CARY GRANT BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Archibald Alexander Leach, better known for his stage name of Cary Grant, was born in Bristol, England on January 18, 1904 to a poor family. His mom had insisted, however, he take piano lessons. As well, he got to go to the cinema and theatre pretty regularly with his father. In 1914, when Grant was only nine, his mother turned herself in to a mental asylum, although he was told she was merely on vacation. Fortunately, he was bright, and at age 11 he won a scholarship to Fairfield Grammar School. In his second year at the school, Grant became well acquainted with the electrician, who also happened to be employed at a variety theatre in Bristol. The electrician let him help with different technical aspects, and even introduced him to the manager of another theatre, who also allowed Grant to aid in the shows in a behind-the-curtain way. This helped Grant understand and develop a liking for showbiz. In March 1918, he was expelled from school, and three days later left to join the Bob Pender’s comedy troupe. He travelled around with the group for two years, eventually ending up in the states.
Grant stayed in America to further his career in show business. He performed in a variety of theaters before finally landing a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1932, who gave him the stage name of Cary Grant, for they thought the name ‘Archie’ Leach to be unsuitable for an actor. In 1941 he legally adopted this name. The new actor was quickly placed into two movies at the same time, “This Is the Night” (1932) and “Sinners of the Sun” (1932). It didn’t take long for him to nab additional major film roles in pictures like “Blonde Venus” (1932), “She Done Him Wrong” (1933), and “I’m No Angel” (1933). The two latter starred Mae West and she specifically chose him to be her leading man, which gave Grant’s career an even bigger boost. Between 1934 and 1935, the actor shot a fair amount of films. While waiting for the release of these movies, Grant went back to England to shoot “The Amazing Quest” (1936) also known as “Romance and Riches”. During the filming, his father died, and he discovered that his dad had had a ‘second family’ even before his wife’s departure to the mental institute. A few years later, Grant also found out that his mother never abandoned him, she was simply sent to live in a mental care facility.
Nevertheless, the actor went on to give a great performance in the box-office failure “Sylvia Scarlett” (1935) with Katharine Hepburn. Although the film was one of his worst, his reputation was heightened, and it gave him the push to leave Paramount. Grant became one of the few freelancers during this time in Hollywood where studios ruled, and was enabled to choose his own scripts and gain control of his career. His first piece of work was “When You’re in Love” (1937) at Columbia Pictures. However, he went on to appear in a series of screwball comedies that would make him famous, including “Bringing up Baby” (1938) and “Holiday” (1938), both with Katharine Hepburn, his most common leading lady, “The Awful Truth” (1937) and “My Favorite Wife” (1940), both with Irene Dunn, and the high-class spoof “The Philadelphia Story” (1940). Additionally, he filmed “Gunga Din” (1938), which was RKO’s most profitable movie of all time, and the notable “His Girl Friday” (1940). In 1941, the actor appeared in “Penny Serenade” and was nominated for an Oscar for his role. Again in 1945, he was nominated for “None but the Lonely Heart” (1944). He failed to take home the prize each time. Still, he managed to impress and delight audiences in 1948’s “I Was a Male War Bride”, 20th Century Fox’s most successful picture of the year.
Grant also had an association with Alfred Hitchcock who once stated that he was “the only actor I ever loved in my whole life”, and gave some of his greatest work in some of Hitchcock’s finest films. The actor’s actual debonair was impressively juxtaposed with his characters’ dark demeanors. Movies they worked together on include the thrilling “Suspicion” (1941), the renowned “Notorious” (1946), the lighthearted “To Catch a Thief” (1952), and the masterful mix of horror and comedy “North by Northwest” (1959).
In 1959 the actor starred in Universal’s most money-making film ever, “Operation Petticoat”, which also earned him personally four million dollars. Grant’s career further extended into the 1960's, but not until after he came out about his controversial therapeutic LSD use under doctor supervision. He was sued, but made a compromise and instead agreed to an autobiography written by journalist Hyams that was published into three articles in the Ladies Home Journal. In 1960 he produced a flop called “The Grass is Greener”, but followed it up with a box office hit titled “That Touch of Mink” (1962). His final great film was “Charade” (1963) with Audrey Hepburn, a close second being “Father Goose” (1964) a year later. In 1966, his last ever picture was released, the commercial success “Walk, Don’t Run”.
Grant decided to retire after his involvement in the latter, for he had a baby on the way and wanted to focus his undivided attention on his family. His legacy did not die with the end of his career though. In 1970, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences finally presented the actor with an Oscar – the Honorary Oscar – which is only bestowed to the most illustrious stars. He later joined various organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Western Airlines, and MGM to name a few. During the 1980's, Grant traveled through the United States with a one-man act called “An Evening with Grant”.
In October of 1984 he suffered from a stroke. Two years later, on November 29, 1986, while on tour in Davenport, Iowa with his one-man show, Grant underwent a cerebral hemorrhage. He died that night, but his memory lives on. The actor has a star for Motion Pictures on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As well, in 1999 he was ranked second on the American Film Institute’s “100 Greatest Film Stars”, in 2001 a statue of the man was displayed in Millenium Square in his hometown of Bristol, England, and in 2004, Premiere Magazine gave him the title of “The Greatest Movie Star of All Time”, which he arguably is.
Filmography
1966 Walk Don't Run
1964 Father Goose
1963 Charade
1962 That Touch of Mink
1960 The Grass Is Greener
1959 Operation Petticoat
1959 North by Northwest
1958 Houseboat
1958 Indiscreet
1957 Kiss Them for Me
1957 The Pride and the Passion
1957 An Affair to Remember
1955 To Catch a Thief
1953 Dream Wife
1952 Monkey Business
1952 Room for One More
1951 People Will Talk
1950 Crisis
1949 I Was a Male War Bride
1948 Every Girl Should Be Married
1948 Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1947 The Bishop's Wife
1947 The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1946 Notorious
1946 Night and Day
1944 None But the Lonely Heart
1944 Arsenic and Old Lace
1944 Once Upon a Time
1943 Destination Tokyo
1943 Mr. Lucky
1942 Once Upon a Honeymoon
1942 The Talk of the Town
1941 Suspicion
1941 Penny Serenade
1940 The Philadelphia Story
1940 The Howards of Virginia
1940 My Favorite Wife
1940 His Girl Friday
1939 In Name Only
1939 Only Angels Have Wings
1939 Gunga Din
1938 Holiday
1938 Bringing Up Baby
1937 The Awful Truth
1937 The Toast of New York
1937 Topper
1937 When You're in Love
1936 Wedding Present
1936 Romance and Riches
1936 Fashions in Love
1936 Suzy
1936 Big Brown Eyes
1935 Sylvia Scarlett
1935 The Last Outpost
1935 Wings in the Dark
1935 Enter Madame
1934 Ladies Should Listen
1934 Kiss and Make-Up
1934 Born to Be Bad
1934 Thirty Day Princess
1933 Alice in Wonderland
1933 I'm No Angel
1933 Gambling Ship
1933 The Eagle and the Hawk
1933 The Woman Accused
1933 She Done Him Wrong
1932 Madame Butterfly
1932 Hot Saturday
1932 Blonde Venus
1932 Devil and the Deep
1932 Merrily We Go to Hell
1932 Singapore Sue
1932 Sinners in the Sun
1932 This Is the Night
