée Adorée ( September 30, 1898 &ndash October 5, 1933) was a French actress, who had appeared in Hollywood Karl Dane ( October 12, 1886, Copenhagen, Denmark – April 15, 1934, Los Angeles California) was a comedian Lillian Diana Gish ( October 14 1893 – February 27 1993) was an American stage screen and television actress whose

Gilbert married the highly successful film actress Leatrice Joy in 1922. Leatrice Joy ( November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985)was an American film Actress best known for her career in the early The union produced a daughter, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain, but the tempestuous marriage only lasted two years. The couple divorced in 1924, with Joy charging that Gilbert was a compulsive philanderer. Promiscuity refers to sexual behavior of a man or woman who casually has sex with many partners

In 1926, Gilbert made Flesh and the Devil, his first film with Greta Garbo. Flesh and the Devil ( 1926) is an MGM Silent film starring Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Lars Hanson, and Greta Garbo ( 18 September 1905 &ndash 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress during Hollywood 's They soon began a very public relationship, much to the delight of their fans. Gilbert planned to marry her, but Garbo changed her mind and never showed up for the ceremony. Despite their rocky off-screen relationship, they continued to generate box-office revenue for the studio, and MGM paired them in two more silents Love (1927), a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina, and A Woman of Affairs (1928). Love ( 1927) is a film directed by Edmund Goulding and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Anna Karenina ( Анна Каренина) also Anglicised as Anna Karenin, is a Novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy The former film was slyly advertised by MGM as "Garbo and Gilbert in Love. "

Career Decline

Throughout his time at MGM, Gilbert frequently clashed with studio head Louis B. Mayer over creative, social and financial matters. Louis Burt Mayer (born Lazar Meir July 4, 1884 &ndash October 29, 1957) was an early Film producer, most One crucial event occurred on September 8, 1926. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. While guests were waiting for Garbo to show up for a proposed double wedding ceremony -- Garbo and Gilbert with the director King Vidor and his fiancee, actress Eleanor Boardman -- Mayer allegedly made a crude remark about Garbo to the distraught Gilbert that caused him to fly into a rage and he physically attacked the mogul. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Eleanor Boardman ( August 19, 1898 &ndash December 12, 1991) was an American Film actress, popular during Rumor had it that after that event, Gilbert's career began its downward slide. This story has been disputed by some historians, despite its having been reported over a period of twenty years by one major eyewitness, the other bride, Eleanor Boardman who described Mayer's final look at Gilbert as "terrifying". Gilbert did have a powerful supporter in production head Irving Thalberg. Irving Grant Thalberg ( May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer The two were old friends and Thalberg made efforts to reinvigorate Gilbert's career, but Thalberg's failing health probably limited such efforts.

With the coming of sound, John Gilbert first spoke in the film His Glorious Night (1929), in which his voice allegedly recorded in a high-pitched tone that made audiences giggle. He spoke again in the all-talking musical Hollywood Revue of 1929, appearing in a Romeo and Juliet Technicolor sequence along with Norma Shearer in which they first played the part straight and then modernized it. The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is an American Musical film / Comedy motion picture released in 1929. Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation Edith Norma Shearer (August 10 1900 - June 12 1983 was an Academy Award&ndashwinning Canadian-American actress. Reviewers for the film did not note any problems with Gilbert's voice at this time and, in fact, some praised it. Gilbert's career faltered mainly due to the quality of the projects he was given -- though it is certainly true that his light tenor voice and precise stage diction did not match his dashing screen persona, or what his many fans had imagined him to sound like. A recent documentary, The Dawn of Sound: How the Movies Learned to Talk (2007), convincingly demonstrates that with improved recording equipment Gilbert's voice was suitably deep. In fact, noted film historian Leonard Maltin in a rare flash of almost-anger expresses outrage that in the "twenty-first century" people still believe the "rumor" that Gilbert's voice was deficient, and calls for killing that story once and for all.

According to film reviews of the day, audiences actually laughed at Gilbert's overly ardent love-making in His Glorious Night . Like a number of other romance-oriented early talkies, the dialogue was unintentionally ludicrous and the film played more like a comedy gone bad than a romantic drama. In one scene, Gilbert keeps kissing his leading lady (Catherine Dale Owen) while saying over and over again "I love you". Catherine Dale Owen ( July 28, 1900 - September 7, 1965) was an American stage and This scene was famously later parodied in the MGM musical Singin' in the Rain (1952) where a preview of the fictional The Dueling Cavalier flops disastrously. Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 Comedy Musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds

Although Gilbert was given better roles in his later films, his career never recovered from this disaster. The film was released throughout the country to laughing audiences and his image as a great lover was tarnished. His Glorious Night has never been shown on television by Turner Entertainment because MGM sold the rights to Paramount for a remake, and Universal -- which currently owns the rights to all pre-1948 Paramount films -- has not done anything with it. Turner Entertainment Company Inc is an American media company founded by Ted Turner. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American

In 1932 MGM made the film Downstairs from Gilbert's original story, in which Gilbert played against type as a scheming, blackmailing chauffeur. The film was well received by critics, but did nothing to restore Gilbert's popularity. Shortly after making the film he married co-star Virginia Bruce; the couple divorced in 1934. Virginia Bruce ( September 29, 1910 – February 24, 1982) was an American actress and singer Born Helen Virginia Briggs

Gilbert starred opposite Garbo for the last time in Queen Christina (1933) directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Queen Christina is a American pre-code Historical drama film directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Rouben Mamoulian ( October 8, 1897 &ndash December 4, 1987) was an Armenian - American film and Theatre Garbo was top-billed and Gilbert's name beneath the title. Although his scenes with Garbo are excellent the picture failed to revive his career, with his next film, The Captain Hates the Sea, being his last.

By that point, alcoholism had severely damaged his health, and he died of a heart attack without ever regaining his former reputation. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply Towards the end of his life, Gilbert became involved with Marlene Dietrich, and at the time of his death he was slated to star opposite her in the film Desire. Marlene Dietrich maɐˈleːnə ˈdiːtrɪç (December 27 &ndashMay 6) was a German -born American Actress, Singer and Entertainer Desire is an American Romantic drama film released in 1936 and directed by Frank Borzage.

On his passing in 1936, John Gilbert was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately-owned Cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles, in the United States. Glendale ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

He was married four times (including once to film and stage actress Ina Claire), and had two daughters. Ina Claire (October 15 1893–February 21 1985 was an American stage and film actress His daughter Leatrice Gilbert Fountain (from his marriage to silent film actress Leatrice Joy), wrote an acclaimed biography of her father's life published in 1985, and continues as a source of information on his life and career. Leatrice Joy ( November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985)was an American film Actress best known for her career in the early

John Gilbert has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1755 Vine Street and in 1994, he was honored with his image on a United States postage stamp designed by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that This article lists people who have been featured on United States Postage stamps Since the United States Post Office issued its first stamp in 1847 over 4000 stamps have been issued and Albert Hirschfeld ( June 21, 1903 – January 20, 2003) was a Jewish American Caricaturist best known for his simple black

Selected filmography

References

External links


Persondata
NAMEGilbert, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMESPringle, John Cecil
SHORT DESCRIPTIONActor
DATE OF BIRTH1899-7-10
PLACE OF BIRTHLogan, Utah
DATE OF DEATH1936-1-9
PLACE OF DEATHHollywood, California
An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42670 a substantial increase
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