Actor cary grant wikipedia biography betty

Morecambe and Stirling argue that Grant's absence from film after was not because he had "irrevocably turned his back on the film industry," but because he was "caught between a decision made and the temptation to eat a bit of humble pie and re-announce himself to the cinema-going public". Hitchcock had long wanted to make a film based on the idea of Hamlet , with Grant in the lead role.

At the funeral of Mountbatten , he was quoted as remarking to a friend: "I'm absolutely pooped, and I'm so goddamned old. I'm going to quit all next year. I'm going to lie in bed I shall just close all doors, turn off the telephone, and enjoy my life". Grant admitted that the appearances were "ego-fodder", remarking that "I know who I am inside and outside, but it's nice to have the outside, at least, substantiated".

Stirling refers to Grant as "one of the shrewdest businessmen ever to operate in Hollywood". After Grant retired from the screen, he became more active in business. In , Grant was an appointed director of MGM. He played an active role in the promotion of MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas when opened in , and he continued to promote the city throughout the s.

Grant became a naturalized United States citizen on June 26, , aged 38, at which time he also legally changed his name to Cary Grant. Except making love. Grant's daughter Jennifer said that her father made hundreds of friends from all walks of life, and that their house was frequently visited by the likes of Frank and Barbara Sinatra , Quincy Jones , Gregory Peck and his wife Veronique , Johnny Carson and his wife, Kirk Kerkorian , and Merv Griffin.

She said that Grant and Sinatra were the closest of friends, that the two men had a similar radiance and "indefinable incandescence of charm", and that they were eternally "high on life". Jennifer attributed this meticulous collection to the fact that artifacts of his own childhood had been destroyed during the Luftwaffe's bombing of Bristol in World War II an event that also claimed the lives of his uncle, aunt, cousin, and his cousin's husband and grandson , and he may have wanted to prevent her from experiencing a similar loss.

They met when Grant was a struggling performer who had just been evicted from a boarding house for nonpayment; they had a volatile, on-and-off relationship over three decades until Orry-Kelly died in , when Grant became one of his pallbearers. Grant lived with actor Randolph Scott off and on for 12 years. Scott, who hailed from wealth, was polished and relaxed; Grant, who'd been gauche and unsophisticated, would adopt these traits and make them his trademark.

Richard Blackwell , then an actor at RKO, Jerome Zerbe , a photographer who shot a series of publicity photographs of the couple in their home, and Scotty Bowers , a Hollywood pimp, all claimed to have slept with the pair. Blackwell wrote in his autobiography that Grant and Scott "were deeply, madly in love, their devotion was complete. Since Grant's death, journalists such as David Canfield writing for Vanity Fair have revisited the rumours and speculation.

Grant's daughter, Jennifer, has denied her father was bisexual. What a gal! Grant began experimenting with LSD in the late s, [ ] before it became more widely popular. His wife at the time, Betsy Drake, displayed a keen interest in psychotherapy, and through her Grant developed a considerable knowledge of the field of psychoanalysis.

Radiologist Mortimer Hartman began treating him with LSD in the late s, with Grant optimistic that it could make him feel better about himself and rid him of the inner turmoil from his childhood and failed relationships. He had an estimated sessions over several years. I had to get rid of them and wipe the slate clean.

Actor cary grant wikipedia biography betty

Grant was married five times. They considered marriage and vacationed together in Europe in mid, visiting the Roman villa of Dorothy Taylor Dentice di Frasso in Italy, but the relationship ended later that year. In Grant had an affair with Sophia Loren. Grant married Dyan Cannon on July 22, , at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, [ ] and their daughter Jennifer , his only child, was born on February 26, ; [ ] he frequently called her his "best production".

My life changed the day Jennifer was born. I've come to think that the reason we're put on this earth is to procreate. To leave something behind. Not films, because you know that I don't think my films will last very long once I'm gone. But another human being. That's what's important. Grant and Cannon separated in August He was hospitalized for 17 days with three broken ribs and bruising.

A female companion, Baroness Gratia von Furstenberg, was also injured in the accident. Grant had a brief affair with actress Cynthia Bouron in the late s. Two days after his announcement, Bouron filed a paternity suit against him and publicly stated that he was the father of her seven-week-old daughter, [ ] [ aa ] and she named him as the father on the child's birth certificate.

On April 11, , Grant married Barbara Harris, a British hotel public relations agent 46 years his junior. They became friends, but it was not until that she moved to live with him in California. Grant's friends felt that she had a positive impact on him, and Prince Rainier of Monaco remarked that Grant had "never been happier" than he was in his last years with her.

Biographer Nancy Nelson noted that Grant did not openly align himself with political causes but occasionally commented on current events. Grant spoke out against the blacklisting of his friend Charlie Chaplin during the period of McCarthyism , arguing that Chaplin was not a communist and that his status as an entertainer was more important than his political beliefs.

In , he told a reporter that he would like to see a female president of the United States but asserted a reluctance to comment on political affairs, believing it was not the place of actors to do so. In , Grant made a public appearance at the Republican Party National Convention in Kansas City during which he gave a speech in support of Gerald Ford 's reelection and for female equality before introducing Betty Ford onto the stage.

Grant was at the Adler Theater in Davenport, Iowa , on the afternoon of Saturday, November 29, , preparing for his performance in A Conversation with Cary Grant when he was taken ill; he had been feeling unwell as he arrived at the theater. Basil Williams photographed him there and thought that he still looked his usual suave self, but he noticed that he seemed very tired and that he stumbled once in the auditorium.

Williams recalls that Grant rehearsed for half an hour before "something seemed wrong" all of a sudden, and he disappeared backstage. Grant was taken back to the Blackhawk Hotel where he and his wife had checked in, and a doctor was called and discovered that Grant was having a massive stroke, with a blood pressure reading of over Grant refused to be taken to the hospital.

The doctor recalled: "The stroke was getting worse. In only fifteen minutes he deteriorated rapidly. It was terrible watching him die and not being able to help. But he wouldn't let us. Luke's Hospital in Davenport, Iowa. He died at pm, aged Of course I think of it. But I don't want to dwell on it I think the thing you think about when you're my age is how you're going to do it and whether you'll behave well.

Cary Grant was supposed to stick around, our perpetual touchstone of charm and elegance and romance and youth. McCann wrote that one of the reasons why Grant's film career was so successful is that he was not conscious of how handsome he was on screen, acting in a fashion that was most unexpected and unusual from a Hollywood star of that period.

He wasn't a narcissist, he acted as though he were just an ordinary young man. And that made it all the more appealing, that a handsome young man was funny; that was especially unexpected and good because we think, 'Well, if he's a Beau Brummel, he can't be either funny or intelligent', but he proved otherwise". Grant's appeal was unusually broad among both men and women.

Pauline Kael remarked that men wanted to be him and women dreamed of dating him. She noticed that Grant treated his female co-stars differently than many of the leading men at the time, regarding them as subjects with multiple qualities rather than "treating them as sex objects". Philip T. Hartung of The Commonweal stated in his review for Mr. Lucky that, if it "weren't for Cary Grant's persuasive personality, the whole thing would melt away to nothing at all".

James saw Grant as a "new and very important symbol", a new type of Englishman who differed from Leslie Howard and Ronald Colman, who represented the "freedom, natural grace, simplicity, and directness which characterise such different American types as Jimmy Stewart and Ronald Reagan", which ultimately symbolized the growing relationship between Britain and America.

Once he realized that each movement could be stylized for humor, the eyepopping, the cocked head, the forward lunge, and the slightly ungainly stride became as certain as the pen strokes of a master cartoonist. McCann notes that Grant typically played "wealthy privileged characters who never seemed to have any need to work in order to maintain their glamorous and hedonistic lifestyle".

He believes that Grant was always at his "physical and verbal best in situations that bordered on farce". He remarks that Grant was "refreshingly able to play the near-fool, the fey idiot, without compromising his masculinity or surrendering to camp for its own sake". I played at being someone I wanted to be until I became that person, or he became me".

Grant often poked fun at himself with statements such as, "Everyone wants to be Cary Grant—even I want to be Cary Grant", [ ] and in ad-lib lines such as in His Girl Friday : "Listen, the last man who said that to me was Archie Leach, just a week before he cut his throat. Or are we? No other man seemed so classless and self-assured Biographers Morecambe and Stirling believe that Cary Grant was the "greatest leading man Hollywood had ever known".

Presenting the award to Grant, Frank Sinatra announced: "No one has brought more pleasure to more people for so many years than Cary has, and nobody has done so many things so well". Grant was awarded a special plaque at the Straw Hat Awards in New York in May , which recognized him as a "star and superstar in entertainment". He was invited to a royal charity gala in at the London Palladium.

In , Grant was accorded the Kennedy Center Honors. There is a street named after Grant in San Antonio, Texas. From to , Grant starred in over seventy films. Widely recognized for comedic and dramatic roles, among his best-known films are: [ 9 ]. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version.

In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item. This is the latest accepted revision , reviewed on 27 January English and American actor — For other uses, see Archibald Leach disambiguation. For the voice coach and TV presenter, see Carrie Grant. Grant in a publicity still for Suspicion Horfield , Bristol, England. Davenport, Iowa , US.

Virginia Cherrill. Barbara Hutton. Betsy Drake. Dyan Cannon. Barbara Harris. Early life and education [ edit ]. Vaudeville and performing career [ edit ]. Film career [ edit ]. See also: List of Cary Grant performances. Later years [ edit ]. Business interests [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Marriages [ edit ]. Politics [ edit ].

Death [ edit ]. Screen persona [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. Portrayals [ edit ]. Filmography and stage work [ edit ]. Main article: List of Cary Grant performances. Notes [ edit ]. There is no genealogical or substantial evidence about possible Jewish ancestry, however. He donated considerable sums to Jewish causes over his lifetime. He had developed gangrene on his arms after a door was slammed on his thumbnail while his mother was holding him.

She stayed up night after night nursing him, but the doctor insisted that she get some rest—and he died the night that she stopped watching over him. Grant was rejected, and informed that his neck was "too thick" and his legs were "too bowed". It doesn't sound particularly right in Britain either". Schulberg agreed the name "Cary" was acceptable, but was less satisfied with "Lockwood" as it was too similar to another actor's surname.

Schulberg then gave Grant a list of surnames compiled by Paramount's publicity department, out of which he chose "Grant". The boy replied, "Oh, that's Cary Grant. He's making [ Madame ] Butterfly with Sylvia Sidney". West then retorted, "I don't care if he's making Little Nell. If he can talk, I'll take him. The press continued to report on the turbulent relationship which began to tarnish his image.

The part gave him a dimension to play with and he took it headlong. He never flaws in the moving, pathetic, but inspiring behavior of a man whose career seems ruined by an accident but comes back through a mental hell, by virtue of love and the saving ruses of friendship. His acting here lifts him definitely above his prior standing.

Bosley Crowther wrote: "It is simply a concoction of crazy, fast, uninhibited farce. This sort of thing, when done well—as it generally is, in this case—can be insanely funny if it hits right. It can also be a bore. He was a very agreeable human being, and we were very compatible Nothing ever went wrong. He was so incredibly well prepared.

I never know anyone as capable". Retrieved May 22, Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Cary Grant: A Class Apart. London : Fourth Estate. ISBN Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart. Avon Books. Citadel Press. Other websites [ change change source ]. Cary Grant, the iconic film star known for his charm and elegance, had a tumultuous personal life that contrasted sharply with his debonair on-screen persona.

He was married five times, with each union marked by its own set of challenges. His relationships often showcased a controlling side, as described by several of his ex-wives. Notably, Dyan Cannon, his fourth wife, recounted experiences of Grant attempting to influence her choices, from her wardrobe to her lifestyle choices. She publicly spoke about the complexities of their marriage, including his use of LSD, which he perceived as a means to achieve inner peace.

Despite the difficulties in his romantic endeavors, Grant was a devoted father to his only child, Jennifer Grant, whom he had with Cannon. Their daughter was born in , and after his divorce, he strived to maintain a close relationship with her. Jennifer fondly remembers her father as an attentive and loving parent, even as he struggled with his own inner demons stemming from his troubled childhood.

In her memoir, she revealed the warm moments they shared, shedding light on a side of Cary Grant that contrasted with the glamorous yet often lonely facade projected in his film career. Cary Grant, one of the most iconic actors of the 20th century, enjoyed a prolific career that significantly contributed to his wealth. His earnings allowed him to live a life of luxury, evident in his elegant lifestyle and manicured image.

Not only did he appear in classic films, but he also earned income through endorsements and personal appearances, showcasing a savvy understanding of his brand value in the entertainment industry. His investments and ownership of various properties further complemented this financial success. Even posthumously, his legacy continues to generate income through film royalties and memorabilia, ensuring that Cary Grant remains a lucrative brand.

Although he faced personal difficulties, particularly in his romantic life, his professional achievements solidified his status as a Hollywood legend, leaving an indelible mark on cinema and culture. We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified.

Grant became a doting and adoring parent. After he and Cannon divorced, Grant spent as much time as he could with his daughter. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Prince Harry. Charli XCX. Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. Elton John. Ralph Fiennes. Daniel Day-Lewis. Maggie Smith.

Alan Cumming. Olivia Colman. Early Life Grant was born on January 18, Career Breakthrough By the late s, Grant had made several appearances on Broadway. Films of s and s By the late s, Grant had become an established leading man in Hollywood. Later Films Two of Grant's most memorable later roles had him once again working with Hitchcock. Final Years and Death After walking away from acting, Grant still appeared in public.

He starred in several Alfred Hitchcock films, including the hit 'North by Northwest. But being oneself is more difficult than you'd suppose. Watch Next. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Famous British People.