Harold Lloyd Jr.

Harold Clayton Lloyd Jr. (January 25, 1931 – June 9, 1971) was an American actor and singer.

Career The third child and only son of the silent film comedian Harold Lloyd and former actress Mildred Davis, Lloyd made several B-movies in the 1950s and 1960s, including The Flaming Urge (1953) (one of only two starring roles) and Frankenstein's Daughter (1958). In 1959, he had a role in the film Girls Town, which features Charles Chaplin Jr., son of famous silent movie comedian Charlie Chaplin. He was given production roles in the compilations of his father's films, released in the early 1960s. As a singer, he performed in several films, had moderate successes in cabaret in Hollywood and elsewhere, and released an album of romantic ballads in 1965 titled Intimate Style.

Personal life Lloyd (known as Dukey to his family) found it difficult to live in the shadow of his famous father, and was an alcoholic from his twenties onward. In addition, he struggled with his homosexuality at a time when it was considered socially unacceptable. Author Tom Dardis notes that Lloyd Sr. was understanding of his son's sexuality and protective of his son, given Lloyd Jr.'s tendency toward violent lovers. Consequently, the younger Lloyd often returned to Greenacres, the family estate, battered and bruised after his encounters. His father's tolerance had its limits, however, and Lloyd Sr. blamed his own absences during his son's childhood for his sexuality.

In 1953, he was briefly engaged to the Chilean actress Marina Cisternas. In 1960, he was again engaged, this time to Parisian socialite Irene Barrelet de Ricou, daughter of French tennis player Paul Barrelet de Ricou and socialite Louise Barrelet de Ricou. Irene was warned by many, including Bing Crosby, not to marry Lloyd, but it was not until she caught him with another man that the wedding was canceled.

He had a home in Palm Springs, California.

Death Lloyd suffered a massive stroke in 1965 from which he never fully recovered. He died on June 9, 1971, at age 40, three months after the death of his father. He was interred with his parents in a crypt in the Great Mausoleum's Begonia Corridor at Glendale Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Filmography