Alan Ladd
Forest Lawn Glendale
Alan Ladd worked an
assortment of odd jobs around Hollywood before finding work as a
handyman on the Warner Bros. lot. He made his screen debut in a
small role in "Tom Brown of Culver" (1932), and appeared in small
roles in a dozens of minor films through the 1930s, typically playing
college students, soldiers, sailors and friends of the featured actors.
His early screen appearances included uncredited roles as one of the
beasts in "Island of Lost Souls" (1933), and a pipe-smoking reporter
in "Citizen Kane" (1941).
The short -- 5-foot-5 -- fair-haired, unemotional
Ladd was not considered a leading-man type of actor, and he may have
remained in supporting roles if not for the persistence of his agent,
former actress Sue Carol, who became Ladd's wife in 1942.
Carol helped
Ladd land the role of cold-blooded killer Philip Raven in "This Gun
for Hire" (1942), co-starring Veronica Lake. Ladd's detached coolness
made him a perfect match for Lake, and they were paired in six more
films during the 1940s, including "The Glass Key (1942), "The Blue
Dahlia" (1946) and "Saigon" (1948).
Ladd's best-known role was as the mysterious gunfighter
who wants to hang up his six-shooters, but is forced to defend a homesteading family in "Shane" (1953). Ladd's icy coolness,
punctuated by two-fisted action, made him a favorite among film fans,
who apparently didn't mind that Ladd was often several inches
shorter than his co-stars. Though never nominated for an Academy
Ladd continued starring in action-packed films throughout
the 1950s, including "The Red Beret" (1953), "Hell Below Zero" (1954),
"Saskatchewan" (1954), "Hell on Frisco Bay" (1955), "The Proud Rebel"
(1958), "The Badlanders" (1958) and "One Foot in Hell" (1960), but he
was never able to match his earlier successes. In November 1962,
Ladd was seriously injured in what was officially described as an
"accidental" self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. Slightly
over a year later, he died of an overdose of sedatives mixed with
alcohol at the age of 50.
Ladd's final film appearance was in "The Carpetbaggers"
(1964), which was released several months after his death.
Ladd's three children have all been involved in the
film industry. Ladd's oldest son, Alan Ladd Jr., is a successful film
producer and studio executive. His youngest son, David Ladd, is an
actor, producer and former husband of actress Cheryl Ladd. And his
daughter, Alana Ladd, appeared in three Westerns in the early 1960s
-- two starring her father, and "Young Guns of Texas" (1962), which
starred several children of more-famous acting parents.
In front of Ladd's crypt is a small bust of the actor,
dressed in his "Shane" costume.
Ladd was born Alan Walbridge Ladd on Sept. 3, 1913
in Hot Springs, AR. He died on Jan. 29, 1964, in Palm Springs, CA.
1913 - 1964
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