Wikipedia

George Montgomery (actor)

George Montgomery(bornGeorge Montgomery Letz;August 27, 1916 – December 12, 2000) was an American actor, best known for his work inWestern filmsand television. He was also a painter, director,producer,writer, sculptor,furniture craftsman,andstuntman.He was engaged toHedy Lamarrin 1941, and marriedDinah Shorein 1943.

George Montgomery
1940s photo
Born
George Montgomery Letz

(1916-08-27)August 27, 1916
Brady, Montana,U.S.
DiedDecember 12, 2000(2000-12-12)(aged 84)
Rancho Mirage, California,U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City)and
Highland Cemetery (Great Falls, Montana)
Alma materUniversity of Montana
OccupationActor
Years active1935–1985
Spouse
​
​
(m.1943;div.1962)​
Children2
George Montgomery andFred MacMurrayon TV'sCimarron City(1958)

Early years

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Montgomery was born George Montgomery Letz in 1916, the youngest of 15 children of German immigrant parents, fromMykolaivin southern Ukraine. He was born inBrady,inPondera County,northernMontananear Great Falls.[1][2]He was reared on a large ranch, where he learned to ride horses and work cattle as a part of daily life.[3]

Montgomery boxed as a heavyweight for a short while before enrolling in theUniversity of MontanainMissoula.He was active in school athletics and majored in interior design, but he left after one year.[3][4]

Career

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Montgomery was more interested in a career infilmthan in a college education. Therefore, he left Montana for Hollywood. Two days after his arrival there, he was working as a stunt man on aGreta Garbofilm atMGM,Conquest(1937).[5]

Republic Pictures

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AtRepublic Pictures,his cowboy skills gained him stunt work and a small acting part at the age of 18 in a 1935Gene Autryfilm,The Singing Vagabond.[3]

He followed this with bit parts and additional stunt work as "George Letz" in mostly low-budget films. These includedSpringtime in the Rockies(1937) with Autry,The Purple Vigilantes(1938) withRobert Livingston,the serialThe Lone Ranger(1938),Outlaws of Sonora(1938) with Livingston,The Old Barn Dance(1938) andGold Mine in the Sky(1938) with Autry,Under Western Stars(1938) withRoy RogersandShine On, Harvest Moon(1938) with Rogers.[6]

Those had all been Westerns. He was in an African adventure taleHawk of the Wilderness(1938) withBruce Bennett(billed as Herman Brix, his real name) and the bigger-budgetedArmy Girl(1938).

In 1938, he appeared as one of the six men suspected of being the titular hero inThe Lone Ranger.That year,Lifeincluded him in a photo montage of "Hollywood's Movie-struck Kids" and described Montgomery, still using his full name, as "6 ft. 3 in. tall, weighs 210 lb., rides well, is superlatively handsome."[7]

He went back to Westerns inSouthward Ho(1939) andThe Arizona Kid(1939) with Rogers. He was in some non-Westerns such asThe Mysterious Miss X(1939),S.O.S. Tidal Wave(1939), andI Was a Convict(1939), but mostly it was films such asSouth of the Border(1939) andIn Old Monterey(1939) with Autry,Saga of Death Valley(1939),Wall Street Cowboy(1939),Frontier Pony Express(1939),Rough Riders' Round-up(1939),In Old Caliente(1939) with Rogers andThe Night Riders(1939) with John Wayne. He worked on Republic's (relatively) big-budgetMan of Conquest(1939).[3]

20th Century Fox

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In 1939, he signed with20th Century Fox,which billed him as George Montgomery.[3]

His first film at the studio wasThe Cisco Kid and the Lady(1939), the first ofthe Cisco Kidseries. Montgomery was billed fourth. He had a small role inStar Dust(1940), and a bigger one inYoung People(1940),Shirley Temple's last film for Fox.

Montgomery was fourth-billed in a "B" about pilots,Charter Pilot(1940) withLloyd NolanandLynn Bari,and third-billed inJennie(1940).[8]

Leading man

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Montgomery was promoted to leading roles in a melodrama written byDalton Trumbo,Accent on Love(1941). Fox then starred him in some B Westerns:Last of the Duanes(1941),Riders of the Purple Sage(1941), andThe Cowboy and the Blonde(1941). One writer called him "a handsome leading man in the Clark Gable mode."[9]

Montgomery was teamed withCarole LandisinCadet Girl(1941). He was given the lead in an "A" when he top-linedOrchestra Wives(1942) withAnn Rutherford,a film best remembered today for its authenticBig Bandmusic andGlenn Millerin a realistic co-starring role as the titular orchestra's bandleader.

He starred inTen Gentlemen from West Point(1942) withMaureen O'Hara,playing a role originally intended forTyrone Power.[10]

He wasGinger Rogers' love interest inRoxie Hart(1942) and played oppositeGene TierneyinChina Girl(1942) forHenry Hathaway.All these films were popular at the box office.[11]

The following year, Montgomery starred withBetty Grablein theWalter Lang-directed filmConey Island,which was his biggest hit to date. According to one obituary, "The actor's vocal mannerisms were often uncannily reminiscent ofClark Gable,and when he grew a moustache his similarities to the greater star were even more apparent. This was never more so than inConey Island.[6]

He also starred inBomber's Moon(1943).

World War II

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Montgomery was announced for several films originally intended for Fox leading menTyrone Power,who had joined the Marine Corps, andHenry Fonda,who had joined the Navy, includingDown to the Sea in ShipsandBird of Paradisewith Tierney.[12]However, Montgomery wound up joining theU.S. Army Air ForcesFirst Motion Picture Unitin 1943 where he appeared in suchtraining filmsasSurvival of the Fittest(1944).

He returned to Fox in 1946, and played the lead in a musicalThree Little Girls in Blue(1946). Fox then cast him asPhilip MarloweinThe Brasher Doubloon(1947), a B-picture version of the novelThe High WindowbyRaymond Chandler.

Montgomery was unhappy at Fox. The song "This is Always", Montgomery's major duet (albeit dubbed) with June Haver inThree Little Girls in Blue,was cut, and he was assigned to a minor Western,Belle Starr's Daughter(1948). Montgomery left Fox in September 1947 unhappy with his roles.[13]

Low-budget action star

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Montgomery appeared inLulu Belle(1948) andThe Girl from ManhattanforBenedict Bogeaus.[6]

In 1950, he starred as the title role inDavy Crockett, Indian ScoutforEdward Small.He went back to Fox forDakota Lil(1950) and madeThe Iroquois Trail(1950) andThe Texas Rangers(1951) for Small.

Montgomery tried a swashbuckler at Fox,The Sword of Monte Cristo(1951), then returned to Small forIndian Uprising(1951) andCripple Creek(1952),Gun Belt(1953), andThe Lone Gun(1954). ForSam Katzman,he madeThe Pathfinder(1952),Fort Ti(1952),Jack McCall, Desperado(1953),The Battle of Rogue River(1954), andSeminole Uprising(1955).[14][15]

Montgomery worked for other producers:Robbers' Roost(1955),Huk!(1956), a war movie shot in the Philippines,Canyon River(1956),Pawnee(1957),Black Patch(1957),Gun Duel in Durango(1957) for Small,Street of Sinners(1957), a rare non-Western,Last of the Badmen(1957),Man from God's Country(1958),The Toughest Gun in Tombstone(1958) andBadman's Country(1958) asPat Garrett.

Television

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In the 1958–59 season, Montgomery starred in his own 26-episodeNBCWestern series,Cimarron Cityas Mayor Matt Rockford, with co-starsJohn SmithandAudrey Totterthrough his own production company Mont Productions. Montgomery claimed to have turned down the lead roles in the Western television seriesGunsmokeandWagon Train.[16]Cimarron Cityran one season.

Montgomery made an Imperial adventure forMGM,Watusi(1959), a sequel toKing Solomon's Mines(1950). He followed it withKing of the Wild Stallions(1959).

He made guest appearances on a number of television shows, including NBC'sBonanzaandThe Gisele MacKenzie Show.

Director

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Montgomery turned director withThe Steel Claw(1961), a war film shot in the Philippines, which he also co-wrote and in which he starred.

He was inSamar(1962),From Hell to Borneo(1963), andGuerillas in Pink Lace(1964).

He was going to makeOutlaw of Red Riverfor Robert Lippert in Spain, but it appears to have not been made.[17]

As an actor, he was in the filmed-in-SpainBattle of the Bulge(1965) andDjango the Condemned(1966). He was inHallucination Generation(1967), an anti-LSD movie. Montgomery was inBomb at 10:10(1967),Hostile Guns(1967),Warkill(1968), andStrangers at Sunrise(1970) (shot in South Africa).[18]He also worked the dinner and stock theatre circuit, appearing in productions ofTwo for the SeesawandA Hole in the Head.[19]

He planned to make aVietnam WarfilmThe Ho Chi Minh Trailin Bangkok and the Philippines, but the film was cancelled.[20]

1970s

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Montgomery acted in and directedSatan's Harvest(1970) made in South Africa. He also starred inThe Leo Chronicles(1972) andThe Daredevil(1972) and helped produceThe Proud and Damned(1972).

He also starred in the TV movieRide the Tiger(1970) and made guest appearances on 1970s television shows includingThe Odd Couple,The Six Million Dollar Manand Alias Smith and Jones.

Other interests

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As a boy, George Montgomery had become an excellent wood craftsman. As an adult, he began building furniture, first for himself and then for a few friends. His skill was such that his hobby became a full-fledged cabinet-making business, in which he employed as many as 20 craftsmen.[21][3]He appeared intelevision advertisementsforPledgefurniture cleaner during the 1970s.[22]

Montgomery oversaw the furniture business for more than 40 years, and expanded his interest to house design. He became involved with the building of 11 homes for friends and family. His artistic instincts included learning how to sculpt inbronze.Self-taught, he sculpted upwards of 50 bronze sculptures of subjects such asJohn Wayne,Clint Eastwood,Gene Autry,Randolph Scott,andRonald W. Reagan.He received renown in particular for a sculpture he did of Custer's Last Stand.[5][3]

His sculpture of his former wife, Dinah Shore, and their children is displayed at the Mission Hills Country Club inRancho Mirage, California.[23]

In 1981, he published a bookThe Years of George Montgomery.[24]

Personal life

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Montgomery was briefly engaged at age 25 toHedy Lamarr,then 27, in 1941.[25]

Montgomery and singerDinah Shoremarried on December 5, 1943.[26]They had one child, Melissa Ann Montgomery. George and Dinah also adopted a son, John David Montgomery, in 1954.[27]They divorced in 1962.[28]

In 1963, Montgomery's private life made headlines when his housekeeper was charged in a failed attempt to kill him. Allegedly suffering from a fanatical attraction to her employer, the woman planned to shoot Montgomery, then commitsuicide.[29]

Montgomery died at home on December 12, 2000, aged 84.[30]Aftercremation,Montgomery's ashes were divided and interred atForest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City)near hisPalm Springshome[31]and at the Highland Cemetery inGreat Falls, Montana,near his birthplace.[32]

Legacy

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For his contribution to the television industry, George Montgomery has a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameat 6301 Hollywood Blvd. In 1995, a Golden Palm Star on thePalm Springs Walk of Starswas dedicated in his honor.[33]He is also honored with a statue in the square ofPlentywood, Montana.[citation needed]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^Martynowych, Orest T.The Showman and the Ukrainian Cause: Folk Dance, Film, and the Life of Vasile Avramenko,University of Manitoba Press, 2014, pg. 190
  2. ^"125 Montana Newsmakers: George Montgomery".Great Falls Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon December 10, 2010.RetrievedAugust 27,2011.
  3. ^abcdefgLyman, Rick (December 15, 2000). "George Montgomery, Dashing Cowboy, Is Dead at 84: [Obituary (Obit)]".New York Times.p. C.15.
  4. ^"George Montgomery",The Times,December 15, 2000: 25.
  5. ^abWong, Herman (April 2, 1985)."George Montgomery Visits His Fans: A Folksy Matinee For Old-time Actor".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMarch 21,2012.
  6. ^abcVallance, Tom (December 15, 2000). "Obituary: George Montgomery".The Independent.p. 6.
  7. ^"These are Hollywood's Movie-struck Kids".Life.June 6, 1938. p. 34.RetrievedDecember 8,2011.
  8. ^"Up From the Range: A Word on George Montgomery, Recently Of Mr. Zanuck's Finishing School".New York Times.May 24, 1942. p. X4.
  9. ^Vagg, Stephen (April 4, 2020)."Top Ten Male Film Stars of the Sixties Called" George "".Filmink.
  10. ^"Screen News Here and in Hollywood: Fox Buys 'My Friend Flicka' as Roddy MacDowall Vehicle".New York Times.November 14, 1941. p. 29.
  11. ^"George Montgomery Is Chosen for a Lead Role With Gene Tierney in 'China Girl'".New York Times.May 12, 1942. p. 17.
  12. ^Schallert, Edwin (September 10, 1942). "Drama: Montgomery Handed Plum Roles at 20th".Los Angeles Times.p. 18.
  13. ^Thomas F. Brady (October 4, 1947). "John Payne Ends Contract at Fox".New York Times.ProQuest108083448.
  14. ^Hopper, Hedda (December 27, 1953). "Dinah and George: A Happy, Busy Couple: She Stars on Television, He in the Movies, but Their Successful Careers Have Not Wrecked Their 10-Year Marriage, a Fate Usual in Hollywood".Chicago Daily Tribune.p. c10.
  15. ^Schallert, Edwin (January 18, 1952). "Montgomery Will Star in 'Pathfinder;' Tucker Plays Mutineer Pirate".Los Angeles Times.p. 19.
  16. ^Montgomery, GeorgeThe Years of George MontgomerySagebrush; 1st edition (1981)
  17. ^"Filmland Events: George Montgomery to Do Film in Spain".Los Angeles Times.December 24, 1964. p. C5.
  18. ^Dorothy Manners (November 10, 1966). "Doris Day Giving Up the Chase for New Western".The Washington Post and Times-Herald.p. D24.
  19. ^Wong, Herman (April 2, 1985). "George Montgomery Visits His Fans: A Folksy Matinee for Old-time Actor".Los Angeles Times.p. oc_e1.
  20. ^Parish, James Robert; DeCarl, Lennard (1976).George Montgomery inHollywood Players: The Forties.Arlington House Publishers. p. 390.
  21. ^Ryon, Ruth (March 10, 1985). "George Montgomery: Ex-Leading Man Takes to Role of Renaissance Man".Los Angeles Times.p. i1.
  22. ^Pilato, Herbie J.Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery.Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2012.Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  23. ^Oliver, Myrna (December 14, 2000). "George Montgomery: Westerns Movie Star, Director, Sculptor".Pittsburgh Post–Gazette.p. C-18.
  24. ^"George Montgomery; Low-Budget Film Actor; 60-Year Career Included Westerns, TV".The Washington Post(FINAL ed.). December 15, 2000. p. B07.
  25. ^"Hedy Lamarr Engaged – Screen Star, 27, to Be Bride of George Montgomery, Actor, 25".The New York Times.The Associated Press. March 25, 1942. p. 23.
  26. ^"Dinah Shore Married to George Montgomery".Los Angeles Times.December 6, 1943. p. A1.
  27. ^International News Service (May 25, 1954). "Dinah Shore, Husband Adopt Baby Boy".Courier-Post.p. 15.ProQuest1915676264.
  28. ^"Dinah Shore Divorces George Montgomery: Weeping Singer Ends Marriage of Nearly 20 Years in Six Minutes".Los Angeles Times.May 10, 1962. pp. A1.ProQuest168146389.
  29. ^Breznican, Anthony (December 13, 2000). "Western Star George Montgomery Dies". Associated Press.
  30. ^Oliver, Myrna (December 14, 2000). "Obituaries; George Montgomery; Actor, sculptor, Furniture Maker".Los Angeles Times.p. B8.
  31. ^Brooks, Patricia; Brooks, Jonathan (2006). "Chapter 8: East L.A. and the Desert".Laid to Rest in California: a guide to the cemeteries and grave sites of the rich and famous.Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. p. 245.ISBN978-0762741014.OCLC70284362.
  32. ^Wilson, Scott (2016).Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed..Jefferson, NC: Mcfarland & Company. p. 525.ISBN978-0-7864-7992-4.
  33. ^Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated
  34. ^"Physical Fitness: Survival of the Fittest 1944 US Army Air Forces Training Film TF1-797; WWII".January 30, 2020.

Further reading

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  • Montgomery, GeorgeThe Years of George MontgomerySagebrush; 1st edition (1981)
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