He eventually returned to America and was eager to become one of Hollywoods most successful film producers. He was 50 years old. He attended the Oscars in March 1943,[34] and in September he appeared in a trailer promoting a war loan drive titled Letter from a Friend. Alan was a producer and an executive of the renowned movie industry. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was forced out in 1993 in another ownership change. Alan Ladd, Actor, Dies at 50; Appeared in 150 Movie Roles; Became Famous for Part of Killer in This Gun for Hire Was Hero of Shane, https://www.nytimes.com/1964/01/30/archives/alan-ladd-actor-dies-at-50-appeared-in-150-movie-roles-became.html. She wrote about the sad news and informed the public on Facebook. Fans were allowed to see his coffin. Alan Ladd Jr., Hitmaking Film Executive, Dies at 84, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/movies/alan-ladd-dead.html. The movie actor Alan Ladd died at the age of 50. In March 1957, it was announced that WarnerBros. July 2, 2021, 6:38 am, by After a brief stint as a typist (What? Nobodys strong enough to stand up under a flood of weak material., Time scoots along pretty fast when you grow up., I know whats good for me. He appeared in many great Western films including Guns of the Timberland and One Foot in Hell. He played the unique role of Ed Beaumont a villain who changes his ways in the crime film The Glass Key based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. [130], In January 1964, after injuring his knees,[clarification needed] Ladd hoped to recuperate at his house in Palm Springs. Did Alan Ladd Jr suffer from an illness? [40] On October 28, he was given an honorable medical discharge because of a stomach disorder complicated by influenza.[41][42]. The 50year . Mr. Brooks went on to make several other movies with Mr. Ladd, including the Star Wars parody Spaceballs in 1987, when Mr. Ladd was chairman of MGM. In February 1950, Paramount announced that Ladd would star in a film version of the novel Shane. [106] This was a co-production between Embassy and Paramount, meaning Ladd was filming on the Paramount back lot for the first time in over a decade. A combination of drugs and alcohol caused the death of Alan Ladd, it was reported yesterday by the county coroner. Mr. Ladd and Miss Carol were married on March 15, 1942. She was the only daughter of actor Peter Lorre and his wife Anne Marie Brenning. [88] The first of these, "Committed", was based on an old episode of Box 13, which Ladd was considering turning into a TV series. Most of all, he previously worked at MGM and Fox as an executive. Looking on are co-producers Alan Ladd Jr., left, and Bruce Davey. When a loan default put MGM in the hands of Credit Lyonnais, the French bank acrimoniously ousted Ladd, who was eventually given $10 million to sever his contract and two projects to take with him. In August 1933 Ladd was one of a group of young "discoveries" signed to a long-term contract with Universal Pictures. [32], Ladd briefly served in the United States Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit. Lucas once recalled his meeting with Ladd, whose faith in the filmmaker began with an early screening of Lucas American Graffiti before it was released. [6], Ladd enrolled in North Hollywood High School on February 18, 1930. Returning to the United States, he became a vice president at Fox in 1973. andGone Baby Gone. "[22], Both the film and Ladd's performance played an important role in the development of the gangster genre: "That the old-fashioned motion picture gangster with his ugly face, gaudy cars, and flashy clothes was replaced by a smoother, better looking, and better dressed bad man was largely the work of Mr. He produced a pilot for a TV series, starring William Bendix, called Ivy League. [31], Ladd's next film was meant to be Incendiary Blonde, opposite Betty Hutton, but he was inducted into the army on January 18, after reprising his performance in This Gun for Hire on radio for Lux Radio Theatre. Whispering Smith (1948) was his first Western and color film, and Shane (1953) was noted for its contributions to the genre. Director Frank Tuttle was struggling to find a new actor to play the role of Raven, a hit man with a conscience. The producer and studio executive Alan Ladd Jr. in an undated photo. Alan Ladd Jr., who as a producer and studio executive was a guiding hand behind scores of successful films, none bigger than Star Wars, which he championed when its young director, George Lucas, was having trouble getting it made, died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. ____________________________________________________________________________. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. [114], Ladd married Marjorie Jane "Midge" Harrold, a high school sweetheart, in October 1936. Hes remembered as one of the most talented performers in the Western genre and had a reputation as a great professional. He'd say "I love you", and he'd be looking out there some place. [14][18] RKO eventually offered Ladd a contract at $400 per week. I never made any contact with him. That the old fashioned motion picture gangster with his ugly face, gaudy cars and flashy clothes was replaced by a smoother, better looking and better dressed bad man was largely the work of Mr. Ladd. They tied a knot with each other in 1985 and had been married until the death of Ladd Jr. As per Alan Wiki, he was previously married to Patricia in 1959 and soon divorced in 1983. Ladd made a cameo appearance as a detective in the Bob Hope comedy, My Favorite Brunette (1947), and he made another cameo in an all-star Paramount film, titled, Variety Girl, singing Frank Loesser's "Tallahassee" with Dorothy Lamour. No cause of death was given.Ladd Jr., the son of Shane star Alan Ladd, started in the film business as his father's stuntman but rose to become one of its leading and most widely liked executives. [49] He also found time to make a cameo in a big-screen version of Duffy's Tavern. Surviving are his widow, the former Sue Carol; a son by his first marriage, Alan Jr., a daughter, Alana, and another son, David, and a stepdaughter, Mrs. Carol Lee Veitch. Ladd's instincts for choosing material was proving increasingly poor: George Stevens offered him the role of Jett Rink in Giant (1956), which he turned down because it was not the lead; James Dean took the part, and the film became one of the big hits of the decade. [2], Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on September 3, 1913. Facts Verse The New York Times obituary (January 30, 1964).[21]. But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. [102] Spelling also wrote Guns of the Timberland for Jaguar and Warners, in which Ladd appeared; it was his last movie for Warners. He would have to be reinducted into the army, but a deferment was given to enable Ladd to make Two Years Before the Mast (the release of which was postponed two years). Ladd tested unsuccessfully for the lead in Golden Boy (1939) but obtained many other small roles in films such as the serial The Green Hornet (1940), Her First Romance (1940), The Black Cat (1941), and the Disney film The Reluctant Dragon (1941). 1936). I used to go crazy over Superman and Flash Gordon. [] More, Lou Reed is one of those legendary performers whose influence cant be matched. In 1995, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. Alan Walbridge Ladd was born on Sept. 3, 1913, in Hot Springs, Ark., but his family moved to North Hollywood when he was 7. In 1948 a survey was taken of the film-going habits of 4,500 teenagers in Lakewood, Ohio. This film had been planned since 1946, but production was delayed due to a combination of difficulties with the censor, and Paramount's reluctance for Ladd to play such a challenging part. PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Jan. 31 (AP)Alan Ladd did not die of a heart attack, but the cause of death will have to be determined by laboratory tests, a deputy coroner said today. Ladd next made Hell on Frisco Bay (1955), a film for Jaguar also starring second-billed Edward G. Robinson and Joanne Dru, co-written by Martin Rackin and directed by Frank Tuttle, his old This Gun for Hire associate. Either way, Ladd Jr. had contributed a lot to the movie industry. Ladd died Wednesday, his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who directed the documentary "Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies," wrote in a Facebook post. [12], Ladd managed to save and borrow enough money to attend an acting school run by Ben Bard, who had taught him when he was under contract at Universal. 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A prominent producer and executive of the American movie industry, Alan Ladd Jr., passed away. Allan Ladd continued to act regularly in films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. [120] Carol had a daughter from a previous marriage, Carol Lee (b. July 18, 1932), whom Alan and Sue raised. His next films were standard fare: Chicago Deadline, playing a tough reporter; Captain Carey, U.S.A., as a vengeful ex-OSS agent, for Maibaum; and Appointment with Danger, as a postal inspector investigating a murder with the help of nun Phyllis Calvert (shot in 1949, but not released until 1951). The Ladd screen smile was never gay, always cynical and cool, and one studio press agent wrote that his eyes go through you like two icicles.. Popular, by Whether its the length of his career, the quality, the originality or the variety. His first taste of fame, though not celebrated by contemporary audiences, was in The Velvet Underground. His father, an accountant, died when Alan was only 4 years old leaving his immigrant mother to look after her son. It was only a small part, but it involved a touching death scene that brought him attention within the industry. His fans felt devastated, and its a great loss for the film industry. Allan Ladd Jr. had a successful career in the UK and wanted to replicate this in the US. The producer and executive of the movie industry, Alan Ladd Jr, passed away at 84-year-old. In fairness, MGM couldnt have afforded to make this film at the time. When Ladd returned from the army, Paramount announced a series of vehicles for him, including And Now Tomorrow[43] and Two Years Before the Mast. As an actor he was famous for being a cold, calm killer or a cold, calm good guy, who was nearly a bad guy. Ladd Jr. won a Best Picture Oscar for Braveheart and commissioned George Lucas to write Star Wars. He was a noted character actor who appeared in great films including M, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Casino [] More, The Terribly Tragic Death of Alan Ladd & His Son, Jimmy Stewart Embraced Death After His Painful Final Years, Vintage Photos Reveal Secrets of the Studio 54 Club, Scientists Discovered Evidence That Exposes An Ancient Lie About Woolly Mammoths, Handlers Thought This Owl Was Male For 23 Years Then He Laid An Egg, This Baby Elephant Decided To Spend His Last Days Alongside This Creature, Woman Adpots Tiny, Adorable Puppy. "Acting Ability Important, Even for Hollywood Stars", "City of nets: a portrait of Hollywood in the 1940s", Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated, "Rugged Screen Career of Alan Ladd Ended by Death", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alan_Ladd&oldid=1149445231, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Neurological disease deaths in California, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2021, TCMDb name template using numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Ladd then received an offer to star in Boy on a Dolphin (1957), a film being made in Greece for 20th Century Fox. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in films noir, such as This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Popular actor who played the title role in the 1953 western movie, Shane. Thank you. His portrayal of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby earned him additional acclaim. Ladd died Wednesday, his daughter. When he, as one of three producers, accepted the Oscar, his entire speech was: Id like to thank my family. [45][56][57] Exhibitors voted him the 15th-most popular star in the country. Ladd is survived by his wife, Cindra Pincock; children Kelliann, Tracy and Amanda; half-brother, David Ladd; half-sister, Alana Ladd; and step-sister Carol Lee Stuart-Ladd. He would soon star in a noir film that would change his destiny. He made Desert Legion, a film at Universal Studios (1953), playing a member of the French Foreign Legion. Star Wars wasnt the only classic sci-fi film Ladd greenlit at Fox. My Remarkable Life in Show Business (2021). Allan also continued to act in crime films, adventure films, as well as a few war films. A few years earlier, Mel Brooks was shopping his idea for Young Frankenstein, but Columbia balked when he insisted on shooting the movie in black and white. Ladd also backed Alien. As studio head at Fox and MGM (twice), Ladd affectionately known as "Laddie" was involved in some 14 best-picture nominees, including Young Frankenstein (1974), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Chariots of Fire" (1981) and Blade Runner (1982). Unfortunately, by the 1960s he also began to experience a few health problems. Ladd died Wednesday, his daughter Amanda. His black-lashed eyes, however, gave nothing away; it was 'take me as I am' or 'I'm the boss around here'. Alan Walbridge Ladd Jr. was born on Oct. 22, 1937, in Los Angeles to Alan Ladd, best known as the star of the 1953 western Shane, and his first wife, Marjorie Jane Harrold. His untimely and tragic death shocked the industry and tributes poured in from his colleagues. [13][14] Bard later claimed Ladd "was such a shy guy he just wouldn't speak up loud and strong. He eventually emigrated to London to begin his career as a film producer. I cant play black or gray. He then convinced Ladd that he should play the title role in an adaptation of The Great Gatsby, to which Paramount held the film rights; Ladd became enthusiastic at the chance to change his image, but the project was delayed by a combination of censorship wrangles and studio reluctance.[61]. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? It took me back to the old Saturday matinees, he told The New York Times in 1977 as Star Wars, released a few months earlier, was smashing box-office records. His performance was noticed by a talent agent, and he was signed to work with Universal Pictures. "My biggest contribution to Star Wars was keeping my mouth shut and standing by the picture," Ladd told Variety. As far as Ladd was concerned, he was a small-part actor given a fat part faute de mieux, and after his second film for them, he had not merely hit the leading-men category, but had gone beyond it to films which were constructed around his personality.[29]. Paramount commissioned Raymond Chandler to write an original screenplay for him titled The Blue Dahlia, made relatively quickly in case the studio lost Ladd to the military once again. But the reason the show became a huge success was because of [] More, When it comes to the leading stars of Hollywoods golden age, its hard to think of anyone more iconic than Kirk Douglas. May 6, 2021, 4:05 pm, by CBN speaks on future of cryptocurrency in Nigeria as Bitcoin rises above $30k, It Is Very Serious: Nigerian Pastor Calls for Prayers for Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Video Worries Fans pond, E Be Like Na Juju: Kemi Olunloyo Makes Claims on DNA Revealing Yul Edochie Isnt Father of Judy Austins Son, Your Son Stand Gidigba: Mercy Aigbes Senior Wife Funsho Adeoti & Children Stun Many With 12 Years Challenge, Suhana Khan Biography: Age, Height, Parents, Net Worth, Boyfriend, Dollar to Naira Black Market Rate today- 17th April 2023. In 1976 he became the companys president. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Shane, in which he played a strong, silent, courageous title character, was particularly popular. Back in Hollywood, he made 13 West Street, as a star and producer, for Ladd Enterprises. [72] The next month, his deal with Warner Bros. was announced: one film per year for five years. He wouldn't look at me. For his son the film industry executive and producer see, Freelance star: Warner Bros., Universal, Warwick. His sudden death news has devastated the admirers and his every known one. He played the eponymous character who comes to save a town run by ruthless bandits. Alan Ladd left us too early. The majority of stars were earmarked as such when they appeared on the horizonfrom Broadway or from wherever they came; if it seemed unlikely that public acceptance would come with one film they were trained and built up: The incubation period was usually between two and five years. January 19, 2022, 6:17 pm, by Among his better pictures were The Great Gatsby and Shane. In 1948, he starred and produced Box 13, a regular weekly series for syndication, which ran for 52 episodes. The show followed astronaut Tony Nelson who finds a beautiful woman [] More, Have you heard about Catherine Lorre? Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. His 1943 U.S. Army enlistment record, however, lists him as 5ft 7in (170cm), a measurement generally deemed to be the most reliable. As his parents divorced at a young age, he spent most of his life raised by his mother. His mother was English, from County Durham. He optioned the novel Shadow Riders of the Yellowstone by Les Savage. His star appears on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1601 Vine Street.