Brian Aherne

Born: May 2nd, 1902 (England)
Died: February 10th, 1986 age 83
Real Name: William Brian de Lacey Aherne
Cause of death; heart failure
Marriages: Two. The first, to actress Joan
Fontaine, ended in divorce.

Remarks: Dapper and dignified, Brian was always
cast in roles tailored for someone else and, while he
did them admirably, he never gained the stardom
he deserved. He was nominated for an Oscar for his
portrayal of Emperor Maximilian in “Juarez” (1949).

Films (49) included “Smilin’ Through” (1941) and
“The Locket”(1946).

Carole Landis

Born: January 1st, 1919
Died: July 5th, 1948 age 29
Real Name: Frances Lillian Mary Ridste
Cause of death:: suicide by drug overdose
Marriages: Five….to four husbands. No children

Remarks: Carole was cast in “B” movies or
given often thin supporting roles in “A” films.
She wrote a book about her wartime USO tour
that was the basis for the movie “Four Jills
In a Jeep” (1944). Depressed over a love affair
with Rex Harrison, she took her own life.
It was Harrison who found her body.

Films (49) included “One Million B.C.” (1940)
and “The Powers Girls” (1942).

Stephen Boyd

Born: July 4th, 1931 Ireland
Died: June 2nd, 1977 age 45
Real Name: William Millar
Cause of death: massive heart attack while
playing golf.
Marriages: Two. The first lasted two weeks.
The second took place just 10 months before his
death. No children.

Remarks: This very handsome Irishman made
his mark first as the Irish spy in “The Man That
Never Was” (1956) but his most memorable role
was that of Messala in “Ben Hur” (1959).

Films (49) include “Billy Rose’s Jumbo” (1962)
and “Fantastic Voyage” 1966).

Jean Peters

Born: October 15th, 1926
Died: October 13th, 2000 age 73
Real Name: Elizabeth Jean Peters
Cause of Death: leukemia
Marriages: Three. The second, to eccentric millionaire, Howard Hughes, caused more publicity that all her movies. No children.

Remarks: Jean won a screen test at 20th Century Fox when she was voted Miss Ohio State 1949. From her first film role on she played only leading ladies, the first opposite Tyrone Power in “Captain from Castile” (1947).

Films (23) also included “Viva Zapata” (1952 and “Three Coins in a Fountain” (1954).

Cornel Wilde

Born: October 13th, 1915 Budapest
Died: October 16th, 1989 age 74
Real Name: Cornelius Louis Wilde
Cause of Death: leukemia
Marriages: Two. His first to actress Patricia
Knight lasted 13 years but ended in divorce.
He divorced his second wife, actress Jean
Wallace, after 30 years and one son.

Remarks: Cornel was born in Budapest where his father was an officer in the army of Emperor Franz Josef. The family came to the USA in 1919. Cornel gave up medical school for a part in a Broadway
play. He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Chopin in “A Song To Remember” ( 1945) but was also notable in a picture he produced himself, “The Naked Prey” (1966).

Films (53) also includes “Leave Her To
Heaven” (1845) and “The Greatest Show
On Earth” (1952).

Gloria Grahame

Born: November 28th, 1923
Died: October 5th, 1981 age 57
Real Name: Gloria Hallward
Cause of Death: cancer and peritonitis
Marriages: Four ending in divorce.
Her second husband, director Nicholas
Ray was the father of her fourth, Tony
Ray.

Remarks: Gloria was best known for her
roles as sultry, shady ladies. She won a
Best Supporting Actress Oscar as the trollop
in “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952) after
losing one in 1947 for “Crossfire”.

Films (40) included “In a Lonely Place” (1950)
and “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952).

John Hodiak

Born: April 16th, i914
Died: October 19th, 1955 age 41
Real Name; he used it!
Cause of Death: heart attack
Marriages: One to actress Anne Baxter.
The marriage lasted seven years but ended in
divorce two years before he died. One daughter,
Katrina Hodiak, now an actress.

Remarks: John began as a radio voice (the voice of Li’l Abner for one!) but was was a
back-up for those who left for military service
(his heart condition kept him home). He shone
as the lead in Hitchcock’s “Lifeboat” (1944)
and soon got bigger and better pictures including “A Bell for Adano” in 1945.

Films (34) includes “The Harvey Girls”
(1946) and “Battleground” (1949)

Joan Bennett

Born: February 27th, 1910
Died: December 7th, 1990 age 80
Real Name: Joan Geraldine Bennett
Cause of death: heart attack
Marriages: Four. Her third to producer Walter
Wanger was marked with scandal when he was
Imprisoned for the attempted murder of her agent,
Jennings Lang.

Remarks: Blonde for the first half of her career,
Joan became a brunette for “Trade Winds” in 1938 to compete with another studio’s new siren, Hedy Lamarr. She stayed brunette the rest of her life. Stranger yet, her second husband Gene Markey later married Hedy!

Films (78) included “The Man in the Iron Mask”
(1939) and “The Woman in the Window” (1944)

Dana Andrews

Born: January 1st, 1909
Died: December 17th, 1992 age 83
Real Name: Carver Dana Andrews
Cause of Death: pneumonia and congestive
heart failure.
Marriages: Two. His first, Janet Murray, died after three years of marriage and one child. His second to Mary Todd lasted 53 years until his death. There were two children.

Remarks: Dana studied opera and joined the
Pasadena Playhouse before getting a contract
with Goldwyn and 20th Century Fox. After
conquering a long battle with the bottle, he became
one of the first actors to do a public service
announcement on alcoholism. From 1963-1965
Andrews was head of SAG. He was best known
for his roles in “Laura” (1945) and “The Best
Years of Our Lives” (1946).

Films (78) includes “State Fair” (1945) and
“While the City Sleeps” (1946)

Binnie Barnes

Born: May 25th, 1903 London
Died: July 27th, 1998 age 95
Real Name; Gittel Enoyce Barnes
Cause of Death: natural causes
Marriages: Two. The first to Samuel Joseph
ended in divorce. The second, to football star--
studio executive Mike Frankovich lasted until
his death. Three children.

Remarks: No one was better at brittle dialogue
and withering looks than Binnie. Seen for the first time in the USA as Catherine Howard in “The Private Lives of Henry VIII” (made in England 1933) she managed to create levity in some otherwise heavy scripts. Binnie threatened to sue Columbia Pictures after scene done in black panties and bra for a silhouette shot in “This Thing Called Love” showed up in full camera glory.

Films (79) include “The Adventures of Marco Polo” (1938) and “I Married An Angel” (1942)

Sterling Hayden

Born: March 26th, 1916
Died: May 23rd, 1986 age 70
Real Name: Sterling Relyea Walter (he
took his stepfather’s surname Hayden)
Cause of Death: cancer
Marriages; Three wives, five marriages.
His first to actress Madeleine Carroll ended
in divorce after three years. His second, third and fourth to Betty Ann De Noon also
ended in divorce. His last wife, Catherine
survived him after 26 years of marriage.

Remarks: Sterling ran away to sea at 17 and got his first command at 19. He got a Paramount contract in 1940 and then ran away to sea Again in 1941, as a commando in the Marines. After being decorated for bravery in action, he returned to film. Then he “talked” to the HUAC and never forgave himself. An all-time stellar performance in “The Asphalt Jungle” (1950) gained him stardom. Another was “Johnny Guitar“ in 1954 .

Films (63) also include “Flaming Feather”
(19510 and “Suddenly” (1954.