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Roman Bohnen

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Roman Bohnen
Bohnen inThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers(1946)
Born
Roman Aloys Bohnen

(1901-11-24)November 24, 1901
Saint Paul, Minnesota,U.S.
DiedFebruary 24, 1949(1949-02-24)(aged 47)
Hollywood, Los Angeles,California, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery,Culver City,California
EducationUniversity of Minnesota
OccupationActor
Years active1931–1949
Spouse
Hildur Ourse
​
​
(m.1930; died 1941)​
Children1

Roman Aloys Bohnen(November 24, 1901 – February 24, 1949) was an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the filmsOf Mice and Men(1939),The Song of Bernadette(1943), andThe Best Years of Our Lives(1946).

Early life and education

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Born inSt. Paul, Minnesota,Bohnen attended theUniversity of Minnesota,where he was a cheerleader. He was the son of Karl Bohnen, a portrait painter.[1]The family was financially hard-pressed during his youth.[2]

After graduating in 1923 with a B.A., Roman served his acting apprenticeship in theater companies in St. Paul andChicago,eventually spending five years with theGoodman Theatre.At the Goodman, he met fellow actor Hildur Ouse, who became his wife.

Career

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Group Theatre

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Roman Bohnen (left, besideLuther Adler) with members of theGroup Theatrein 1938

The Bohnens moved toNew York City,where he made hisBroadwaydebut in 1931 inAs Husbands Go.Bohnen, In the summer of 1932, at the behest of his friend from the Goodman TheatreArt Smith,he was invited to join theGroup Theatre,which became his artistic home for the next nine years. As a member of the Group, he appeared in numerous plays and was active in all aspects of the company. In her book on the Group Theatre, author Wendy Smith observes that Bohnen "fit easily and naturally into the Group" and was appreciated for his sense of humor, generosity and hard work.[2]

On January 2, 1933, Bohnen took over a lead part in the Group's hit play,Success StorybyJohn Howard Lawson.The very next day,Incubator,a play Bohnen had written with John Lyman, opened on Broadway (produced by another organization). AlthoughIncubatorreceived favorable reviews, it closed quickly. In the plays written by his friend,Clifford Odets,for the Group Theatre, he created the roles of Dr. Barnes inWaiting for Lefty,Schlosser inAwake and Sing!,Gus Michaels inParadise Lost,Tom Moody inGolden Boyand Mr. Tucker inNight Music.

Bohnen spent the summer of 1936 atPine Brook Country ClubinNichols, Connecticut.Pinebrook is best known for that year's summer rehearsal venue of theGroup Theatre.Some of the other artists who summered there wereElia Kazan,Harry Morgan,John Garfield,Lee J. Cobb,Will Geer,Clifford Odets,Howard Da SilvaandIrwin Shaw.[3][4]The Group Theatre disbanded in 1941, the same year that Hildur died.

Films

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After the failure of a play calledFive Alarm Waltzin 1941, Bohnen and his daughter Marina moved to Hollywood. His first film was theVogues of 1938(1937). By 1941, he was working almost exclusively in film. Among his better-known roles are Candy inOf Mice and Men(1939) and Pat Derry inThe Best Years of Our Lives(1946). He also played Durand Laxart, Joan's uncle, who takes her to see the Dauphin of France, in theIngrid Bergmanfilm,Joan of Arc(1948). He played the Old Man inJules Dassin's short filmThe Tell-Tale Heart(1941)

Bohnen was cast as PresidentHarry TrumaninThe Beginning or the End,an MGM docu-drama about the atomic bomb. After a private screening in late 1946, Truman let it be known that he disapproved of his portrayal regarding the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. On December 2, 1946, Bohnen wrote Truman that he should portray himself.[citation needed]On December 12, Truman responded to Bohnen's letter, but declined the chance to portray himself, and said that he was "sure you (Bohnen) will do the part creditably". Ultimately, the scenes were re-shot with actorArt Bakerre-cast as Truman.

Actors' Laboratory

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With other former Group Theatre actors, he was co-founder of the politically activeActors' Laboratory Theatre,serving on its executive board. The Actors' Laboratory was accused of Communist leanings, and in February 1948 Bohnen and other members of the group were subpoenaed to appear before a California Senate committee. He and the others refused to answer questions about whether or not they had ever been Communists. Subsequently, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service revoked the Actors' Laboratory's tax-exempt status. Bohnen worked hard to keep the group alive, and was recognized as the "driving force behind all of its activities. The Actors' Laboratory folded in 1950.[2]

Personal life and death

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The Bohnens had a daughter in 1936, Marina. Hildur died in 1941.[5]

While performing in a Lab production, Bohnen collapsed as the curtain fell on the second act. He had been suffering from a heart ailment.[6]Bohnen was survived by his daughter, father, sister, and brother.[1]

In her book on the Group Theater,Real Life Drama,author Wendy Smith wrote that the stress of the Lab's difficulties, and his personal problems as a single parent, contributed to his death.[2]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ab"Arthur Bohnen Goes To Hollywood for Funeral of Brother".The Post-Crescent.Appleton, Wis. February 26, 1949. p. 10.RetrievedFebruary 6,2020– viaNewspapers.com.
  2. ^abcdSmith, Wendy (1990).Real life drama: the Group Theatre and America, 1931-1940(1st ed.). New York: Knopf.ISBN978-0-3945-7445-5.
  3. ^"Pinebrook Country Club".Archived fromthe originalon July 27, 2011.RetrievedApril 1,2022.
  4. ^Trumbull Historical Society (January 1, 2004).Trumbull.Arcadia Publishing. p. 123.ISBN978-0-7385-3458-9.RetrievedApril 1,2022.
  5. ^"Guide to the Roman Bohnen papers".New York Public Library.RetrievedSeptember 6,2017.
  6. ^"Roman Bohnen Dies as Second Act Ends".Spokane Chronicle.Associated Press.February 25, 1949. p. 28.RetrievedFebruary 6,2020– via Newspapers.com.
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