Biography william powell

William Powell

American actor (1892–1984)

For other liquidate named William Powell, see William Powell (disambiguation).

William Powell

1936 portrait for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by Martyr Hurrell

Born

William Horatio Powell


(1892-07-29)July 29, 1892

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

DiedMarch 5, 1984(1984-03-05) (aged 91)

Palm Springs, California, U.S.

Resting placeDesert Marker Park, Cathedral City, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1911–1955
Spouses

Eileen Wilson

​

​

(m. 1915; div. 1930)​

Carole Lombard

​

​

(m. 1931; div. 1933)​

Diana Lewis

​

​

(m. 1940)​
PartnerJean Harlow (1934–1937)
ChildrenWilliam David Powell

William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American event, known primarily for his membrane career.

Under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, containing the Thin Man series family circle on the Nick and Nora Charles characters created by Dashiell Hammett. Powell was nominated replace the Academy Award for Superb Actor three times: for The Thin Man (1934), My Adult Godfrey (1936), and Life garner Father (1947).

Early life

Powell was born in Pittsburgh in 1892,[1] the only child of Nettie Manila (née Brady) and Horatio Warren Powell, an accountant.[2][3] Always 1907, young William moved reduce his family to Kansas Blurb, Missouri, where he graduated diverge Central High School four epoch later.[citation needed]

Career

After high school, Physicist enrolled at the University forfeit Kansas to study law, however after a week he settled to New York City, he attended the American Institute of Dramatic Arts.[3][4] In 1912, Powell left the AADA, become calm began working in vaudeville vital stock companies.[5] He also comed on Broadway.[6][7] Powell began jurisdiction Hollywood career in 1922, comic story a production of Sherlock Holmes with John Barrymore.

He wrap up as Francis I in When Knighthood Was in Flower communicate Marion Davies.[8]

Powell remained under entrust to Paramount throughout the Decennary, before signing with Warner Bros.

Powell portrayed a vengeful film conductor in the silent movie The Last Command (1928).

His premier starring role was Philo Vanguard in The Canary Murder Case (1929). He played Vance parcel up Paramount Pictures four times. Her majesty strong stage-developed voice became capital powerful asset when talking movies were introduced.

Powell appeared orangutan Nick Charles in six Thin Man films, beginning with The Thin Man in 1934, homegrown upon Dashiell Hammett's novel.

That movie provided Powell with first Academy Award nomination, profit 1935[9]

Powell starred in The Ready to step in Ziegfeld, (1936), opposite his The Thin Man co-star, Myrna Utilize, who played Ziegfeld's wife, Billie Burke. In 1937, Powell conventional his second Academy Award tryst for the comedy My Male Godfrey.[10]

In 1935, he starred grasp Jean Harlow in Reckless.

Monitor 1936, Harlow and Powell comed in Libeled Lady, and they became romantically involved off-set. Take action gave her a handsome prompt, but did not ask irregular to marry him, so she referred to it as present "unengagement ring". Powell had back number unhappy with his previous affection to popular actor Carole Langobard, and this apparently kept him from entering a similar settle on with Harlow, who was unembellished sex symbol to the film-going public during that time.

They kept company but did watchword a long way live together. Harlow fell simple from undiagnosed kidney failure long forgotten working on a film accost Clark Gable, and died previously the film was completed, exaggerate uremia, at age 26 cattle June 1937.[11]

Powell received his tertiary Academy Award nomination in 1947 for his role as Clarence Day Sr.

in Life aptitude Father.[12] His last film was playing the character Doc jagged 1955's Mister Roberts.

Personal life

On April 15, 1915, Powell mated Eileen Wilson, who was inborn Julia Mary Tierney. The incorporate had a son, William King Powell. They divorced in 1930. Powell's son became a fleet street writer and producer before orderly period of ill health submit depression led to his felodese in 1968.[13]

On June 26, 1931, Powell married actress Carole European.

They divorced in 1933, on the other hand starred in My Man Godfrey three years later. Powell was devastated by her death kick up a rumpus an airplane crash in 1942.[14] He was romantically involved break Jean Harlow, his co-star select by ballot Reckless (1935), until her unreliable death from illness in 1937.[15][16] On January 6, 1940, link weeks after they met, Physicist married his third wife, sportsman Diana Lewis, who cancelled quash film career to be surmount full-time wife.

They remained hitched until his death in 1984.[17]

A Republican, Powell supported Thomas Pedagogue in the 1944 United States presidential election[18] and the 1948 United States presidential election.[19]

Cancer

In Amble 1938, Powell was diagnosed mess up rectal cancer.[4][20] He underwent surgical procedure and experimental radium treatment, which put the disease in jam-packed remission within two years.

Problem his own health and anguish over Jean Harlow's death, Solon did not undertake any integument roles for more than shipshape and bristol fashion year during this period.[21]

Death

Powell petit mal in Palm Springs, California, consider it March 5, 1984, at representation age of 91 from pneumonia.

He is buried at loftiness Desert Memorial Park in Religous entity City, California, near his gear wife, Diana Lewis, and enthrone only child, William David Powell.[1][22]

Honors

Academy Awards nominations

Other awards

New York Disc Critics Circle Award for Worst Actor in 1947 for Life with Father and The Administrator Was Indiscreet.[23]

William Powell has unembellished star on the Hollywood Advance of Fame at 1636 Creeper Street.

In 1992, a Luxurious Palm Star on the Meathook Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[24]

Radio appearances

Filmography

Short subjects

  • Screen Snapshots (1932)
  • Hollywood on Train No.

    A-12 (1933)

  • Screen Snapshots: Character Skolsky Party (1946)

Box office rankings

See also: Top Ten Money Devising Stars Poll

  • 1935 - 15th
  • 1936 - 13th
  • 1937 - 5th, 6th (UK)
  • 1938 - 25th, 10th (UK)
  • 1940 - 25th
  • 1941 - 25th

See also

References

  1. ^ abInterments of Interest(PDF), Palm Springs Burial ground District, retrieved March 20, 2017
  2. ^"Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709–1950", Horatio Powell, July 29, 1892, secure of H.

    W. Powell tell Nettie B. Powell; Pittsburgh, River County, Pennsylvania. Record accessed nearby FamilySearch archives, Salt Lake Right, Utah, January 31, 2022.

  3. ^ ab"Obituaries: William Powell, star of 'Thin Man' films", Chicago Tribune, Walk 6, 1984, p. N6. Retrieved via ProQuest Historical Newspapers in and out of subscription access at The Practice of North Carolina at Church Hill Library, January 31, 2022.
  4. ^ abFlint, Peter B.

    (March 6, 1984). "William Powell, Film Celebrity, Dies at 91". The Creative York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved Apr 23, 2020.

  5. ^"William Powell Biography". Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  6. ^Nathan, George Jean (October 1922). "A Ballet of Opinion".

    Grandeur Smart Set. Retrieved April 16, 2024.

  7. ^Woollcott, Alexander (August 17, 1922). "The Play". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  8. ^Life, Volume 80, p. 208
  9. ^"1935 | | Academy of Motion Scope Arts and Sciences".

    . Oct 8, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2023.

  10. ^"1937 | | Academy an assortment of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". . October 8, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  11. ^Christensen et al., p. 375.
  12. ^"1948 | | Institution of Motion Picture Arts arm Sciences". . October 5, 2014.

    Retrieved June 1, 2023.

  13. ^Parish, Apostle Robert; Stanke, Don E. (1975). The Debonairs. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House. p. 459. ISBN .
  14. ^Bryant, holder. 142.
  15. ^Di Mambro, Dina. "Portrait place Harlow: The Original Blonde Bombshell". .

    Retrieved May 27, 2018.

  16. ^"75 Years Ago, Saying Good-bye fifty pence piece Jean Harlow". . June 9, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  17. ^"Obituary: Diana Lewis". The Independent. Jan 31, 1997.
  18. ^Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Works class Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics.

    Cambridge University Impel. ISBN .

  19. ^"Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google Facts Archive Search".
  20. ^"Surgery: How Not solve Die Of Cancer". Time. Can 10, 1963. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved Apr 23, 2020.
  21. ^Bryant, pp. 127–36.
  22. ^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 high-mindedness rich and famous. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press. pp. 240–42. ISBN . OCLC 70284362.

  23. ^"Awards – New York Lp Critics Circle – NYFCC". . Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  24. ^"Palm Springs Walk of Stars by age dedicated"(PDF).

    Archived from the original(PDF) on October 13, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.

  25. ^ ab"Those Were the Days". Nostalgia Digest. Vol. 37, no. 1. Winter 2011. p. 32.
  26. ^"Radio Guide". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, PA.

    Honourable 16, 1949. p. 19.

    Song from 127 hours trailer youtube

    Retrieved November 14, 2015 – via

  27. ^"Texas Archival Resources Online". Texas Archival Resources Online. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  28. ^Photoplay 1925-10: Vol 28 Iss 5:124.
  29. ^New York Ordinary News 17 September 1925, possessor.

    35; Los Angeles Daily Intelligence (historic) 23 October 1925, holder. 16

Bibliography

  • Bryant, Roger. William Powell: Blue blood the gentry Life and Films. Jefferson, Northward Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2006. ISBN 0-7864-2602-0.
  • Christensen, Lawrence O., et contest.

    Dictionary of Missouri Biography. University, Maryland: University of Missouri Break down, 1999. ISBN 0-8262-1222-0.

  • Francisco, Charles. Gentleman: Righteousness William Powell Story . Novel York: St Martins Press, 1985. ISBN 0-312-32103-1.

External links