This Gun For Hire 1942 Directed by Frank Tuttle Paramount B/W Alan Ladd as The Raven Paramount Studio and Alan Ladd were a pairing made in cinema heaven. Where else in that day and age could a short (5’5”) actor with blond hair be considered for a leading role in a major film? Not at Louis B. Mayer’s MGM! He was known to dislike even tall blond actors. What other studio would have put up with Sue Carol always underfoot when Alan was on the set? Both Jack Warner and Darryl Zanuck would have locked the door. But Paramount’s Adolph Zukor’s motto was “The Public Is Never Wrong!” and the public wanted short, blond and gorgeous Alan Ladd! Somehow, they were eager enough that they didn’t even mind that Alan’s hair was dyed for his first big role. Alan made so much of that role as sadistic killer Philip Raven that Robert Preston, signed for the detective lead role found his part dwindling to less than secondary while the Ladd-Lake pairing went on for 3 more films. Press releases for the film, however, managed to “erase” Alan’s marriage to Midge, the existence of son Laddie and two of Sue Carol’s three husbands. China 1943 Directed by John Farrow Paramount B/W Alan and Loretta Young The ads for this film all featured Alan standing bare-chested and clutching a machine gun. “Alan Ladd and Twenty Girls! ..... Trapped by the Rapacious Japs! ...... the hottest Ladd on the screen in his first big production!” Almost forgotten was Loretta Young who had top billing (in her next film with Ladd, he got the top billing), She got a small headshot along with Bill Bendix, both dwarfed by Alan’s huge torso. Bill played Alan’s pal and troubleshooter in the film instead of the usual big bruiser role like the one in “The Glass Key” when he accidentally caught Ladd offside with a punch and knocked the star cold. The two had become close friends during that shoot and Alan even found the Bendixes a house just across the street. Tess and Bill stayed close by Alan at the hospital while Alana was born. But a chance remark by Sue hinting that Bill selfishly avoided military service (Bendix had asthma) chilled the friendship when ALan never apologized for his wife and the deep freeze lasted many years. Two Years Before The Mast 1946 Directed by John Farrow Paramount B/W Alan with Brian Donlevy and Barry Fitzgerald This epic film, based on Richard Henry Dana’s sea saga, was filmed in late 1944 but put on the shelf to make way for more current war-related pictures. .Alan was tops in the national popularity poll and mobbed by fans wherever he went. True to his promise never to intentionally disappoint his fans, Alan signed every autograph and even posed and talked with his fans outside his home. On the set he was just as amiable with his co-workers and crew. Howard da Silva, who played the cruel captain in the movie (but was truly a really nice guy) made these observations about Alan: …how talented Ladd was even though he seemed boxed into formula roles that sapped his enormous potential….the melancholy look in those green eyes….the way both Alan and Bill Bendix avoided each other after their scenes were shot…and the lengthy time Sue Carol Ladd spent on the set. Something was going wrong with this wonderful guy but no one seemed to take much notice. The Blue Dahlia 1946 Directed by George Marshall Paramount B/W Alan and the tell-tale blue dahlia The studio bought the unfinished manuscript of a novel by mystery author Raymond Chandler and then commissioned him to turn it into a script tailored specifically for Alan Ladd. The story was strictly film noir with a hefty helping of violence and action. “Cross Ladd…and you’ve double-crossed yourself! Fool around with Ladd’s woman and you are a fool! For Ladd’s gun and Ladd’s fists say you can’t get away with that, brother…not in his territory!” it was another Ladd-Lake hit. Bill Bendix played his pal again while Howard da Silva, Doris Dowling and Frank Faylen were the supporting cast. Yes, it was the perfect Alan Ladd movie again. But no one bothered to ask why Alan was never considered for a Cecil B. De Mille epic or a Billy Wilder comedy. Someone should have asked. Wild Harvest 1947 Directed by Tay Garnett Paramount B/W Alan in the hay with Dorothy Lamour Alan was reunited with Robert Preston of his “Gun For Hire” days. Now Preston had the bad guy role and Alan would get the girl….who happened to be Dorothy Lamour. . Pictures of the two of them in a haystack made great poster art. The studio decided to let Alan sing with Lamour in a rendition of “Tallahassee”. Alan had a good singing voice and even made a “soundie” (an early form of music video) early in his career. He also became close friends with Lloyd Nolan during the shoot and the relationship was a lasting one. While they were filming, however, Sue had a close call. Pregnant again at 43, she was long overdue and the baby was a big one. On February 5, 1947 David Alan Ladd was born all 8’11 ½” oz. of him but it was touch and go for his mother. After several blood fusions, Sue was finally declared out of danger. Beyond Glory 1948 Directed by John Farrow Paramount B/W Alan, Audie Murphy and Donna Reed This was Alan’s 4th picture under John Farrow’s direction and it was being filmed at West Point. Alan played a West Point captain who returned from WWII to face trial on misconduct. The same film launched Audie Murphy. During the shoot Alan learned he had come in 10th on the annual poll of circuit and independent movie exhibitors. Making that list at all was considered very important in the industry. Then, later that year, Alan would form his own production company that packaged and syndicated a television mystery series called “Box 13”. Add to that Alan was attended a British Royal Command Performance where he was presented to the queen (Queen Elizabeth, wife of George IV). All in all, it was a professionally a good year. Whispering Smith 1949 Directed by Leslie Fenton Paramount Color Alan as Whispering Smith Alan went back to work soon after he was sure Sue and David were all right. This film preceded “Beyond Glory” but was released much later. It was advertised as his first Western (which it was not) and his first in “glorious Technicolor (which it was). He portrayed a railroad detective on the trail of bad guys when he discovers his best friend (Robert Preston) is one of them. This would be the last time Alan would make a picture with Preston who was leaving Paramount for some freelance roles before heading to Broadway. The lady in the triangle was Brenda Marshall. It was a good action-packed adventure and Alan looked great in color. Above all, the film was a box office success. But it wasn’t an epic and Alan was coming to the obvious conclusion he was getting nowhere at Paramount. He dreamed of bigger things and bigger roles…. but they all seemed to be going to someone else. Red Mountain 1952 Directed by William Dieterle Paramount Color Alan and Lizabeth Scott It was another formula Western. Originally titled “Quantrill’s Raiders”, the storyline pitted Alan and Arthur Kennedy against the Confederate raider Quantrill played by John Ireland. This time lovely Lizabeth Scott was Alan’s leading lady. But by now Alan was preparing to leave Paramount. He had already been passed over for two roles he wanted desperately …. The role of Brad in “The Greatest Show on Earth”, a Cecil B. De Mille epic, given to Charlton Heston (De Mille hated short actors) and the role of Detective James McLeod in “Detective Story” (given to Kirk Douglas). Alan had finally seen the writing on the wall. However, he still owed Paramount two pictures. One of them was “Shane”. Shane 1953 Directed by George Stevens Paramount Color Alan, Van Heflin, Jean Parker and Brandon DeWilde They all knew they had a good thing when they left for location…..the director, the stars and the whole crew. Shot in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, all the beauty of the land joined the spirit of an exciting story and created a classic. If Paramount had realized the impact the film and its star would make, they would have given Alan any role he wanted just to keep him. Robert Warshow, in his essay on “The Westerner”, said: “Shane was hardly a man at all but something like the spirit of the West, beautiful in fringed buckskins”. And I think somewhere there in view of the Grand Tetons, Alan Ladd became all of that and more. Credit it to Stevens’ direction or the fine script he was given, if you will, but no one can deny that Alan Ladd was finally allowed to be the great actor he was all along. Hell Below Zero 1954 Directed by Mark Robson Columbia Color Alan and Joan Tetzel A whaling yarn based on the novel “The White South” by Hammond Innes, this film was shot on location in a London studio while a second crew went out to get the Antarctica footage. Unfortunately audiences were getting too sophisticated and were no longer fooled by piece meal filming. Alan played a former naval officer chasing his lady love north on the deck of a whaler bound for the Antarctica. Joan Tetzel plays the elusive gal who has gone off to find her father’s murderer. Off the set, Alan was getting homesick and a little less appreciative of Sue’s plan to stay abroad and reap the benefits of the 18-month tax break. He felt it was somewhat like a prison term and wanted to go home. Then he smashed his hand playing football to ease the boredom and was in agony while he finished the picture…and on time. But infection set in and he almost lost his arm. He could have lost his life. The McConnell Story 1955 Directed by Gordon Douglas Warner Bros. Color Alan and June Allyson Alan was to portray triple jet ace, Captain Joseph McConnell and the studio picked June Allyson to play his wife. It would be the first time Alan ever reacted to the ladies who played opposite him..and the last. He was also scared of flying and the most exciting scenes in the movie were the dogfight sequences between the jet pilot and the enemy MIGs. But, of course, Alan never left the ground and played the scenes in a mock-up right on terra firma. June clowned around on the set trying to make Alan laugh. He had come on the set after a bad case of pneumonia and a slight auto accident that required 8 stitches in his forehead. June not only made him laugh, she captivated him. They were soon inseparable on the set. June recalls that they were two sides of the same coin and had somewhat parallel lives. Alan even told her about his first wife Midge and how she reminded him of her. But, nonetheless, they both knew how impossible the relationship would be and, when the picture wrapped, they went their separate ways. Two hearts were bruised but two families were left intact. The Proud Rebel 1958 Directed by Michael Curtiz Buena Vista Color Alan, Olivia De Havilland and David Ladd Taken from a story by James Edward Grant, this film is the heartwarming tale of Confederate war veteran John Chandler who is traveling north with his mute son to find a doctor who may be able to cure him. Alan plays the role with warmth and sensitivity and David Ladd shows his exceptional ability at a young age. Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., producer of the film, charmed Olivia de Havilland into leaving her Paris home to play the part of the farm owner who hires the pair to work on her land. Cecil Kellaway is the local doctor who connects them with a specialist in another state. It was an Unbeatable cast and won great critical acclaim. It was the last “Class” picture Alan Ladd would ever make and it is still considered a family classic. Some family notes: Alan Ladd, Jr., who often went by his dad’s nickname “Laddie” became president of 20th Century Fox and sat in that chair from 1976-1979, he was responsible for bringing George Lucas and Star Wars into the Fox fold. He also won an Oscar as producer of “Braveheart” shared with Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey. Laddie is now an independent producer. David Ladd won a special Golden Globe award for his role in “The Proud Rebel” and went on to become a very popular child star in the 60’s. He is also now a producer with the last film as an actor in 1981’s “Beyond the Universe”. Jordana Ladd , granddaughter of Alan and daughter of David and Cheryl Ladd, is an actress now appearing in “Waiting” and “Madhouse”. Some scenes from other Alan Ladd pictures: Chicago Deadline 1949 Saskatchewan 1954 with Shelley Winters. Santiago 1956 with Rossana Podesta, Lloyd Nolan The Deep Six 1958 with Dianne Foster The Man in the Net 1959 13 West Street 1962 with Rod Steiger