CineScope
Robert Montgomery picture

Robert Montgomery

Acting
Known For

77 Years Old

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.

Born

Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA on 21st May 1904

Died

27th September 1981

All Credits

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