Robert Montgomery

Early life Henry Montgomery, Jr., was born in Fishkill Landing, New York (now Beacon, New York), to Henry Montgomery and his wife, Mary Weed Montgomery (née Barney), and was of Scottish and Scots-Irish heritage. His father was president of the New York Rubber Company, and jumped to his death off the Brooklyn Bridge in 1922.

Career

Montgomery settled in New York City to try his hand at writing and acting. He established a stage career, and became popular enough to turn down an offer to appear opposite Vilma Bánky in the film This Is Heaven (1929). Sharing a stage with George Cukor gave him an entry to Hollywood and a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he debuted in So This Is College (also 1929). One writer claimed that Montgomery was able to establish himself because he "proceeded with confidence, agreeable with everyone, eager and willing to take suggestions". However, he also was said to be regarded by some as chilly or pompous "off-screen."

During the production of So This Is College, Montgomery learned from and questioned crew members from several departments, including sound crew, electricians, set designers, camera crew, and film editors. In a later interview, he confessed, "it showed [him] that making a motion picture is a great co-operative project." So This Is College gained him attention as Hollywood's latest newcomer, and he was put in one production after another, his popularity growing steadily.

Montgomery returned to playing light comedy roles, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) with Carole Lombard. He continued his search for dramatic roles.

In 1945, Montgomery returned to Hollywood, co-starring and making his uncredited directing debut in They Were Expendable, where he directed some of the PT boat scenes when director John Ford was unable to work for health reasons. Montgomery's first credited film as director and his final film for MGM was the film noir Lady in the Lake (1947), adapted from Raymond Chandler's detective novel, in which he starred as Chandler's most famous character, Philip Marlowe. It was filmed entirely from Marlowe's vantage point; Montgomery appeared on camera only a few times, three times in a mirror reflection. He also directed and starred in the film noir Ride the Pink Horse.

Active in Republican politics and concerned about communist influence in the entertainment industry, Montgomery was a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947. The next year, 1948, Montgomery hosted the Academy Awards. He hosted an Emmy Award-winning television series, Robert Montgomery Presents, which ran from 1950 to 1957. The Gallant Hours (1960), a film Montgomery directed and co-produced with its star, his friend James Cagney, was the last film or television production with which he was connected in any capacity, as actor, director, or producer. In 1955, Montgomery was awarded a Tony Award for his direction of The Desperate Hours.

A pioneering media consultant, Montgomery took an unpaid position as consultant and coach to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, advising him on how to look his best on television and maintaining an office in the Eisenhower White House.

Montgomery has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for movies at 6440 Hollywood Boulevard and another for television at 1631 Vine Street.

Personal life and death

On April 14, 1928, Montgomery married actress Elizabeth Bryan Allen (December 26, 1904 – June 28, 1992), sister of stage actress Martha-Bryan Allen. The couple had three children: Martha Bryan, who died at 14 months of age in 1931; Elizabeth (April 15, 1933 – May 18, 1995), an actress best known for her 1960s television series, Bewitched; and Robert, Jr., (January 6, 1936 – February 7, 2000). They divorced on December 5, 1950.

His second wife was Elizabeth "Buffy" Grant Harkness (1909–2003); they wed on December 9, 1950, four days after his divorce from Allen was finalized.

He died of cancer on September 27, 1981, at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. His body was cremated and the ashes were given to the family.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1929 Extra Uncredited Three Live Ghosts William Foster So This Is College Biff Untamed Andy McAllister Their Own Desire John Douglas Cheever 1930 Free and Easy Larry Don Kent Marlowe Nick Higginson Our Blushing Brides Tony Jardine Love in the Rough Jack Kelly War Nurse Lt. Wally O'Brien 1931 Inspiration André Montell The Easiest Way Jack "Johnny" Madison Strangers May Kiss Steve Shipmates John Paul Jones Raymond Dabney Private Lives Elyot Chase 1932 Lovers Courageous Willie Smith But the Flesh Is Weak Max Clement Letty Lynton Jerry Darrow Blondie of the Follies Larry Belmont Faithless William "Bill" Wade 1933 Hell Below Lieut. Thomas Knowlton, USN Made on Broadway Jeff Bidwell When Ladies Meet Jimmie Lee Another Language Victor Hallam Night Flight Auguste Pellerin 1934This Side of HeavenActor on screen in theatreUncredited cameo: clip from Another Language (1933) Fugitive Lovers Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine The Mystery of Mr. X Nicholas Revel Riptide Tommie Trent Hide-Out Jonathan "Lucky" Wilson Forsaking All Others Dillon "Dill"/"Dilly" Todd 1935 Biography of a Bachelor Girl Richard "Dickie" Kurt Vanessa: Her Love Story Benjamin Herries No More Ladies Sheridan Warren 1936 Petticoat Fever Dascom Dinsmore Trouble for Two Prince Florizel Alternative title: The Suicide Club Piccadilly Jim James "Piccadilly Jim" Crocker Jr. 1937 Lord Arthur Dilling Night Must Fall Danny Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor Ever Since Eve Freddie Matthews Live, Love and Learn Bob Graham 1938 The First Hundred Years David Conway Yellow Jack John O'Hara Three Loves Has Nancy Malcolm "Mal" Niles 1939 Fast and Loose Joel Sloane 1940 Robert Kilmount Busman's Honeymoon Lord Peter Wimsey Alternative title: Haunted Honeymoon 1941 Mr. & Mrs. Smith David Smith Rage in Heaven Philip Monrell Here Comes Mr. Jordan Joe Pendleton Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor Unfinished Business Tommy Duncan 1945 They Were Expendable Lt. John Brickley Also directed during illness of John Ford (uncredited) 1947 Lady in the Lake Philip Marlowe Also directed Ride the Pink Horse Lucky Gagin Also directed 1948 Matt Saxon June Bride Carey Jackson 1949 Poet's Pub Dancer Uncredited Once More, My Darling Collier "Collie" Laing Also directed 1950 Your Witness Adam Heyward Also directed 1960 Narrator Also directed

Television credits Year Title Role Notes 1950–57 Robert Montgomery Presents Host 1957 What's My Line? Mystery Guest Aired Jan 13, 1957 1958 Navy Log Host Episode: "The Butchers of Kapsan"

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source 1942 Philip Morris Playhouse Man Hunt 1947 Lux Radio Theater Ride the Pink Horse 1948 Suspense The Black Curtain 1948 Suspense In A Lonely Place