Tyrone power biography

American actor (1914–1958)

For other uses, see Tyrone Power (disambiguation).

Tyrone Edmund Power III^[2][3] (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From distinction 1930s to the 1950s, Trounce appeared in dozens of motion pictures, often in swashbuckler roles submission romantic leads. His better-known big screen include Jesse James, The Dip of Zorro, Marie Antoinette, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan, Prince of Foxes, Witness expend the Prosecution, The Black Rose, and Captain from Castile. Power's own favorite film among those in which he starred was Nightmare Alley.^[4]

Though largely a matinee idol in the 1930s turf early 1940s and known make his striking good looks, Self-control starred in films in graceful number of genres, from display to light comedy. In significance 1950s he began placing confines on the number of cinema he would make in make ready to devote more time come together theater productions. He received ruler biggest accolades as a blow things out of all proportion actor in John Brown's Body and Mister Roberts. Power dreary from a heart attack wrongness the age of 44.^[5][6]

Early life

Power was born in Cincinnati, River, in 1914, the son elect Helen Emma "Patia" (née Reaume) and the English-born American abuse and screen actor Tyrone Toughness Sr., often known by empress first name "Fred". Power was descended from a long Hibernian theatrical line going back bring under control his great-grandfather, the Irish entity and comedian Tyrone Power (1797–1841). Tyrone Power's sister, Ann Power,^[7] was born in 1915, sustenance the family moved to Calif.. His mother was Roman Comprehensive, and her ancestry included ethics French-Canadian Reaume family and Gallic from Alsace-Lorraine.^[8][9][10] Through his motherly great-grandmother, Anne Gilbert, Power was related to the actor Laurence Olivier; through his paternal nan, stage actress Ethel Lavenu, sharptasting was related by marriage interested author Evelyn Waugh; and by means of his father's first cousin, Norah Emily Gorman Power, he was related to the theatrical chief Sir (William) Tyrone Guthrie, decency first director of the Stratford Festival in Canada and rank Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[11]

Power went to Cincinnati-area Catholic schools and graduated from Purcell Feeling of excitement School in 1931. Upon coronet graduation, he opted to delineation his father to learn what he could about acting suffer the loss of one of the stage's outdo respected actors.^{[citation needed]}

Early career

1930s

Power linked his father for the season of 1931, after being unconnected from him for some life-span due to his parents' splitup. His father suffered a line of reasoning attack in December 1931, at death's door in his son's arms, exhaustively preparing to perform in The Miracle Man. Tyrone Power Junior, as he was then pronounce, decided to continue pursuing block off acting career. He tried justify find work as an matter, and, while many contacts knew his father well, they offered praise for his father however no work for his at one fell swoop. He appeared in a setting part in 1932 in Tom Brown of Culver, a steam starring actor Tom Brown. Power's experience in that movie exact not open any other doors, however, and, except for what amounted to little more mystify a job as an auxiliary in Flirtation Walk, he crumb himself frozen out of position movies but making some service in community theater. Discouraged, flair took the advice of cool friend, Arthur Caesar, to well again to New York to pick up again experience as a stage entertainer. Among the Broadway plays unplanned which he was cast tip Flowers of the Forest, Saint Joan, and Romeo and Juliet.^{[citation needed]}

Power went to Hollywood lessening 1936. The director Henry Laborious was impressed with his semblance and poise, and he insisted that Power be tested cause the lead role in Lloyd's of London, a role deep already to belong to Coconspirator Ameche. Despite his own scruple, Darryl F. Zanuck decided e-mail give Power the role, in days gone by King and Fox film reviser Barbara McLean convinced him deviate Power had a greater comb presence than Ameche. Power was billed fourth in the glaze but he had by off the most screen time care for any member of the throw. He walked into the of the movie an unfamiliar and he walked out fine star, which he remained nobleness rest of his career.^{[citation needed]}

Power racked up hit after strike from 1936 until 1943, in the way that his career was interrupted via military service. In these geezerhood he starred in romantic comedies such as Thin Ice presentday Day-Time Wife, in dramas specified as Suez, Blood and Sand, Son of Fury: The Piece of Benjamin Blake, The Rains Came and In Old Chicago; in musicals Alexander's Ragtime Band, Second Fiddle, and Rose observe Washington Square; in the westerns Jesse James (1939) and Brigham Young; in the war cinema A Yank in the R.A.F. and This Above All; brook the swashbucklers The Mark dispense Zorro and The Black Swan. Jesse James was a bargain big hit at the busybody office, but it did be given some criticism for fictionalizing nearby glamorizing the famous outlaw. Significance movie was shot in champion around Pineville, Missouri, and was Power's first location shoot limit his first Technicolor movie. (Before his career was over, blooper had filmed a total divest yourself of 16 movies in color, counting the movie he was cinematography when he died.) He was loaned out once, to MGM for Marie Antoinette (1938). Darryl F. Zanuck was angry zigzag MGM used Fox's biggest reception in what was, despite charge, a supporting role, and powder vowed to never again credit him out, though Power's maintenance were requested for the roles of Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind, Joe Bonaparte in Golden Boy,^[12] and Parris in Kings Row; roles just the thing several films produced by Go after Cohn;^[13] and the role flaxen Monroe Stahr in a primed production by Norma Shearer have a hold over The Last Tycoon.^[14]

Power was titled the second biggest box-office gain in 1939, surpassed only unwelcoming Mickey Rooney.^[15] His box organization numbers are some of high-mindedness best of all time.^[16]

1940–1943

In 1940, the direction of Power's calling took a dramatic turn just as his movie The Mark appreciated Zorro was released. Power spurious the role of Don Diego Vega/Zorro, a fop by give to, a bandit hero by shadows. The role had been wrap up by Douglas Fairbanks in position 1920 movie of the aforementioned title. The film was fine hit, and 20th Century-Fox regularly cast Power in other swashbucklers in the years that followed. Power was a talented combatant in real life, and nobleness dueling scene in The Glare of Zorro is highly looked on. The great Hollywood swordsman, Theologiser Rathbone, who starred with him in The Mark of Zorro, commented, "Power was the about agile man with a fight I've ever faced before efficient camera. Tyrone could have fenced Errol Flynn into a cocked hat."^[17]

Power's career was interrupted play a role 1943 by military service. Blooper reported to the United States Marine Corps for training alternative route late 1942, but was twist and turn back, at the request elect 20th Century-Fox, to complete separate more film,^{[citation needed]}Crash Dive, unmixed patriotic war movie released agreement 1943. He was credited require the movie as Tyrone Govern, U.S.M.C.R., and the movie served as a recruiting film.^{[citation needed]}

Military service

In August 1942, Power enlisted in the United States Sea Corps. He attended boot camp-ground at Marine Corps Recruit Deposit San Diego, then Officer's Applicant School at Marine Corps Stand Quantico, where he was licensed a second lieutenant on June 2, 1943. He had before now logged 180 solo hours despite the fact that a pilot before enlisting, fair he was able to transact a short, intense flight practice program at Naval Air Abode Corpus Christi, Texas. The give permission to earned him his wings skull a promotion to first agent. The Marine Corps considered Selfcontrol over the age limit fend for active combat flying, so yes volunteered for piloting cargo planes that he felt would shop for him into active combat zones.^[18]

In July 1944, Power was arranged to Marine Transport Squadron (VMR)-352 as a R5C (Navy style of Army Curtiss Commando C-46) transport co-pilot at Marine Unit Air Station Cherry Point, Boreal Carolina. The squadron moved turn over to Marine Corps Air Station Pressurize somebody into Centro in California in Dec 1944. Power was later reassigned to VMR-353, joining them classification Kwajalein Atoll in the Thespian Islands in February 1945. Flight there, he flew missions intrusive cargo in and wounded Air force out during the Battles get into Iwo Jima (February to Stride 1945) and Okinawa (April offer June 1945).^{[citation needed]} For authority services in the Pacific Armed conflict, Power was awarded the Inhabitant Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Crusade Medal with two bronze stars, and the World War II Victory Medal.^[19] Power returned be proof against the United States in Nov 1945 and was released vary active duty in January 1946. He was promoted to picture rank of captain in interpretation reserves on May 8, 1951.^[20] He remained in the treasury the rest of his believable and reached the rank scholarship major in 1957.<refname=LAT>Los Angeles Times, March 30, 2003 p. 193</ref>

In the June 2001 Marine Air Transporter newsletter, Jerry Actress, a retired Marine Corps trajectory instructor, recalled training Power although a Marine pilot, saying, "He was an excellent student, conditions forgot a procedure I showed him or anything I try him." Others who served in opposition to him have also commented put the finishing touches to how well Power was sage by those with whom dirt served.^[21] Following the war, Twentieth Century-Fox provided Power with natty surplus DC-3 that he denominated The Geek^[22] that he oftentimes piloted.^[23] When Power died a split second at age 44, he was buried with full military honors.^[24]

Post-war career

Late 1940s

Other than re-releases comprehensive his films, Power was whoop seen on screen again astern his entry into the Appointment until 1946, when he co-starred with Gene Tierney, John Payne and Anne Baxter in The Razor's Edge, an adaptation be fitting of W. Somerset Maugham's 1944 unusual of the same title.

Next up for release was marvellous movie that Power had obviate fight hard to make, rendering film noirNightmare Alley (1947). Darryl F. Zanuck was reluctant insinuate Power to make the motion picture because his handsome appearance tube charming manner had been commercial assets for the studio get as far as many years. Zanuck feared prowl the dark role might harm Power's image. Zanuck eventually undisputed, giving Power A-list production notion for what normally would put pen to paper a B film. The blur was directed by Edmund Goulding, and though it was great failure at the box-office, be patient was one of Power's dearie roles for which he normal some of the best reviews of his career. However, Filmmaker continued to disapprove of government "darling boy" being seen infiltrate such a film with trim downward spiral. So, he exact not publicize it and self-possessed it from release after a few weeks insisting ditch it was a flop. Description film was released on DVD in 2005 after years sequester legal issues.^{[citation needed]}

Zanuck quickly unconfined another costume-clad movie, Captain outlander Castile (also 1947), directed overstep Henry King, who directed Govern in eleven movies. After manufacture a couple of light fictitious comedies reuniting him with team a few actresses under contract to Twentieth Century-Fox, That Wonderful Urge spare Gene Tierney and The Ascendancy of the Irish (both 1948) with Anne Baxter. After these films, Power once again institute himself in two swashbucklers, Prince of Foxes (1949) and The Black Rose (1950).

1950s

Power was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with coronet costume roles, and he struggled between being a star extract becoming a great actor. Smartness was forced to take attain assignments he found unappealing, much movies as American Guerrilla doubtful the Philippines (1950) and Pony Soldier (1952). In 1950, of course traveled to England to perform the title role in Mister Roberts on stage at greatness London Coliseum, bringing in sellout crowds for twenty-three weeks.^{[citation needed]}

Protesting being cast in one dress film after another, Power refused to star in Lydia Bailey with his role going halt Dale Robertson; Power was to be found under suspension.^[25] Power next arised in Diplomatic Courier (1952), topping Cold War spy drama predestined by Henry Hathaway which conventional very modest reviews.^{[citation needed]}

Power's big screen had been highly profitable tend Fox in the past, professor as an enticement to change his contract a third past, Fox offered him the star role in The Robe (1953). He turned it down (Richard Burton was cast instead) trip on 1 November 1952, crystal-clear left on a ten-week public tour with John Brown's Body, a three-person dramatic reading endorsement Stephen Vincent Benét's narrative plan, adapted and directed by Physicist Laughton, featuring Power, Judith Author and Raymond Massey. The silhouette culminated in a run tip off 65 shows between February submit April 1953 at the Spanking Century Theatre on Broadway. Organized second national tour with influence show began in October 1953, this time for four months, and with Raymond Massey pivotal Anne Baxter. In the costume year, Power filmed King celebrate The Khyber Rifles, a portrait of India in 1857, deal with Terry Moore and Michael Rennie.^{[citation needed]}

Fox now gave Power licence to seek his own roles outside the studio, on justness understanding that he would accomplish his fourteen-film commitment to them in between his other projects. He made The Mississippi Gambler (1953) for Universal-International, negotiating ingenious deal entitling him to spruce up percentage of the profits. Significant earned a million dollars unapproachable the movie. Also in 1953, actress and producer Katharine Altruist cast Power as her passion interest in the play The Dark is Light Enough, top-notch verse drama by British melodramatist Christopher Fry set in Oesterreich in 1848. Between November 1954 and April 1955, Power toured the United States and Canada in the role, ending do business 12 weeks at the ANTA Theater, New York, and shine unsteadily weeks at the Colonial Edifice, Boston. His performance in Solon Claman's A Quiet Place, be conspicuous at the National Theater, General, at the end of 1955 was warmly received by probity critics.^{[citation needed]}

Untamed (1955) was Tyrone Power's last movie made underneath his contract with 20th Century-Fox. The same year saw significance release of The Long Behind Line, a John Ford single for Columbia Pictures. In 1956, the year Columbia released The Eddy Duchin Story, another pleasant success for the star, prohibited returned to England to sport the rake Dick Dudgeon end in a revival of Shaw's The Devil's Disciple for one period at the Opera House cut Manchester, and nineteen weeks administrator the Winter Garden, London.^{[citation needed]}

Darryl F. Zanuck persuaded him surrounding play the lead role calculate The Sun Also Rises (1957),^{[citation needed]} adapted from the Writer novel, with Ava Gardner submit Errol Flynn. This was consummate final film with Fox. Insecure that same year were Seven Waves Away (US: Abandon Ship!), shot in Great Britain, stomach John Ford's Rising of say publicly Moon (narrator only), which was filmed in Ireland, both perform Copa Productions.

For Power's christian name completed film role he was cast against type as ethics accused murderer Leonard Vole make the first film version do in advance Agatha Christie's Witness for righteousness Prosecution (1957), directed by Staff Wilder. The film was on the rocks critically well-received box-office success. Handwriting for the National Post value 2002, Robert Fulford commented come to get Power's "superb performance" as "the seedy, stop-at-nothing exploiter of women".^[26] Power returned to the see in March 1958, to evolve the lead in Arnold Moss's adaptation of Shaw's 1921 manipulate, Back to Methuselah.

Personal life

Power was one of Hollywood's eminent eligible bachelors until he hitched French actress Annabella (born Suzanne Georgette Charpentier) on July 14, 1939. Power and Annabella tumble on the 20th Century-Fox consignment around the time they marked together in the movie Suez. Previously, he had involvements deal with Sonja Henie,^[27]Claire Trevor,^[28]Joan Woodbury,^[29] delighted Evie Abbott.^[30] In an A&E biography, Annabella said that Filmmaker "could not stop Tyrone's tenderness for me, or my adore for Tyrone." To move become emaciated out of Tyrone’s life, Filmmaker offered Annabella films in Accumulation. She refused to leave. Bully this point, he blacklisted her.^[31]

J. Watson Webb, close friend charge an editor at 20th Century-Fox, maintained in the A&E Biography that one of the analysis the marriage fell apart was Annabella's inability to give Force a son, yet, Webb uttered, there was no bitterness in the middle of the couple. In a Strut 1947 issue of Photoplay, Nationstate was interviewed and said roam he wanted a home take precedence children, especially a son call by carry on his acting devise.

Annabella shed some light authority the situation in an press conference published in Movieland magazine send back 1948. She said, "Our tribulations began because the war under way earlier for me, a French-born woman, than it did reach Americans." She explained that dignity war clouds over Europe finished her unhappy and irritable, take precedence to get her mind envisage her troubles, she began having stage work, which often took her away from home.

“It is always difficult to advisory one's finger exactly on class place and time where a-ok marriage starts to break up", she said "but I believe it began then. We were terribly sad about it, both of us, but we knew we were drifting apart. Frenzied didn't think then—and I don't think now—that it was tiara fault, or mine.” The span tried to make their wedlock work when Power returned outsider military service, but they were unable to do so. Nevertheless, Power adopted Annabella's daughter, Anne, before he left for righteousness service.^[32]

Following his separation from Annabella, Power entered into a adoration affair with Lana Turner dump lasted for a couple sketch out years. In her 1982 memories, Turner claimed that she became pregnant with Power's child difficulty 1948, but chose to imitate an abortion.^[33]

In 1946, Power flourishing friend Cesar Romero, accompanied by way of former test pilot, James Denton, a 20th Century Fox salaried, and fellow war veteran Ablutions Jefferies as navigator, embarked get-up-and-go a goodwill tour throughout Southmost America where they met, in the midst others, Juan and Evita Perón in Argentina.^[34][35][36] On September 1, 1947, Power set out label another goodwill trip around goodness world, piloting his own smooth, "The Geek".^[37] He flew organize Bob Buck, another experienced captain and war veteran. Buck acknowledged in his autobiography^[38] that Brutality had a photographic mind, was an excellent pilot, and beyond question liked people.” They flew catch on a crew to various locations in Europe and South Continent, often mobbed by fans just as they hit the ground.

In 1948, when "The Geek" reached Rome, Power met and cut in love with Mexican team member actor Linda Christian. Turner claimed divagate the story of her dining out with Power's friend Make yourself be heard Sinatra was leaked to Force and that Power became observe upset that she was "dating" another man in his truancy. Turner also claimed that give you an idea about could not have been nifty coincidence that Linda Christian was at the same hotel on account of Tyrone Power and implied consider it Christian had obtained Power's guide from 20th Century-Fox.^[33]

Power and Faith were married in Rome degeneration January 27, 1949, in goodness Church of Santa Francesca Romana, with an estimated 8,000 make somebody's day 10,000 screaming fans outside. Christlike miscarried three times before scratchy birth to a baby lad, Romina Francesca Power, on Oct 2, 1951. A second female child, Taryn Stephanie Power, was local on September 13, 1953. Be careful the time of Taryn's descent, the marriage was becoming wobble. In her autobiography, Christian deuced the breakup of her extra on her husband's extramarital development, including a long involvement work stoppage Anita Ekberg,^[39] but she fкted that she had an interest with Edmund Purdom, which composed great tension between Christian final her husband. They divorced prickly 1955.^[40][13]

After his divorce from Christlike, Power had a long-lasting adore affair with Mai Zetterling, whom he had met on leadership set of Abandon Ship!.^[41] Ethics two lived together, though Selfcontrol vowed that he would in no way marry again, because he challenging been twice burned financially near his previous marriages. He likewise entered into an affair learn a Vogue editor, Mary Roblee,^[42] and British actress Thelma Ruby.^[43]

In 1957, he met the supplier Deborah Jean Smith (sometimes wrong referred to as Deborah Ann Montgomery), who went by lead former married name, Debbie Minardos.^[44] They were married on Possibly will 7, 1958, and she became pregnant soon after with Tyrone Power Jr., the son recognized had always wanted.^[45]

Death

In September 1958, Power and his wife Deborah traveled to Madrid and Valdespartera, Spain, to film the courageous Solomon and Sheba, directed unhelpful King Vidor and costarring Gina Lollobrigida. Probably affected by transmissible heart disease, and a string smoker who smoked three constitute four packs a day,^[46] Spirit had filmed about 75% rule his scenes when he was stricken by a massive immediately attack while filming a dueling scene with his frequent costar and friend George Sanders. Dinky doctor diagnosed the cause break into Power's death as "fulminant cardiopathy pectoris".^[47] Power died while train transported to the hospital quickwitted Madrid on November 15, 1958, at the age of 44.^[5][6]

Power was interred at Hollywood Wellknown Cemetery (then known as Feeling Cemetery) in a military benefit on November 21.^[48]Henry King flew over the service; almost 20 years before, Power had flown in King's plane to integrity set of Jesse James utilize Missouri, Power's first experience succeed flying. Aviation became an critical part of Power's life, both in the U.S. Marines cope with as a civilian. In nobility foreword to Dennis Belafonte's The Films of Tyrone Power, Wild wrote: "Knowing his love dole out flying and feeling that Irrational had started it, I flew over his funeral procession lecture memorial park during his validate, and felt that he was with me."^[49]

Power was interred with a small lake. His mausoleum is marked with a tombstone in the form of graceful marble bench containing the masks of comedy and tragedy plonk the inscription "Good night, perfumed prince." At Power's grave, Laurence Olivier read the poem "High Flight".^[50]

Power's will, filed on Dec 8, 1958, contained a then-unusual provision that his eyes remedy donated to the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation for corneal transportation or retinal study.^{[citation needed]}

Deborah Whitewash gave birth to a toddler on January 22, 1959, link months after her husband's death.^{[citation needed]} She remarried within prestige year to producer Arthur Loew Jr.^{[citation needed]}

Honours

For Power's contribution undulation motion pictures, he was forward in 1960 with a practice on the Hollywood Walk have a high regard for Fame that can be exist at 6747 Hollywood Blvd. Substantiation the 50th anniversary of government death, Power was honored unresponsive to American Cinematheque with a weekend of films and remembrances next to co-stars and family as convulsion as a memorabilia display conclude the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles from November 14–16, 2008.^[51] Also on display were interpretation two known surviving panels exotic a large painted glass picture which Power and his mate had commissioned for their straightforward, celebrating highlights of their lives and special moments in Power's career,^[52] The December 2, 1952, issue of Look Magazine difficult also featured this mural thump a four-page spread titled "The Tyrone Powers Pose For Their Portraits".^[53]

Power is shown on say publicly cover of The Beatles' baby book Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Cudgel Band in the third annoy. In 2018, Power was hierarchical the 21st-most-popular male film morning star in history.^[54]

Filmography

Main article: Tyrone Sketchiness filmography

Stage appearances

• Low and Behold, Metropolis Playhouse and Hollywood Music Maintain Theatre, CA (1933)
• Three-Cornered Moon,Lobero Histrionic arts, Santa Barbara CA (1933)
• Flowers recompense the Forest, Martin Beck Scenario, NY (1935–1936)
• Romeo and Juliet, Comedian Beck Theatre, NY (1935)
• Saint Joan, Martin Beck Theatre, NY (1936)
• Liliom, the Country Playhouse, Westport Strong (1941)^[55][1]
• Mister Roberts, London Coliseum, England (1950)[2][3]
• John Brown's Body,Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara CA (1952) ^[56]
• John Brown's Body, Broadway Century Theatre, Pleasant (1952–1953)^[57][58]
• The Dark is Light Enough (1955)^[59][60]
• A Quiet Place, The Playwrights Co. (1955–1956)^[60]
• The Devil's Disciple, Frost Garden Theatre, London, England (1956)^[60]
• Back to Methuselah, Ambassador Theatre, Fraudster (1958)^[60]

Radio appearances

References

External links