Douglass Montgomery

Douglass Montgomery
from the trailer for the film Little Women (1933)
Born Robert Douglass Montgomery
(1907-10-29)October 29, 1907
Los Angeles, California, US
Died July 23, 1966(1966-07-23) (aged 58)
Norwalk, Connecticut, US
Other names Kent Douglas
Years active 1926-1957
Spouse(s) Kay Young (1952-1966) (his death)

Robert Douglass Montgomery (October 29, 1907 – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor.

Early years

The son of Chester Montgomery, a jeweler, Montgomery graduated from Los Angeles High School.[1]

Career

Montgomery used the stage name Douglass Montgomery when he started acting in New York. He often appeared as a ruggedly handsome, if slightly naive, fair-haired young man.

He gained early acting experience at the Pasadena Community Playhouse.[1]

The film component of his career began at MGM in 1930, playing the second male lead in films such as "Paid" and "Five and Dime". When he signed his contract at the studio his name was changed to Kent Douglass, to avoid confusion with that studio's star Robert Montgomery.[2] Upon leaving MGM in 1932, he changed it back to Douglass Montgomery.

Among his most celebrated roles was Laurie in Little Women (1933), opposite Katharine Hepburn's Jo March. He also played Johnny Hollis ("Johnny-in-the-Clouds") in The Way to the Stars (1945).

After serving in the Canadian Air Force during World War II, Montgomery moved to Great Britain and made films there. He later returned to the U.S. and appeared in a number of television shows.

Murder attempt

In 1934, Montgomery was the victim of a murder attempt.[3]

He had been rehearsing a play nightly at the Pasadena Community Theatre. It had become his habit each night to park his car in a lot next to the theater. The lot was dark and Montgomery generally parked his car in the corner. After rehearsals he would drive to his mother's house in Altadena. One night as he was leaving the theater he received a call from Universal Studios asking him to return to the studio for a retake. He climbed in his car and headed for Hollywood, instead of up the hilly road to Altadena.

As he drove along, one of the front wheels of the car came flying off sending the car into a tilt and eventually crashing to the ground. The wheel ended up hitting a nearby house. It was then discovered that someone had removed all the lug nuts from every wheel and then replaced the hubcaps so Montgomery would not notice. There was no fingerprint evidence leaving police to surmise the would be killer wore gloves to mask his identity. Had Montgomery gone his usual route he might have ended up down the side of a canyon. Police reportedly theorized that a mad killer was on the loose.

Marriage

Montgomery married British actress Kay Young (born Kathleen Tamar Young) on March 14, 1952 at Bethlehem Federated Church.[4] He was her second husband. Young had divorced film actor Michael Wilding the year before she wed Montgomery.[5] (Wilding remarried in 1952, to Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor.)[6] Young and Montgomery remained married until his death.

Death

Douglass Montgomery died of spinal cancer in Norwalk, Connecticut, aged 58, on July 23, 1966. He was cremated, with his ashes given to his widow.[7]

Filmography

Television appearances

References

  1. 1 2 "He Refused to Eat from a Golden Spoon". Detroit Free Press. Michigan, Detroit. August 19, 1934. p. 68. Retrieved June 22, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 334. ISBN 9780786457632. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Movie Classic, "Actors Narrowly Miss Death At Hands Of Fiend", November 1934, page 42.
  4. ↑ Wildings & Thurleys, Cantophers & McConnells, "Hatches, Matches & Dispatches only" (page 28), lineone.net; accessed January 18, 2010.
  5. ↑ Wildings & Thurleys, Cantophers & McConnells, "Hatches, Matches & Dispatches only" (page 46), lineone.net; accessed January 18, 2010.
  6. ↑ Wildings & Thurleys, Cantophers & McConnells, "Hatches, Matches & Dispatches only" (page 44), lineone.net; accessed January 18, 2010.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 525. ISBN 9780786479924. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

Sources

  • Halliwell, Leslie (2001-08-07). Walker, John, ed. Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies (14th ed.). HarperResource. ISBN 0-06-093507-3.
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