Robert Montgomery
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 21, 1904
- Died
- Sep 27, 1981 (aged 77)
- Place of birth
- Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA
- Credits
- 86
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.
Known for
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
1941Movie
David
They Were Expendable
1945Movie
Lt. John Brickley
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
1941Movie
Joe Pendleton
Lady in the Lake
1946Movie
Phillip Marlowe
That's Entertainment!
1974Movie
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Ride the Pink Horse
1947Movie
Lucky Gagin
Filmography
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
2015Movie
Self (archive footage)
Lusitanian Illusion
2010Movie
Self (archive footage)
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006Movie
Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004Movie
Self (archive footage)
Complicated Women
2003Movie
Self (archive footage)
Ingrid Bergman Remembered
1996Movie
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976Movie
(archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
1974Movie
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Merv Griffin Show
1962TV
Self
The Gallant Hours
1960Movie
Narration (American scenes)
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950TV
Self
Your Witness
1950Movie
Adam Heyward
What's My Line?
1950TV
Self
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950TV
Self - Host
Breakdowns of 1949
1949Movie
Self
Once More, My Darling
1949Movie
Collier Laing
June Bride
1948Movie
Carey Jackson
The Secret Land
1948Movie
Narrator
The Saxon Charm
1948Movie
Matt Saxon
Ride the Pink Horse
1947Movie
Lucky Gagin
Lady in the Lake
1946Movie
Phillip Marlowe
They Were Expendable
1945Movie
Lt. John Brickley
Unfinished Business
1941Movie
Tommy Duncan
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
1941Movie
Joe Pendleton
Rage in Heaven
1941Movie
Philip Monrell
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
1941Movie
David
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
1940Movie
Self
Busman's Honeymoon
1940Movie
Lord Peter Wimsey
The Earl of Chicago
1940Movie
Robert Kilmount
From the Ends of the Earth
1939Movie
Self
Fast and Loose
1939Movie
Joel Sloane
Three Loves Has Nancy
1938Movie
Malcolm 'Mal' Niles
Hollywood Goes to Town
1938Movie
Self
Hollywood Handicap
1938Movie
Himself
Yellow Jack
1938Movie
John O'Hara
The First Hundred Years
1938Movie
David Conway
Live, Love and Learn
1937Movie
Bob Graham
The Romance of Celluloid
1937Movie
Self
Ever Since Eve
1937Movie
Freddy Matthews
Night Must Fall
1937Movie
Danny
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
1937Movie
Lord Arthur Dilling
Piccadilly Jim
1936Movie
James Crocker, Jr.
Trouble for Two
1936Movie
Prince Florizel
Petticoat Fever
1936Movie
Dascom Dinsmore
Starlit Days at the Lido
1935Movie
Self
No More Ladies
1935Movie
Sheridan 'Sherry' Warren
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8
1935Movie
Vanessa: Her Love Story
1935Movie
Benjamin Herries
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
1935Movie
Richard 'Dickie' Kurt
Forsaking All Others
1934Movie
Dillon 'Dill" Todd
Hide-Out
1934Movie
Jonathan 'Lucky' Wilson
Riptide
1934Movie
Tommie L. Trent
The Mystery of Mr. X
1934Movie
Nicholas Revel
Fugitive Lovers
1934Movie
Paul Porter, aka Stephen Blaine
Going Hollywood
1933Movie
Himself - Premiere Clip (archive footage)
Night Flight
1933Movie
Auguste Pellerin
Another Language
1933Movie
Victor Hallam
When Ladies Meet
1933Movie
Jimmie
Hell Below
1933Movie
Lieut. Thomas Knowlton USN
Made on Broadway
1933Movie
Jeff
Faithless
1932Movie
William 'Bill' Wade
Blondie of the Follies
1932Movie
Larry Belmont
Letty Lynton
1932Movie
Hale Darrow
But the Flesh Is Weak
1932Movie
Max Clement
Lovers Courageous
1932Movie
Willie Smith
Private Lives
1931Movie
Elyot Chase
The Man in Possession
1931Movie
Raymond Dabney
Shipmates
1931Movie
John Paul Jones
Strangers May Kiss
1931Movie
Steve
The Easiest Way
1931Movie
Jack Madison
Inspiration
1931Movie
André Montell
War Nurse
1930Movie
Wally O'Brien
Love in the Rough
1930Movie
Kelly
The Voice of Hollywood
1930Movie
Our Blushing Brides
1930Movie
Tony Jardine
Estrellados
1930Movie
Self (Guest Appearance at Premiere)
The Sins of the Children
1930Movie
Nick Higginson
The Big House
1930Movie
Kent Marlowe
The Divorcee
1930Movie
Don
Free and Easy
1930Movie
Larry
Their Own Desire
1929Movie
John 'Jack' Douglas Cheever
Untamed
1929Movie
Andy McAllister
So This Is College
1929Movie
Biff
Three Live Ghosts
1929Movie
William Foster
The Single Standard
1929Movie
Party Boy (uncredited)