Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries Page 3

  Born June 6, 1898

  Died March 26, 1987

  Suave, moustachioed leading man. Born in St Paul, Minnesota, Abel’s family disapproved of but did not discourage his early acting ambitions. Arriving in New York City in 1916 he appeared in a number of silent pictures and in vaudeville while studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his first professional appearance at the Manhattan Opera House on December 20, 1919, as Second Lieutenant Vincent Moretti in Forbidden. Playwright Eugene O’Neill sponsored Abel in two of his plays and ten years later, on June 3, 1929, he made his début on the London stage as Michael Jeffrey in Coquette at the Apollo Theatre. In 1926 he married harpist Marietta Bitter and was widowed in 1978. He appeared in over 50 films including The North Wind’s Malice (1920) as Tom, The Three Musketeers (1935) as D’Artagnan, The Witness Chair (1936) as James Trent, The Lady Consents (1936) as Stanley Ashton, Fury (1936) as the District Attorney, Men With Wings (1938) as Nick Ranson, Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (1940)as Dr George Benedict, Michael Shayne, Private Detective (1940) as Elliott Thomas, Hold Back The Dawn as Inspector Hammock, Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) as B.G. DeSoto, Holiday Inn as Danny Reed (1942), Mr Skeffington (1942) as George Trellis, The Kid From Brooklyn (1946) as Gabby Sloan, That Lady In Ermine (1948) as Major Horvath, The Indian Fighter (1955) as Captain Trask, Raintree County (1957) as T.D. Shawnessy, Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974) as the mayor and Grace Quigley (1984) as Homer Morrison. In June 1949 he appeared as Claudius in Hamlet at Elsinore. He was known for his beautifully modulated voice and was a regular on television from 1944. He rarely socialised with his co-stars saying, “Either they’re dead, or they believe I am.”

  CAUSE: He died in Essex, Connecticut, of a heart attack, aged 88.

  John Abineri

  Born May 18, 1928

  Died June 29, 2000

  Steady second lead. Born in London, 5́ 10˝ Abineri trained at the Old Vic theatre school. He was a regular on television appearing as Chingachgook in the BBC drama series The Last Of The Mohicans (January 17, 1971–7 March, 1971), a role he reprised two years later in Hawkeye, The Pathfinder (November 18, 1973–December 16, 1973). Among his films were Dead Man’s Chest (1965) as Arthur, Funeral In Berlin (1966) as Rukel, The McKenzie Break (1970) as Hauptman Kranz, Diamonds Are Forever (1971) as an airline rep, Pope Joan (1972) as a Church official, The Godfather: Part III (1991) as Hamilton Banker, Giorgino (1994) as Dr Jodel and The Window Bed (1999) as Jack. He also guested on Bergerac, Blake’s 7, Red Dwarf, Callan and Dr Who.

  CAUSE: Abineri died aged 72 of motor neurone disease.

  Jean Acker

  Born October 23, 1893

  Died August 16, 1978

  Mrs Rudolph Valentino the First. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, the petite, hazel-eyed brunette began acting aged 18. She met Valentino at a party on Sunset Boulevard on November 2, 1919. At the time she had very short hair, wore a man’s suit, a shirt and tie and sensible shoes. She was very friendly with Alla Nazimova (as was Mrs Rudolph Valentino the Second), one of Hollywood’s most notorious lesbians. At the time, Acker had already appeared in a couple of films – The $5,000,000 Counterfeiting Plot (1914) as Helen Long and Are You A Mason? (1915) – but had not reached any kind of stardom. She was paid $200 a week by Metro. At the party, Acker offered Valentino a cocktail, which he at first refused. Insistent, she refused to take no for an answer – in anything. Three days later, they were married at the home of Joseph Engle, Metro Films’ treasurer on Hollywood Boulevard and Mariposa Hollywood. For their honeymoon they headed back to Acker’s room at the Hollywood Hotel, 6811 Hollywood Boulevard. However, they spent the wedding night apart after she locked him out of her room and told him that she did not love him. Unsurprisingly, the marriage was never consummated. On December 6, newspapers carried the story of their separation. Acker remained close to Valentino and it was with her that he spent his final days, although he repaid her for the honeymoon débâcle by leaving her just $1 in his will. He even wore a silver slave bracelet she had given him (despite reports to the contrary, it was not a gift from second wife Natacha Rambova or his ‘fiancée’ Pola Negri). On November 23, 1921, they faced each other in the divorce court and their divorce was finalised in Valentino’s favour on January 10, 1922. However, the separation cost him $12,000, a sum lent by Jesse Lasky. The dissolution came not long after the release of The Sheik (1922) and despite Acker’s testimony that Valentino had punched her and knocked her down, their separation did him no harm whatsoever. Acker appeared in around 30 films in all and was often billed as Mrs Rudolph Valentino or Jean Acker Valentino (even as late as 1952). Her movies included An Arabian Knight (1920) as Zorah, Brewster’s Millions (1921) as Barbara Drew, Her Own Money (1922) as Ruth Alden, Good Girls Go To Paris (1939), My Favorite Wife (1940), Spellbound (1945) and Something To Live For (1952). Two of her films had rather revealing titles, making one wonder whether she was deliberately cast as an in-joke by the studios who would have been more than aware of her sexual preferences. In 1920 she played Ethel in Help Wanted – Male; 15 years later she appeared in No More Ladies.

  CAUSE: Natural causes. She died in Los Angeles, California, aged 84.

  Art Acord

  Born April 17, 1890

  Died January 4, 1931

  Early cowboy hero. Arthemus Ward Acord, half-Ute, was born in Stillwater in the Indian Territory, now modern-day Oklahoma. The short and stocky Acord was a real-life cowboy before he became a cinematic one. He worked in Dick Stanley’s Wild West Show and then in 1909 landed a job as a stuntman with the Bison Film Company. He began appearing in his own right (occasionally billed as Buck Parvin [a character based on himself that he played in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Squaw Man] or Art Accord) in films such as The Two Brothers (1910), The White Medicine Man (1911), George Warrington’s Escape (1911), Buck Parvin In The Movies (1914), When Fiddler Came To Big Horn (1915), Buck’s Lady Friend (1915), A Cattle Queen’s Romance (1915), and A Cowboy’s Sweetheart (1915) before World War I interrupted his career. After heroic service in France, where he won the Croix de Guerre, he returned to the States and became a cowboy hero once again, this time for Universal Studios. His films included The Cowpuncher’s Comeback (1921), Unmasked (1922), In The Days Of Buffalo Bill (1922), Fighting For Justice (1924) as Bullets Bernard, The Wild Girl (1925) as Billy Woodruff, Two Gun O’Brien (1928) and Fighters Of The Saddle (1929) as Dick Weatherby. His career ended with the advent of sound and he fell from grace in a spectacular way. He became an alcoholic, fighting with anyone who upset him. He broke Victor Fleming’s nose after the future director of Gone With The Wind (1939) suggested Acord was not a real Native American. He was jailed for bootlegging, and worked as a miner in Mexico where he went broke gambling. Rather than undergo vocal training to get work, he decided publicity was the key and staged a fake kidnapping with the help of some Mexican friends. It was not successful. He was married twice. Both his wives – Edythe Sterling and Louise Lorraine (1901–1981), his co-star in The Oregon Trail (1923) – were actresses.

  CAUSE: He died by his own hand in the Palacio Hotel in Chihuahua, Mexico, from cyanide poisoning, aged 40. His body lay unclaimed for a week. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks in Glendale, California.

  Rodolfo Acosta

  Born July 29, 1920

  Died November 7, 1974

  Moustachioed Mexican baddie. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Rudy Acosta was a star in films in his native land. His movies included Rosenda (1948) and Salón México (1949) as Paco before he was signed to Universal. His subsequent films (usually with him playing a villain) included: Pancho Villa Returns (1950) as Martin Corona, Yankee Buccaneer as Poulini, Wings Of The Hawk as Arturo Torres, Drum Beat as Scarface Charlie, The Tijuana Story (1957), the real life story of one man’s fight against drugs, in which he played Manuel Acosta Mesa, The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965) as Bondie Adams, Return Of The Seven (1966) as Lopez and The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972) as Juan De Toro. On the small screen he regularly
played in cowboy series, including Cade’s County, Bonanza, Laredo, The Big Valley, Death Valley Days, The Virginian, Rawhide, Cheyenne and a two-year stint on The High Chaparral as Vaquero. He fathered five children.

  CAUSE: He died of cancer in Woodland Hills, California, aged 54.

  Eddie Acuff

  Born June 3, 1903

  Died December 17, 1956

  Stalwart. Although Acuff never achieved stardom he was rarely out of work, appearing in over 180 films. His best-known role was probably that of the postman in the ‘Blondie’ series but he also appeared in several other serials and B pictures. He can be seen in, among many others, Here Comes The Navy (1934), I Found Stella Parish (1935) as Dimmy, The Case Of The Velvet Claws (1936) as Spudsy Drake, The Law In Her Hands (1936) as Eddie O’Malley, Love Is On The Air (1937) as Dunk Glover, Law Of The Underworld (1938) as Bill, Society Smugglers (1939), Rough Riders’ Round-up (1939) as Tommy Ward, The Mysterious Miss X (1939), Days Of Jesse James (1939), Blondie Meets The Boss (1939), The Green Hornet Strikes Again (1940) as Lowery, Dr Kildare’s Crisis (1940) as Clifford Genet, Dr Kildare Goes Home (1940) as Clifford Genet, Charlie Chan In Panama (1940), The Texas Rangers Ride Again (1940), The People vs. Dr Kildare (1941) as Clifford Genet, Dr Kildare’s Wedding Day (1941) as Clifford Genet, Dr Kildare’s Victory (1941) as Clifford Genet, Blondie Goes Latin (1941), High Sierra (1941), Dr Gillespie’s New Assistant (1942) as Clifford Genet, Blondie For Victory (1942), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Leave It To Blondie (1945), Life With Blondie (1946), Buck Privates Come Home (1947), Blondie’s Holiday (1947), Blondie’s Big Moment (1947), Blondie’s Anniversary (1947), Blondie In The Dough (1947), The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (1947), Blondie’s Secret (1948), Blondie’s Reward (1948), Blondie’s Big Deal (1949) and The Milkman (1950).

  CAUSE: He died in Hollywood, California, aged 53, from a heart attack.

  Janice Adair

  (BEATRICE DUFFY)

  Born 1904

  Died July 13, 1948

  Promise unfulfilled. Born in Morpeth, Northumberland, 5́ 3˝ Janice Adair was unusual among early screen stars in that she had no stage training or bit-part work as an extra before becoming a film actress. Her first film was Streets Of London (1929) and she went on to appear in The Informer (1929) as Bessie, To What Red Hell (1929) as Madge Barton, The Rocket Bus (1929) as Joan, Red Aces (1929), Such Is The Law (1930) as Marjorie Majoribanks, Deadlock (1931) as Joan Whitelaw, Contraband Love (1931) as Janice Machin, Lloyd Of The C.I.D. (1932) as Dion Brooks, The Silver Greyhound (1932) as Ira Laennic, Lucky Ladies (1932) as Pearl, The Acting Business (1933), Nine Forty-Five (1934) as Molly Clayton and Flood Tide (1935) as Betty Buckett. She married producer Alfred Wallace Roome (b. London, December 22, 1908, d. Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, November 19, 1997) in 1929 and by him had a son and a daughter.

  CAUSE: She died at the young age of 44.

  Jean Adair

  Born June 13, 1873

  Died May 11, 1953

  Gentility personified. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Jean Adair spent most of her professional life on the stage. She only made six films but created a stir as Martha Brewster, one of the murderous aunts, in Arsenic And Old Lace (1944). Her other films were In The Name Of The Law (1922), Advice To The Lovelorn (1933) as Mrs Prentiss, Living In A Big Way (1947) as Abigail Morgan, Something In The Wind (1947) as Aunt Mary Collins and The Naked City (1948).

  CAUSE: She died of natural causes in New York aged 79.

  Robert Adair

  Born January 3, 1900

  Died August 10, 1954

  Posh American. Born in San Francisco, California, 6˝1˝ Adair was educated at Harrow before making his film début in Raffles (1925). He also appeared often on the American stage. His other films included Journey’s End (1930) as Captain Hardy, King Of The Jungle (1933) as John C. Knolls, a court officer in The Kiss Before The Mirror (1933), The Invisible Man (1933), a policeman in The Mystery Of Mr X (1934), a barman in Riptide (1934), Where Sinners Meet (1934) as Jacob, Treasure Island (1934) as Tom the sailor, Great Expectations (1934) as Sergeant, a policeman in Limehouse Blues (1934), Father Brown, Detective (1935), Bride Of Frankenstein (1935), The Farmer Takes A Wife (1935), a hotel clerk in Top Hat (1935), The Girl Who Came Back (1935) as Charles Matthews, a sergeant in The Last Outpost (1935), a prisoner in Peter Ibbetson (1935), Sylvia Scarlett (1935), Brilliant Marriage (1936) as Thorne, a sentry in Sons O’Guns (1936), Empty Saddles (1936) as Biggers, The Ticket Of Leave Man (1937) as Hawkshaw, Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937) as Woolsey, the first guard in The Prince And The Pauper (1937), What A Man! (1938) as Lord Bromwich, The Face At The Window (1939) as Inspector Gouffert, Jamaica Inn (1939) as Captain Murray, Noose (1948) as Sergeant Brooks, The Gambler And The Lady (1952) as Engles, Eight O’Clock Walk (1952) as Albert Pettigrew, Scotland Yard Inspector (1952) as John, There Was A Young Lady (1953) as Basher, Park Plaza 605 (1953) as Baron von Henschel, Meet Mr Callaghan (1954) and Gilbert Harding Speaking Of Murder (1954).

  CAUSE: He died in London aged 54 of natural causes.

  Ronald Adam, OBE

  Born December 31, 1896

  Died March 27, 1979

  Officer material. Born in Worcestershire, Adam came from a theatrical family (his father was the actor Blake Adams and his mother the actress Mona Robin) but after University College School he trained to be a chartered accountant. He gave up that steady profession to work in one that was far riskier, albeit probably less boring. In 1914 he joined the Middlesex Regiment at the outbreak of war, becoming a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps. He ended up in a prisoner of war camp. In 1924 he worked as a theatre manager and later producer, working on over 150 productions. He made his film début in Strange Boarders (1938) playing Barstow and followed that up with The Drum (1938) as Major Gregoff, Too Dangerous To Live (1939), The Foreman Went To France (1942) as Sir Charles Fawcett and Meet Maxwell Archer (1942) as Nicolides. In 1939 he had re-enlisted in the RAF and served as a Wing Commander. Returning to acting he appeared in numerous films, usually in an official or commanding role. He made his Broadway début on December 19, 1951, at the Ziegfeld Theater in Antony And Cleopatra. His other films included: Christopher Columbus (1949) as Talavera, The Bad Lord Byron (1949) playing a judge, Shadow Of The Past (1950) playing a solicitor, Seven Days To Noon (1950) as Prime Minister Arthur Lytton, The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) as Turner, Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) as Admiral Macartney, Circumstantial Evidence (1954) as Sir William Harrison, Reach For The Sky (1956) as Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory, Lust For Life (1956) as Commissioner De Smet and Carlton-Browne Of The F.O. (1959) as Sir John Farthing. He was married twice. His first wife was Tanzi Cutava Barozzi and his second Allyne Dorothy Franks. He had two children: David (b. 1926) and Jane (b. 1922).

  CAUSE: He died of natural causes in London, aged 82.

  Abigail ‘Tommye’ Adams

  Born January 11, 1922 Found dead February 13, 1955

  Good-time girl. Born in South Carolina, Abigail ‘Tommye’ Adams was a beautiful girl who saw making movies as a way to live a pleasant life. Her only problem was that she preferred the pleasant life to making movies. She appeared in a number of low-budget Westerns and other B pictures, including Moonlight Masquerade (1942) as Miss Mink, Old Acquaintance (1943), Colorado Serenade (1946) as Lola, the title role in Mary Lou (1947), Copacabana (1947) and the receptionist in Trapped By Boston Blackie (1948). She married and divorced (in 1949) actor Lyle Talbot (1902–1996) and had a ten-year relationship with Fox producer George Jessel as well as numerous other lovers. In 1950 she attempted suicide by slashing her wrists but was saved by a hospital intern. She turned to drink and drugs when her longed-for stardom didn’t arrive.

  CAUSE: She committed suicide by a drugs overdose. Her body was discovered full of Seconal and ethynyl in a sleazy room on Sunset Strip in Hollywood. She was only one month past her 33rd birthday.

  Claire Adams

  Born September 24, 1898

  Died September 25, 1978

  Silent star.
Claire Adams was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and entered the film world in 1918. Her brother, Gerald Drayson Adams, was a screenwriter. Among her 50-plus movies were A Misfit Earl (1919) as Phyllis Burton, The Great Lover (1920) as Ethel, Riders Of The Dawn (1920) as Lenore Anderson, Man Of The Forest (1921) as Helen Raynor, When Romance Rides (1922) as Lucy Bostil, Golden Dreams (1922) as Mercedes McDonald, Brass Commandments (1923) as Ellen Bosworth, Legally Dead (1923) as Minnie O’Reilly, Daddies (1924) as Bobette Audrey, Honor Among Men (1924) as Patricia Carson, The Kiss Barrier (1925) as Marion Weston, The Lunatic (1927) and Married Alive (1927) as Viola Helmesley Duxbury. Following the death of her first husband she married Australian sportsman Donald MacKimmon in 1938 and retired to Australia.

  CAUSE: She died in Melbourne, Australia, aged 80 years and one day, from natural causes.

  Ernie Adams

  Born June 18, 1885

  Died November 26, 1947

  Perennial cowboy. Born in San Francisco, California, the short, stocky Adams was also credited in films as Ernest S. Adams, Ernest Adams and Ernie S. Adams. Irrespective of the credit on screen, his output was phenomenal. Between 1919 and his death he appeared in more than 260 films. They included The Beloved Brute (1924) as Swink Tuckson, The Pony Express (1925), Hair Trigger Baxter as Shorty Hillis, Nevada (1927) as Cash Burridge, The Gay Defender as Bart Hamby, Stool Pigeon as Dropper, The Virginian (1929), Dance, Fools, Dance (1931), Merrily We Go To Hell (1932), She Done Him Wrong (1933), It Happened One Night (1934), Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) as Benson, Hopalong Rides Again (1937) as Keno, Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe (1940), Alias Boston Blackie (1942) as Pop, The Man Who Came To Dinner (1942) as Haggerty, Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945) as Charlie, Son Of Zorro (1947) as Judge Hyde, Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947) and The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (1947).