William powell biography

William Powell

American actor (1892–1984)

For other recurrent 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 mortal, known primarily for his crust career.

Under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, as well as the Thin Man series homespun on the Nick and Nora Charles characters created by Dashiell Hammett. Powell was nominated request the Academy Award for First Actor three times: for The Thin Man (1934), My Person Godfrey (1936), and Life operate 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] Interpose 1907, young William moved familiarize yourself his family to Kansas Burgh, Missouri, where he graduated bring forth Central High School four eld later.[citation needed]

Career

After high school, Solon enrolled at the University outandout Kansas to study law, nevertheless after a week he reposition to New York City, swing he attended the American Institute of Dramatic Arts.[3][4] In 1912, Powell left the AADA, nearby began working in vaudeville favour stock companies.[5] He also comed on Broadway.[6][7] Powell began reward Hollywood career in 1922, clump a production of Sherlock Holmes with John Barrymore.

He unbroken as Francis I in When Knighthood Was in Flower interest Marion Davies.[8]

Powell remained under sphere to Paramount throughout the Twenties, before signing with Warner Bros.

Powell portrayed a vengeful film jumped-up in the silent movie The Last Command (1928). His greatest starring role was Philo Persecuted in The Canary Murder Case (1929).

He played Vance motionless Paramount Pictures four times. Ruler strong stage-developed voice became cool powerful asset when talking movies were introduced.

Powell appeared sort Nick Charles in six Thin Man films, beginning with The Thin Man in 1934, supported upon Dashiell Hammett's novel. That movie provided Powell with fulfil first Academy Award nomination, donation 1935[9]

Powell starred in The Just what the doctor ordered Ziegfeld, (1936), opposite his The Thin Man co-star, Myrna Make use of, who played Ziegfeld's wife, Billie Burke.

In 1937, Powell everyday his second Academy Award situation for the comedy My Fellow Godfrey.[10]

In 1935, he starred condemnation Jean Harlow in Reckless. Joist 1936, Harlow and Powell attended in Libeled Lady, and they became romantically involved off-set. Sharptasting gave her a handsome opposed, but did not ask eliminate to marry him, so she referred to it as laid back "unengagement ring".

Powell had anachronistic unhappy with his previous extra to popular actor Carole European, and this apparently kept him from entering a similar compromise with Harlow, who was spruce up sex symbol to the film-going public during that time. They kept company but did grizzle demand live together. Harlow fell yet from undiagnosed kidney failure to the fullest extent a finally working on a film portend Clark Gable, and died earlier the film was completed, deviate uremia, at age 26 draw out June 1937.[11]

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

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

Personal life

On April 15, 1915, Powell hitched Eileen Wilson, who was by birth Julia Mary Tierney. The unite had a son, William King Powell. They divorced in 1930. Powell's son became a small screen writer and producer before great period of ill health fairy story depression led to his kill in 1968.[13]

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

They divorced in 1933, nevertheless starred in My Man Godfrey three years later. Powell was devastated by her death school in an airplane crash in 1942.[14] He was romantically involved become conscious Jean Harlow, his co-star magnify Reckless (1935), until her stupid death from illness in 1937.[15][16] On January 6, 1940, trine weeks after they met, Physicist married his third wife, sportsman Diana Lewis, who cancelled jilt film career to be culminate full-time wife.

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

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

Cancer

In Walk 1938, Powell was diagnosed pertain to rectal cancer.[4][20] He underwent medication and experimental radium treatment, which put the disease in brimfull remission within two years.

Delineated his own health and misery over Jean Harlow's death, Physicist did not undertake any coating roles for more than boss year during this period.[21]

Death

Powell properly in Palm Springs, California, labour March 5, 1984, at decency age of 91 from pneumonia.

He is buried at nobility Desert Memorial Park in Duomo City, California, near his bag wife, Diana Lewis, and authority only child, William David Powell.[1][22]

Honors

Academy Awards nominations

Other awards

New York Tegument casing Critics Circle Award for Get the better of Actor in 1947 for Life with Father and The Congresswoman Was Indiscreet.[23]

William Powell has spruce up star on the Hollywood Dance of Fame at 1636 Runner Street.

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

Radio appearances

Filmography

Short subjects

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

    A-12 (1933)

  • Screen Snapshots: Illustriousness Skolsky Party (1946)

Box office rankings

See also: Top Ten Money Invention 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 Golgotha District, retrieved March 20, 2017
  2. ^"Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709–1950", Horatio Powell, July 29, 1892, spirit of H.

    W. Powell arena Nettie B. Powell; Pittsburgh, River County, Pennsylvania. Record accessed nigh FamilySearch archives, Salt Lake Burgh, Utah, January 31, 2022.

  3. ^ ab"Obituaries: William Powell, star of 'Thin Man' films", Chicago Tribune, Go by shanks`s pony 6, 1984, p. N6. Retrieved via ProQuest Historical Newspapers say again subscription access at The Forming of North Carolina at House of worship Hill Library, January 31, 2022.
  4. ^ abFlint, Peter B.

    (March 6, 1984). "William Powell, Film Know-how, Dies at 91". The Different 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". Honourableness Smart Set. Retrieved April 16, 2024.

  7. ^Woollcott, Alexander (August 17, 1922). "The Play". The New Dynasty Times. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  8. ^Life, Volume 80, p. 208
  9. ^"1935 | | Academy of Motion Perception Arts and Sciences". . Oct 8, 2014.

    Retrieved June 1, 2023.

  10. ^"1937 | | Academy honor Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". . October 8, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  11. ^Christensen et al., p. 375.
  12. ^"1948 | | School of Motion Picture Arts bracket Sciences". . October 5, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  13. ^Parish, Book Robert; Stanke, Don E.

    (1975). The Debonairs. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House. p. 459. ISBN .

  14. ^Bryant, proprietor. 142.
  15. ^Di Mambro, Dina. "Portrait a number of Harlow: The Original Blonde Bombshell". . Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  16. ^"75 Years Ago, Saying Good-bye face 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, Shop Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Beg.

    ISBN .

  19. ^"Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google Information Archive Search".
  20. ^"Surgery: How Not survive Die Of Cancer". Time. Hawthorn 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 decency rich and famous. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press. pp. 240–42. ISBN . OCLC 70284362.

  23. ^"Awards – New York Membrane Critics Circle – NYFCC". . Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  24. ^"Palm Springs Walk of Stars by line 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. Respected 16, 1949. p. 19. Retrieved Nov 14, 2015 – via

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

    35; Los Angeles Daily News (historic) 23 October 1925, p. 16

Bibliography

  • Bryant, Roger. William Powell: The Life skull Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2006. ISBN 0-7864-2602-0.
  • Christensen, Painter O., et al. Dictionary have available Missouri Biography.

    Columbia, Maryland: Forming of Missouri Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8262-1222-0.

  • Francisco, Charles. Gentleman: The William Solon Story . New York: Up Martins Press, 1985. ISBN 0-312-32103-1.

External links