Image of Robert Montgomery

Robert Montgomery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Montgomery (born Henry Montgomery Jr.; May 21, 1904 – September 27, 1981) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer. He was also the father of actress Elizabeth Montgomery. 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). Montgomery initially played exclusively in comedy roles, but portrayed a character in his first drama film in The Big House (1930). MGM was initially reluctant to assign him in such a role, until "his earnestness, and his convincing arguments, with demonstrations of how he would play the character" won him the assignment. From The Big House on, he was in constant demand. Appearing as Greta Garbo's romantic interest in Inspiration (1930) started him toward stardom with a rush. Norma Shearer chose him to star opposite her in The Divorcee (1930), Strangers May Kiss (1931), and Private Lives (1931), which led him to stardom. In another challenging role, Montgomery played a psychopath in the chiller Night Must Fall (1937), for which he received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. After World War II broke out in Europe in September, 1939, and while the United States was still officially neutral, Montgomery enlisted in London for American field service and drove ambulances in France until the Dunkirk evacuation. He then returned to Hollywood and addressed a massive rally on the MGM lot for the American Red Cross in July 1940. 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. For his role as Joe Pendleton, a boxer and pilot in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), Montgomery was nominated for an Oscar a second time. After the U.S. entered World War II in December 1941, he joined the United States Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander, and served on the USS Barton (DD-722) which was part of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. In 1945, Montgomery returned to Hollywood, making his uncredited directing debut with 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), in which he also starred, which received mixed reviews. Adapted from Raymond Chandler's detective novel and sanitized for the censorship of the day, the film is unusual because it was filmed entirely from Marlowe's vantage point. Montgomery only appeared on camera a few times, three times in a mirror reflection. 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. 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.


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Born:
May 21, 1904 In Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
81
First Appeared:
In the movie The Single Standard 1929-07-27
Latest Project:
Movie Lusitanian Illusion 2010-04-22
Known For
Poster of Hide-Out
Poster of Shipmates
Poster of War Nurse
Poster of Three Live Ghosts
Filmography
Movie Lusitanian Illusion Self (archive footage) 2010-04-22
Movie Jornal Português (1938-1951) Self (archive footage) 2005-12-12
Movie Checking Out: Grand Hotel Self (archive footage) 2004-02-03
Movie Complicated Women Self (archive footage) 2003-05-06
Movie Ingrid Bergman Remembered Self (archive footage) 1996-04-06
Movie That's Entertainment, Part II (archive footage) 1976-05-16
Movie That's Entertainment! (archive footage) 1974-06-21
Series Batman Unknown 1966-01-12
Movie The Gallant Hours Narration (American scenes) 1960-06-13
Series Robert Montgomery Presents Self - Host 1950-01-30
Series The Colgate Comedy Hour Unknown 1950-09-10
Movie Your Witness Adam Heyward 1950-03-06
Movie Once More, My Darling Collier Laing 1949-09-10
Movie Breakdowns of 1949 Self 1949-12-31
Movie The Saxon Charm Matt Saxon 1948-09-28
Movie June Bride Carey Jackson 1948-10-29
Movie The Secret Land Narrator 1948-10-22
Movie Ride the Pink Horse Lucky Gagin 1947-10-08
Movie Lady in the Lake Phillip Marlowe 1946-12-19
Movie They Were Expendable Lt. John Brickley 1945-12-07
Movie Unfinished Business Tommy Duncan 1941-08-27
Movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith David 1941-01-31
Movie Rage in Heaven Philip Monrell 1941-03-07
Movie Here Comes Mr. Jordan Joe Pendleton 1941-08-07
Movie The Earl of Chicago Robert Kilmount 1940-01-05
Movie Busman's Honeymoon Lord Peter Wimsey 1940-07-22
Movie A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound Self 1940-10-24
Movie Fast and Loose Joel Sloane 1939-02-17
Movie From the Ends of the Earth Self 1939-05-28
Movie The First Hundred Years David Conway 1938-03-12
Movie Yellow Jack John O'Hara 1938-05-19
Movie Three Loves Has Nancy Malcolm 'Mal' Niles 1938-09-02
Movie Hollywood Handicap Himself 1938-05-28
Movie Hollywood Goes to Town Self 1938-07-07
Movie Night Must Fall Danny 1937-04-30
Movie The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Lord Arthur Dilling 1937-02-19
Movie The Romance of Celluloid Self 1937-08-27
Movie Ever Since Eve Freddy Matthews 1937-07-15
Movie Live, Love and Learn Bob Graham 1937-10-29
Movie Petticoat Fever Dascom Dinsmore 1936-03-20
Movie Trouble for Two Prince Florizel 1936-05-29
Movie Piccadilly Jim James Crocker, Jr. 1936-08-14
Movie Biography of a Bachelor Girl Richard 'Dickie' Kurt 1935-01-04
Movie Vanessa: Her Love Story Benjamin Herries 1935-03-01
Movie Starlit Days at the Lido Self 1935-09-28
Movie No More Ladies Sheridan 'Sherry' Warren 1935-06-14
Movie Fugitive Lovers Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine 1934-01-05
Movie Riptide Tommie L. Trent 1934-03-29
Movie The Mystery of Mr. X Revel 1934-02-23
Movie Hide-Out Jonathan 'Lucky' Wilson 1934-08-24
Movie Forsaking All Others Dillon 'Dill" Todd 1934-12-23
Movie Hell Below Lieut. Thomas Knowlton USN 1933-06-08
Movie Made on Broadway Jeff 1933-05-19
Movie When Ladies Meet Jimmie 1933-06-23
Movie Another Language Victor Hallam 1933-07-28
Movie Going Hollywood Himself - Premiere Clip (archive footage) 1933-12-22
Movie Night Flight Auguste Pellerin 1933-10-06
Movie Letty Lynton Hale Darrow 1932-04-30
Movie Lovers Courageous Willie Smith 1932-01-23
Movie But the Flesh Is Weak Max Clement 1932-04-09
Movie Blondie of the Follies Larry Belmont 1932-09-01
Movie Faithless William 'Bill' Wade 1932-10-15
Movie Inspiration André Montell 1931-01-31
Movie The Easiest Way Jack Madison 1931-02-07
Movie Strangers May Kiss Steve 1931-04-04
Movie The Man in Possession Raymond Dabney 1931-07-04
Movie Shipmates John Paul Jones 1931-04-25
Movie Private Lives Elyot Chase 1931-12-12
Movie The Big House Kent Marlowe 1930-06-14
Movie Free and Easy Larry 1930-03-22
Movie The Sins of the Children Nick Higginson 1930-06-27
Movie The Divorcee Don 1930-04-19
Movie Our Blushing Brides Tony Jardine 1930-07-19
Movie Estrellados Self (Guest Appearance at Premiere) 1930-07-07
Movie War Nurse Wally O'Brien 1930-11-22
Movie Love in the Rough Kelly 1930-09-05
Movie The Single Standard Party Boy (uncredited) 1929-07-27
Movie Three Live Ghosts William Foster 1929-09-15
Movie Their Own Desire John 'Jack' Douglas Cheever 1929-12-27
Movie Untamed Andy McAllister 1929-11-23
Movie So This Is College Biff 1929-11-08