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Randolph Scott

Born January 23, 1898(1898-01-23)
Orange County, Virginia, USA
Died March 2, 1987 (aged 89)
Beverly Hills, California, USA
Years active 1928-1962
Spouse(s) Mariana duPont Somerville (1936-1939)
Patricia Stillman (1944-1987)

Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American motion picture actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Orange County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Contents

Cinematic legacy

As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of genres, including social dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals (albeit in non-singing and non-dancing roles), adventure tales, war films, and even a few horror and fantasy films. Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. War film is a Film genre concerned with Warfare usually about naval, air or land battles sometimes focusing instead on Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting However, his most enduring image is that of the tall-in-the-saddle Western hero. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. Out of his more than 100 film appearances more than 60 were in Westerns; thus, "of all the major stars whose name was associated with the Western, Scott most closely identified with it. "[1]

Scott's more than thirty years as a motion picture actor resulted in his working frequently with many acclaimed screen directors, including Henry King, Rouben Mamoulian, Michael Curtiz, John Cromwell, King Vidor, Alan Dwan, Fritz Lang, and Sam Peckinpah. Henry King may refer to Henry King (poet, (1592-1669 English poet Bishop of Chichester Henry King (MP (1776-1839 Member of Parliament Rouben Mamoulian ( October 8, 1897 &ndash December 4, 1987) was an Armenian - American film and Theatre Michael Curtiz ( December 24, 1886 - April 10, 1962) was an Academy Award -winning Hungarian-American Film director John Cromwell may refer to John Cromwell (director (1887-1979 American film director John P King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Allan Dwan (April 3 1885 &ndash December 28 1981 was a pioneering Canadian -born American motion picture director, producer and screenwriter Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang ( December 5, 1890 &ndash August 2, 1976) was an Austrian German - American David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah (February 21 1925 &ndash December 28 1984 was an American Film director who achieved iconic status following the release He also worked on multiple occasions with some noted directors: Henry Hathaway (8 times), Ray Enright (7), Edwin R. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer Marin (7), Andre DeToth (6), and most notably, his seven film collaborations with Budd Boetticher. Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr ( July 29, 1916 - November 29, 2001) was a film director during the classical period in Hollywood most

Scott also worked with a widely diverse array of cinematic leading ladies, from Shirley Temple and Irene Dunne to Mae West and Marlene Dietrich. Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928) is an Academy Award -winning Actress and Tap dancer, most famous for being an iconic Irene Dunne ( December 20, 1898 - September 4, 1990) was a five-time Academy Award -nominated American film actress and Mae West (August 17 1893 &ndash November 22 1980 was an American actress, Playwright, Screenwriter, and Sex symbol. Marlene Dietrich maɐˈleːnə ˈdiːtrɪç (December 27 &ndashMay 6) was a German -born American Actress, Singer and Entertainer He also appeared with Gene Tierney, Ann Sheridan, Maureen O'Hara, Nancy Carroll, Donna Reed, Gail Russell, Margaret Sullavan, Virginia Mayo, Bebe Daniels, Carole Lombard and Joan Bennett. Gene Tierney ( November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Ann Sheridan ( February 21, 1915 &ndash January 21, 1967) was an American Film actress. Maureen O'Hara (born Maureen FitzSimons on 17 August 1920 in Ranelagh, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish film actress Nancy Carroll ( November 19, 1903 &ndash August 6, 1965) was an American actress Donna Reed ( January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American actress. Gail Russell ( September 21, 1924 - August 26, 1961) was an American Actress. Margaret Brooke Sullavan ( May 16, 1909 – January 1, 1960) was an Academy Virginia Mayo ( November 30 1920 – January 17 2005) was an American film actress. Bebe Daniels ( January 14, 1901 - March 16, 1971) was an American actress. Carole Lombard ( October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne Indiana, was an Oscar-nominated Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27 &ndashDecember 7) was an Emmy -nominated American stage film and television actress

Tall (6 ft 2 in; 188cm), lanky, and handsome, Scott displayed an easygoing charm and courtly Southern drawl in his early films that helped offset his limitations as an actor, where he was frequently found to be stiff or "lumbering". [2] As he matured, however, Scott's acting improved while his features became burnished and leathery, turning him into the ideal "strong, silent" type of stoic hero. The BFI Companion to the Western noted:

In his earlier Westerns . . . the Scott persona is debonair, easy-going, graceful, though with the necessary hint of steel. As he matures into his fifties his roles change. Increasingly Scott becomes the man who has seen it all, who has suffered pain, loss, and hardship, and who has now achieved (but at what cost?) a stoic calm proof against vicissitude. [1]

During the early 1950s, Scott was a consistent box-office draw. In the annual Motion Picture Herald Top Ten Polls, he ranked tenth in 1950, eighth in 1951, and again tenth in 1952. [3]

In a comic moment in the Western spoof Blazing Saddles directed by Mel Brooks, when the townspeople refuse to support the town's sheriff, they relent after the sheriff tells them: "You'd do it for Randolph Scott. Blazing Saddles ( 1974) is a satiric Western Comedy film directed by Mel Brooks. Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American director, Writer, Composer, Lyricist "

Biography

Birth, family, and schooling

Scott was born in Orange County, Virginia, the only son of six children born to George Scott, an administrative engineer in a textile firm, and Lucille Crane Scott, a member of a wealthy North Carolina family. Orange County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. [3] Although Scott's birth was in Virginia, his family lived in North Carolina and it was there that he was raised. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States

Because of his family's financial status, young Randolph was able to attend private schools such as Woodberry Forest School. Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male Boarding school located in Woodberry Forest Madison County Virginia, in the United States From an early age, Scott developed and displayed an athletic trait, excelling in football, baseball, horse racing, and swimming. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics. Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance [3]

World War I

In April 1917 the United States entered World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Shortly afterwards, Scott, then 19 years old, joined the Army and served in France as an artillery observer with the 2nd Trench Mortar Battalion, 19th Field Artillery. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. [3]

Scott's wartime experience would give him training that would be put to use in his later film career, including the use of firearms and horsemanship. A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion For the Roman class see Equestrian (Roman Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving Horses This broad description

Post-war career

After the Armistice brought the war to an end, Scott stayed in France and enrolled in an artillery officers' school. An armistice is a situation where the warring parties agree to stop fighting World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Although he eventually received a commission, Scott decided to return to America and thus journeyed home in or around 1919. [3]

With his military career over, Scott continued his education at Georgia Tech where he set his sights to become an all-American football player. The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, or Tech, is a public, Coeducational Research university in American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with However a severe back injury prevented him from achieving this goal. [4] Scott then transferred to the University of North Carolina, where he majored in textile engineering and manufacturing. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research Textile engineering ( TE) or textile technology deals with the application of scientific and Engineering principles to the design and control [3] As with his military career, however, he eventually dropped out of college and went to work as an accountant in the textile firm where his father was employed. [5]

Stage and early film appearances

Around 1927, Scott developed an interest in acting and decided to make his way to Los Angeles and seek a career in the motion picture industry. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Fortunately, Scott's father had become acquainted with Howard Hughes and provided a letter of introduction for his son to present to the eccentric millionaire filmmaker. Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist [4] Hughes responded by getting Scott a small part in a George O'Brien film called Sharp Shooters (1928). George O'Brien ( April 19, 1899 &ndash September 4, 1985) was an American Actor, popular Sharp Shooters is a 1928 Comedy film directed by John G Blystone and starring George O'Brien. [6]

In the next few years, Scott continued working as an extra and bit player in several films, including Weary River (1929) with Richard Barthelmess and The Virginian (1929) with Gary Cooper. Richard "Dick" Semler Barthelmess ( May 9, 1895 &ndash August 17, 1963) was an Oscar-nominated Silent film The Virginian is a 1929 Western movie starring Gary Cooper as the Virginian and Walter Huston as the villainous Trampas Frank James “Gary” Cooper (May 7 &ndashMay 13) was an American film actor and iconic star Reputedly, Scott also served as Cooper's dialect coach in this latter film.

On the advice of director Cecil B. DeMille, Scott also gained much-needed acting experience by performing in stage plays with the Pasadena Playhouse. Cecil Blount DeMille ( August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was an Academy Award -winning American Film director The Pasadena Playhouse is an historic Theatre located in Pasadena California. Scott's stage roles during this period include:[3]

In 1931, after several years of bit parts in the movies, Scott played his first leading role (with Sally Blane) in Women Men Marry, a film now apparently lost made for a Poverty Row studio called Headline Pictures. Sally Blane ( July 11, 1910 &ndash August 27, 1997) was an American actress A lost film is a Feature film or Short film that no longer exists in either studio archives or private collections Poverty Row is a slang term used in Hollywood from the late silent period through the mid-fifties to refer to a variety of small and mostly short-lived B movie He followed that movie with a supporting part in a Warner Bros. production starring George Arliss entitled A Successful Calamity. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and George Arliss ( April 10, 1868 - February 5, 1946) was an English Academy Award -winning Actor, Author

In 1932 Scott appeared in a play at the Vine Street Theatre in Hollywood entitled Under a Virginia Moon. His performance in this play resulted in several offers for screen tests by the major movie studios. [4] Scott eventually signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures at a salary of US$400 per week. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. [3][7]

Paramount years

Zane Grey apprenticeship

Scott's first role under his new Paramount contract was a small supporting part in a comedy called Sky Bride (1932) starring Richard Arlen and Jack Oakie. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Richard Arlen ( September 1, 1898 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor Jack Oakie (November 12 1903 &ndash January 23 1978 was an American Actor, starring mostly in Films, but also working on stage,

Following that, however, Paramount cast him as the lead in Heritage of the Desert (1932), his first significant starring role and also the one that establish him as a Western hero. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. As with Women Men Marry, Sally Blane was his leading lady. Sally Blane ( July 11, 1910 &ndash August 27, 1997) was an American actress The film was the first of ten "B" Western films that Scott made for Paramount in a series loosely based on the novels of Zane Grey. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. Zane Grey ( January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure Novels and [8] Henry Hathaway made his directorial debut with Heritage of the Desert; he would go on to direct a total of seven out of the ten Zane Grey adaptations that Scott would appear in. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer Zane Grey ( January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure Novels and [9]

Many of these Grey adaptations were remakes of earlier silent films. In an effort to save on production costs, Paramount utilized stock footage from the silent version and even hired some of the same actors, such as Raymond Hatton and Noah Beery, to repeat their roles. Raymond William Hatton (born July 7 1887 in Red Oak, Iowa &mdash died October 21 1971 in Palmdale, Noah Beery ( January 17 1882 – April 1 1946) was an American actor For the 1933 films The Thundering Herd and Man of the Forest, Scott's hair was darkened and he sported a trim moustache so that he could easily be matched to footage of Jack Holt, the star of the silent versions. Jack Holt may refer to Jack Holt (actor (1888&ndash1951 Jack Holt (trainer - An Australian horse racing trainer Jack [10]

In his book The Hollywood Western, film historian William K. Everson refers to the Zane Grey series as being "uniformly good". William K Everson ( April 8, 1929, Yeovil, Somerset England - April 14, 1996, New York City) was an [11] He also writes:

To the Last Man was almost a model of its kind, an exceptionally strong story of feuding families in the post-Civil War era, with a cast worthy of an "A" feature, excellent direction by Henry Hathaway, and an unusual climatic fight between the villain (Jack LaRue) and the heroine (Esther Ralston, in an exceptionally appealing performance). Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer Esther Ralston ( September 17, 1902 &ndash January 14, 1994) was an American Movie actress whose greatest popularity came Sunset Pass. . . was not only one of the best but also one of the most surprising in presenting Randolph Scott and Harry Carey as heavies. This page is about the actor Harry Carey For the baseball broadcaster with a similar name see Harry Caray.

Overall, the Zane Grey series proved to be a boon for Scott, as they provided him with "an excellent training ground for both action and acting". [12]

Non-Western roles for Paramount

In between his work in the Zane Grey Western series, Paramount cast Scott in several non-Western roles. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. These included the "other" man in Hot Saturday (1932), with Nancy Carroll and Cary Grant; Hello, Everybody! (1933), an odd one-shot attempt to make a film star out of the popular but heavy-set radio singer Kate Smith; and Go West, Young Man (1936). Nancy Carroll ( November 19, 1903 &ndash August 6, 1965) was an American actress Kathryn Elizabeth "Kate" Smith ( May 1, 1907 &ndash June 17, 1986) was an American Singer, best known for her rendition Go West Young Man is a 1936 Paramount Pictures comedy starring Mae West.

Paramount also cast Scott in two fairly good horror films: Murders in the Zoo (1933) with Lionel Atwill, and Supernatural (1933) with Carole Lombard. Lionel Atwill ( March 1, 1885 – April 22, 1946 was an English stage and film actor born in Croydon, London, England. Carole Lombard ( October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne Indiana, was an Oscar-nominated Paramount also loaned him to work at other studios, including Columbia, where he appeared with Bebe Daniels in a minor romantic comedy called Cocktail Hour (1933). }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Bebe Daniels ( January 14, 1901 - March 16, 1971) was an American actress.

Star on the rise

By 1935, Scott was firmly established as a popular movie star and, thus, following the release of Rocky Mountain Mystery (1935), Paramount moved him up from his "B" Western status to a star of "A" features, many on loan out. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts.

Scott made four films for RKO Radio Pictures during 1935-36. Two of these were in the popular series of musicals starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers: Roberta (1935), also starring Irene Dunne, and Follow the Fleet (1936). Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award Ginger Rogers ( July 16, 1911 &ndash April 25, 1995) was an Academy Award -winning American film and stage actress Roberta is a 1935 Musical film by RKO starring Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Randolph Scott Irene Dunne ( December 20, 1898 - September 4, 1990) was a five-time Academy Award -nominated American film actress and Follow the Fleet ( RKO) is a 1936 Hollywood musical comedy Film with a nautical theme and stars Fred Astaire, Ginger In both of these films Scott played Astaire's lunkheaded but likable pal. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award The other two were among the best in Scott's career: Village Tale (1935), "a touching, still-obscure melodrama about small-town gossip and hypocrisy"[3] directed by John Cromwell, and She (1935), a superb adventure-fantasy adapted from H. Rider Haggard's 1886 novel. John Cromwell may refer to John Cromwell (director (1887-1979 American film director John P She is a 1935 film produced by Merian C Cooper. The film is based on H Sir Henry Rider Haggard KBE ( 22 June 1856 &ndash 14 May 1925) was a prolific writer of Adventure novels set She A History of Adventure is a novel by H Rider Haggard, first serialized in The Graphic from October 1886 to January 1887

In 1936, Scott, on another loan to independent producer [Edward Small][1], starred in yet another adventure classic, The Last of the Mohicans, adapted from the 1826 novel by James Fenimore Cooper. The Last of the Mohicans is a 1936 Adventure film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper 's novel of the same name starring Randolph The Last of the Mohicans is a Historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, first published in January 1826 James Fenimore Cooper (September 15 1789 &ndash September 14 1851 was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century A big hit in its day, the film "gave Scott his first unqualified 'A' picture success as a lead. "[3]

Scott's films on his home lot at Paramount include the aforementioned Go West, Young Man (1936), which reunited him with director Henry Hathaway and is Mae West's adaptation of Lawrence Riley's Broadway hit comedy Personal Appearance; So Red the Rose (1936), directed by King Vidor and starring Margaret Sullivan; and High, Wide, and Handsome. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer Mae West (August 17 1893 &ndash November 22 1980 was an American actress, Playwright, Screenwriter, and Sex symbol. Lawrence Riley (1896-1974 was a successful American Playwright and Screenwriter. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Margaret Brooke Sullavan ( May 16, 1909 – January 1, 1960) was an Academy High Wide and Handsome is a 1937 Hollywood film starring Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, Alan Hale Sr This last film, a musical directed by Rouben Mamoulian, featured Scott in his "most ambitious performance,"[3] The film is …

… set in 1859 in Pennsylvania, and follows the exploits of oil prospector Scott as he struggles against various varmints and vested interests out to wreck his business, and tries to keep his marriage to Irene Dunne intact, despite the tempting presence of saloon singer Dorothy Lamour. Rouben Mamoulian ( October 8, 1897 &ndash December 4, 1987) was an Armenian - American film and Theatre The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Irene Dunne ( December 20, 1898 - September 4, 1990) was a five-time Academy Award -nominated American film actress and Dorothy Lamour ( December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American motion picture actress. [1]

Heroes, heavies and "other" men

In 1938 Scott finished his contract with Paramount and began freelancing. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Some of the roles that he took over the next few years were supporting ones, while his other roles during the same time frame had him occasionally lapse into villainy. One missed opportunity also came about around this time. Due to his Southern background, Scott was considered for the role of Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind, but it was Leslie Howard who eventually got the part. Ashley Wilkes is a Fictional character in the Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and the later film of the same name Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 Leslie Howard ( April 3, 1893 - June 1, 1943) was an English stage and Academy Award nominated Film

For 20th Century Fox Scott supported child star Shirley Temple in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) and Susanna of the Mounties (1939). Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928) is an Academy Award -winning Actress and Tap dancer, most famous for being an iconic For the same studio he played a supporting role in his first Technicolor film, Jesse James (1939), a lavish highly romanticized account of the famous outlaw (Tyrone Power) and his brother Frank (Henry Fonda). Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation Jesse Woodson James (September 5 1847—April 3 1882 was an American Outlaw in the border state of Missouri and the most famous member of the Tyrone Edmund Power Jr (May 5 1914 – November 15 1958 usually credited simply as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as " Ty Power " was an Alexander Franklin James ( January 10, 1843 &ndash February 18, 1915) was an American Outlaw and older brother of Henry Jaynes Fonda ( May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American Academy Award -winning Film and Shortly after making this film, Scott portrayed Wyatt Earp in Frontier Marshal (1939) and, for Universal, starred with Kay Francis in When the Daltons Rode (1940). Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp ( March 19, 1848 &ndash January 13, 1929) was an American farmer Teamster, sometime buffalo Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American Kay Francis (January 13 &ndashAugust 26) was an American stage and film actress

Scott followed this by co-starring with Errol Flynn in Virginia City (1940) and played the "other" man role in the Irene Dunne-Cary Grant romantic comedy My Favorite Wife (1940). Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn ( June 20, 1909 &ndash October 14, 1959) was an Australian Film Actor, most Irene Dunne ( December 20, 1898 - September 4, 1990) was a five-time Academy Award -nominated American film actress and My Favorite Wife (released in the UK as My Favourite Wife) is a 1940 Screwball comedy starring Irene Dunne

In 1941, Scott returned to the realm of Zane Grey by co-starring with Robert Young in the Technicolor production Western Union, directed by Fritz Lang. Zane Grey ( January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure Novels and Bob or Rob(ert Young may refer to many people Bob Young, Canadian founder and CEO of Red Hat Bob Young (American football (1942&ndash1995 Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang ( December 5, 1890 &ndash August 2, 1976) was an Austrian German - American Scott played a "good bad man" in this film and gave one of his finest performances. Bosley Crowther of the New York Times wrote of him:

Randolph Scott, who is getting to look and act more and more like William S. Hart, herein shapes one of the truest and most appreciable characters of his career as the party's scout. Francis Bosley Crowther ( July 13, 1905 &ndash March 7, 1981) was a Film critic for The New York Times for William Surrey Hart ( December 6, 1864 &ndash June 23, 1946) was an American Silent film Actor, Screenwriter [13]

Also in 1941 Scott co-starred with a young Gene Tierney, in another western Belle Starr. Gene Tierney ( November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Scott's only role as a truly evil villain was in Universal's The Spoilers, a rip-roaring adaptation of Rex Beach's 1905 tale of the Alaskan gold rush co-starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American The Spoilers is a 1942 film directed by Ray Enright. It is set in Nome Alaska during the 1898 Gold Rush with Marlene Dietrich as Cherry Malotte Rex Ellingwood Beach ( September 1 1877 &ndash December 7 1949) was an American Novelist, Playwright, and Olympic The Klondike Gold Rush, infrequently referred to as the Yukon Gold Rush or Alaska Gold Rush, was a frenzy of Gold rush Immigration to and for Marlene Dietrich maɐˈleːnə ˈdiːtrɪç (December 27 &ndashMay 6) was a German -born American Actress, Singer and Entertainer John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American The movie's climax featured Scott and Wayne (and their stunt doubles) in one of most spectacular fistfights ever filmed. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American The Dietrich-Scott-Wayne combination worked so well that Universal recast the trio the following year in Pittsburgh, a war-time action-melodrama which had Wayne and Scott slugging it out once more. Marlene Dietrich maɐˈleːnə ˈdiːtrɪç (December 27 &ndashMay 6) was a German -born American Actress, Singer and Entertainer John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American

In 1943 Scott starred in The Desperados, Columbia Pictures' first feature in Technicolor. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation The film was produced by Harry Joe Brown, with whom Scott would form a business partnership several years later. Harry Joe Brown ( Pittsburgh Pennsylvania September 22, 1890 - Palm Springs California April 28, 1972) was a movie producer

World War II

The real war

Shortly after the United States entered World War II Scott attempted to obtain an officer's commission in the Marines but, due to his back injury from years earlier he was turned down. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including [4] However, he did his part for the war effort by touring in a comedy act with Joe DeRita (who later became a member of The Three Stooges) for the Victory Committee showcases and also raised food for the government on a ranch that he owned. "Curly-Joe" DeRita ( July 12, 1909 - July 3, 1993) born Joseph Wardell, was an American Comedian The Three Stooges were an American Vaudeville and Comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous Short subject films [3]

Between 1942 and 1943, Scott appeared, like many film actors of the time, in several war movies, notably To the Shores of Tripoli, Bombardier, the Canadian warship drama, Corvette K-225, Gung Ho!, and China Sky. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Tall in the saddle

In 1946, after playing roles that had him wandering in and out of the saddle for many years, Scott appeared in Abilene Town, an RKO release which cast him in what would become one of his classic images, the fearless lawman cleaning up a lawless town. The film "cemented Scott's position as a cowboy hero"[12] and from this point on all but two of his starring films would be Westerns. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. The Scott Westerns of the late 1940s would each be budgeted around US$1 million. [14]

Scott renewed his acquaintance with producer Harry Joe Brown and together they began producing many of Scott's Westerns, including several that where shot in the two-color Cinecolor process. Harry Joe Brown ( Pittsburgh Pennsylvania September 22, 1890 - Palm Springs California April 28, 1972) was a movie producer Cinecolor was an early Subtractive color -model two color Film process based upon the Prizma system of the 1910s and 1920s and the Multicolor Their collaboration produced the superior Coroner Creek (1948) with Scott as a vengeance-driven cowpoke who "predates the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy heroes by nearly a decade,"[12] and The Walking Hills (1949), a modern-day tale of gold hunters. Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr ( July 29, 1916 - November 29, 2001) was a film director during the classical period in Hollywood most Burt Kennedy ( September 3, 1922 - February 15, 2001) was an American Screenwriter and director known for mainly directing Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79

During late 1940s and early 1950s Scott's films were made mainly for Columbia or Warner Bros. His salary for the latter studio was US$100,000 per picture. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and [15][12]

Scott's pictures from this period include the 1951 films Fort Worth, Man in the Saddle, and Carson City, and the 1952 films Hangman's Knot, Man Behind the Gun, The Stranger Wore a Gun (filmed in 3-D), and Thunder Over the Plains. The year 1951 in film involved some significant events Events Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian The year 1952 in film involved some significant events Events January 10 - Cecil B See also [[stereoscopy]] In film the term 3-D (or 3D) is used to describe any visual presentation system that attempts to maintain or recreate moving images Also, in 1953, Scott appeared in Riding Shotgun, an unusual Western that presents (probably unintentionally) some McCarthyistic overtones. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. McCarthyism is a term describing the intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States in a period that lasted roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s Most of these films were directed by Andre De Toth. André de Toth (born Sasvári Farkasfalvi Tóthfalusi Tóth Endre Antal Mihály on May 15 1912 - died October 27 2002) was an

By 1956 Scott was 58 years old, an age where the careers of most leading men would be winding down. Scott, however, was about to enter his finest and most acclaimed period.

The Boetticher and Kennedy films

In 1955, screenwriter Burt Kennedy had written a script entitled Seven Men from Now which was scheduled to be filmed by John Wayne's Batjac Productions with Wayne as the film's star and Budd Boetticher as its director. Burt Kennedy ( September 3, 1922 - February 15, 2001) was an American Screenwriter and director known for mainly directing Seven Men from Now is a 1956 Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and produced by John Wayne 's Batjac Productions. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Batjac Productions is an independent production company founded by John Wayne that produced many of his films in the latter part of the late actor's career Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr ( July 29, 1916 - November 29, 2001) was a film director during the classical period in Hollywood most However, Wayne was already committed to begin filming John Ford's The Searchers. The Searchers is a 1956 Epic Western film directed by John Ford, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May, which tells the story Wayne therefore suggested Scott as his replacement. [12] The resulting film, released in 1956, did not make a great impact at the time but is now regarded by many as one of Scott's best, as well as the one that launched Scott and Boetticher into a highly successful collaboration that totaled seven films. Kennedy scripted four of them. In these films …

Boetticher achieved works of great beauty, formally precise in structure and visually elegant, notably for their use of the distinctive landscape of the California Sierras. As the hero of these "floating poker games" (as Andrew Sarris calls them), Scott tempers their innately pessimistic view with quiet, stoical humour, as he pits his wits against such charming villains as Richard Boone in The Tall T and Claude Akins in Comanche Station. Andrew Sarris, born on October 31, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, is a U Richard Allen Boone ( June 18 1917 &ndash January 10 1981) was an American Actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable The Tall T is a 1957 western film directed by Budd Boetticher. Claude Marion Akins ( May 25, 1926 — January 27, 1994) was an American actor Comanche Station (1960 was the last of Budd Boetticher 's late 1950s westerns starring Randolph Scott. [1]

Scott and Boetticher films

Ride the High Country (1962)

In 1962 Scott made his final film appearance in Ride the High Country, a film now regarded as a classic. Seven Men from Now is a 1956 Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and produced by John Wayne 's Batjac Productions. The Tall T is a 1957 western film directed by Budd Boetticher. Comanche Station (1960 was the last of Budd Boetticher 's late 1950s westerns starring Randolph Scott. Ride the High Country is a noted 1962 Western film. It stars Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Mariette Hartley, Ron Starr It was directed by Sam Peckinpah and co-starred Joel McCrea, an actor who had a screen image similar to Scott's and who also from the mid-1940s on devoted his career almost exclusively to Westerns. David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah (February 21 1925 &ndash December 28 1984 was an American Film director who achieved iconic status following the release Joel Albert McCrea, (November 5 &ndashOctober 20) was an American actor and Film star whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts.

Scott and McCrea's farewell Western is characterized by a nostalgic sense of the passing of the Old West;[16] a preoccupation with the emotionality of male bonding and of the experiential 'gap' between the young and the old; and the fearful evocation, in the form of the Hammonds (the villains in the film), of these preoccupations transmuted into brutal and perverse forms. Joel Albert McCrea, (November 5 &ndashOctober 20) was an American actor and Film star whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films [1]

Final years

Following the making of Ride the High Country, Scott retired from film making at the age of 64. Having made shrewd investments throughout his life, he eventually accumulated a fortune worth a reputed US$100 million. [3]

During his retirement years he remained friends with Fred Astaire and also became friends with the Reverend Billy Graham. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award William Franklin Graham Jr KBE (born November 7 1918 better known as Billy Graham, is an evangelist and an Evangelical Christian Scott was described by his son Christopher as being a deeply religious man. [3] He was a Freemason and active in the York Rite. He was also an Episcopalian and a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC, where he was buried.

Scott died of heart and lung ailments at the age of 89 in Beverly Hills, California. He was interred in the Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Personal life

Marriages

Scott married twice. The first time, in 1936, he became the second husband of heiress Marion Du Pont, daughter of William Du Pont, Sr. and great-granddaughter of Éleuthère Irénée Du Pont de Nemours, the founder of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (,) is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a Gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée Reputedly the couple spent little time together and the marriage ended in divorce three years later.

In 1944, Scott married Patricia Stillman, with whom he adopted two children. The marriage lasted 43 years until Scott's death in 1987.

Rumored homosexuality

Randolph Scott and Cary Grant"Bachelor Hall" photo
Randolph Scott and Cary Grant
"Bachelor Hall" photo

Although Scott achieved fame as a motion picture actor, he managed to keep a fairly low profile with his private life. Off screen he became good friends with Fred Astaire and Cary Grant. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award He met Grant on the set of Hot Saturday and shortly afterwards they began rooming together in a beach house in Malibu that became known as "Bachelor Hall. Malibu is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. "

They would live together, on and off, for about ten years, presumably because they liked each other's company and wanted to save on living expenses (they were both considered notorious tightwads). [3]

As Scott shared "Bachelor Hall" with Cary Grant for twelve years, it was rumored that the two actors were romantically involved, and that the name "Bachelor Hall" and the reported parade of women there were invented by the studio who wanted to keep their valuable actors away from any public scandal. In his book, Cary Grant: Grant's Secret Sixth Marriage, Marc Eliot claims Grant had a sexual relationship with Scott after they met on the set of Hot Saturday (1932). Mark Elliot may refer to Mark Elliot (radio host (born ca 1953 Canadian broadcaster Mark Elliot (Disney, voice-over artist for the Walt In his book, Hollywood Gays, Boze Hadleigh, author of numerous books purporting to reveal the sexual orientation of celebrities, makes various claims for Scott's homosexuality. Boze Hadleigh (born May 15, 1954) is an American Journalist, interviewer and writer of Celebrity gossip and entertainment specializing He cites gay director George Cukor who said about the homosexual relationship between the two: "Oh, Cary won't talk about it. George Dewey Cukor ( July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an Academy Award -winning American Film director. At most, he'll say they did some wonderful pictures together. But Randolph will admit it – to a friend. " (It should be noted that there is considerable disagreement about the veracity of Hadleigh's books. )[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] According to William J. Mann's book, Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969, photographer Jerome Zerbe spent "three gay months" in the movie colony taking many photographs of Grant and Scott, "attesting to their involvement in the gay scene. William J Mann is an American novelist biographer, and Hollywood historian best known for his biography of Katharine Hepburn, Kate The Woman Jerome Zerbe ( July 24, 1904 – August 19, 1988) was one of the originators of a genre of Photography that is now utterly common " In 1995, Richard Blackwell published his autobiography From Rags to Bitches, where he declared he was lovers to both Cary Grant and Scott. Richard Blackwell (born August 29 1922, Brooklyn New York as Richard Sylvan Seltzer) is a fashion Critic, Journalist, [22]

In 1944, Scott and Grant stopped living together but remained close friends throughout their lives. Both Grant and Scott consistently denied the allegations. Grant always vehemently denied being gay, and many of his friends have concurred over the years. Grant's insistence that he had "nothing against gays, I'm just not one myself," is treated at length in Peter Bogdanovich's book of essays about actors, Who the Hell's in It. Peter Bogdanovich ( Serbian Cyrillic: Петар Богдановић Latin: Petar Bogdanović (born July 30, 1939, is an American Scott's adopted son, Christopher, also challenged the rumors. Following Scott's death, Christopher wrote a book entitled, Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott, in which he rebuts rumors of his father's alleged homosexuality. Scott's wife and daughter denied the rumors, too, as did many of Scott's close friends. Budd Boetticher, the director most often linked with Scott's work, had this to say about the rumors: "Bullshit. Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr ( July 29, 1916 - November 29, 2001) was a film director during the classical period in Hollywood most "[12]

Prior to and between his first and second marriages Scott was romantically linked with several prominent film actresses, including Lupe Velez, Sally Blane, Claire Trevor, and Dorothy Lamour. Lupe Vélez ( July 18, 1908 &ndash December 13, 1944) was a Mexican actress Sally Blane ( July 11, 1910 &ndash August 27, 1997) was an American actress Claire Trevor ( March 8, 1910 - April 8, 2000) was an Academy Award -winning American actress Dorothy Lamour ( December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American motion picture actress.

Filmography

Further information: Filmography of Randolph Scott

Trivia

Scott is the face on the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders logo. For main entry see Randolph Scott Randolph Scott ( 1898 - 1986) appeared in over 100 feature films in his career The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California.

Quotations

Esther Ralston, Scott's leading lady in To the Last Man (1933):

What a lovely and charming man. Esther Ralston ( September 17, 1902 &ndash January 14, 1994) was an American Movie actress whose greatest popularity came [23]

Michael Curtiz, who directed Scott in Virginia City (1940):

Randy Scott is a complete gentleman, and so far, he's the only one I've met in this business full of self-promoting sons-of-bitches. Michael Curtiz ( December 24, 1886 - April 10, 1962) was an Academy Award -winning Hungarian-American Film director [24]

Awards

In 1975, Scott was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. The Hall of Great Western Performers is a Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City Oklahoma, U The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the He also received an In Memoriam Golden Boot Award for his work in Westerns. For the rugby league award for the world's best player see Rugby League World Golden Boot Awards The Golden Boot Awards honor actors actresses

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Randolph Scott has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6243 Hollywood Blvd. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Boscombe, Edward (ed). The BFI Companion to the Western. New York, NY. DiCapo Press, 1988.
  2. ^ Mueller, John. Astaire Dancing. New York, NY. Alfred A. Knopf, p. 65.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Nott, Robert. The Films of Randolph Scott. Jefferson, NC, and London. McFarland Press, 2004.
  4. ^ a b c d Thomas, Tony. Hollywood and the American Image. Westport, CN. Arlington House, 1981.
  5. ^ Ringgold, Gene. "Randolph Scott: Everyone's Idea of a Southern Gentleman," Films in Review. 1972.
  6. ^ Despite its title and the presence of O'Brien, Sharp Shooters is not a western, as some film historians claimed. Rather, it's a romantic comedy. A print of the film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The UCLA Film and Television Archive is an internationally-renowned Visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of
  7. ^ Adjusted for inflation, US$400 in 1932 is the equivalent of approximately US$4800 in 2006. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  8. ^ Around the same time Fox also remade some Zane Grey titles that they owned, with George O'Brien as their star. A fox is an Animal belonging to any one of about 27 Species (of which only 12 actually belong to the Vulpes genus or 'true foxes' of small Zane Grey ( January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure Novels and George O'Brien may refer to George O'Brien (actor (1899–1985 American silent movie actor George O'Brien (cricketer (born 1984
  9. ^ Henry Hathaway also direct one film in the Zane Grey series without Scott: Under the Tonto Rim (1933) starring Stuart Erwin. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer Zane Grey ( January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure Novels and Stuart Erwin ( 14 February 1903, Squaw Valley California &ndash 21 December 1967, Beverly Hills California) was an
  10. ^ Around this time, Warner Bros. did the same thing. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and John Wayne starred in a series of Westerns for them that utilized footage from an earlier series from the silent era that starred Ken Maynard. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. Ken Maynard ( July 21, 1895 &ndash March 23, 1973) was an American motion picture Stuntman and Actor.
  11. ^ Everson, William K. The Hollywood Western. New York, NY. Citadel Press, 1969/1992.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Nott, Robert. Last of the Cowboy Heroes. Jefferson, NC, and London. McFarland Press, 2000.
  13. ^ The New York Times, February 7, 1941.
  14. ^ Adjusted for inflation, US$1 million in 1946 is equal to around US$10. 2 million in 2006.
  15. ^ Roughly US$750,000 adjusted for inflation in 2006
  16. ^ McCrea, like Scott, retired from filmmaking after this picture, although he returned to the screen twice in later years. Joel Albert McCrea, (November 5 &ndashOctober 20) was an American actor and Film star whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films
  17. ^ Zam, Michael. Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide, January, 2001
  18. ^ Amazon Reviews: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1569800677/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
  19. ^ Johnson, Richard. "Book Played Luce With Facts," New York Post, 17 June 2007
  20. ^ Corliss, Richard. "That Old Feeling," Time Magazine, 13 August 2001
  21. ^ His interviews are ALWAYS and ONLY with people who have died; he has never offered any evidence at all for the reality of these interviews, such as a tape, and as a result many people are extremely skeptical about his claims. " http://groups.google.com/group/alt.movies.hitchcock/browse_thread/thread/22011d1223cd9bfa/139f272800c7ab68?hl=en&lnk=st&q=boze+hadleigh#139f272800c7ab68
  22. ^ Blackwell, Richard (1995). From rags to bitches : an autobiography. Los Angeles: General Publishing Group. ISBN 1881649571.  
  23. ^ Ralston, Esther, Someday We'll Laugh, Metchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow, 1985. Esther Ralston ( September 17, 1902 &ndash January 14, 1994) was an American Movie actress whose greatest popularity came
  24. ^ Thomas, Tony, The West That Never Was, Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel, 1989.

External links

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