John Payne (actor)
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John Howard Payne (May 23, 1912 – December 6, 1989) was an American film actor who is mainly remembered from
film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
crime stories and
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
s, and for his leading roles in ''
Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American List of Christmas films, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on ...
'' and the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
''
The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...
''.


Early life

Payne was born in
Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is lo ...
. His mother, Ida Hope (''née'' Schaeffer), a singer, graduated from the Virginia Seminary in Roanoke and married George Washington Payne, a developer in Roanoke. They lived at Fort Lewis, an
antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ...
mansion that became a state historic property, but was destroyed by fire in the late 1940s. Payne attended prep school at
Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg Academy (formerly Marshall College and Mercersburg College) is an independent selective college-preparatory boarding & day high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. Founded in 1893, the school enrolls approximat ...
in
Mercersburg, Pennsylvania Mercersburg is a borough in Franklin County, located near the southern border of Pennsylvania, United States. The borough is southwest of Harrisburg, the state capital. Due to its location in a rural area, it had a relatively large percentage ...
, and then went to
Roanoke College Roanoke College is a private liberal arts college in Salem, Virginia. It has approximately 2,000 students who represent approximately 40 states and 30 countries. The college offers 35 majors, 57 minors and concentrations, and pre-professional pr ...
in
Salem, Virginia Salem is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,346. It is the county seat of Roanoke County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combin ...
. He then transferred to
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in New York City in the fall of 1930. He studied drama at Columbia and voice at the
Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...
. To support himself, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including wrestling as "Alexei Petroff, the Savage of the Steppes" and boxing as "Tiger Jack Payne". He returned frequently to visit his family in
Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is lo ...
.


Acting career


Stage actor

In 1934, a talent scout for the Shubert theaters spotted Payne and gave him a job as a stock player. He appeared in road company productions of ''
Rose Marie Rose Marie (born Rose Marie Mazzetta; August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career ultimately spanning nine decades, which included film, radio, records, theater, night ...
'' and ''
The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play '' Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a score with some of Romberg's most enduri ...
'' at $40 a week. Payne toured with several
Shubert Brothers The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...
shows, and frequently sang on New York City-based radio programs. On Broadway he appeared in the revue ''At Home Abroad'' (1935–36) alongside
Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...
,
Eleanor Powell Eleanor Torrey Powell (November 21, 1912 – February 11, 1982) was an American dancer and actress. Best remembered for her tap dance numbers in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s, she was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's top dancing stars duri ...
and Beatrice Lillie. He understudied for
Reginald Gardiner William Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 – 7 July 1980) was an English actor on the stage, in films and on television. Early years Gardiner was born in Wimbledon, England, and he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Katz, ...
and took over one night. He was seen by Fred Kohlmar of
Sam Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor a ...
's company and was offered a movie contract.


Early films

In 1936, he left New York for Hollywood. His first role was in Goldwyn's '' Dodsworth'', playing Harry McKee, the son-in-law of 's titular character. He had the male lead as Jimmy Maxwell in '' Hats Off'' (1936), an independent film. Payne was third billed in '' Fair Warning'' (1937), at Fox, and was the lead in ''
Love on Toast ''Love on Toast'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Ewald André Dupont. It was John Payne's fourth film. Cast *Stella Adler as Linda Craven * John Payne as Bill Adams * Grant Richards as Clark Sanford *Kathryn Kane as Polly Marr *Ben ...
'' (1937). He had a small role in Paramount's ''
College Swing ''College Swing'', also known as ''Swing, Teacher, Swing'' in the U.K., is a 1938 comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring George Burns, Gracie Allen, Martha Raye, and Bob Hope. The supporting cast features Edward Everett Horton, Ben Bl ...
'' (1938).


Warner Bros

Payne signed a contract with
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
and played Don Vincent in '' Garden of the Moon'' (1938). He was in ''
Kid Nightingale ''Kid Nightingale'' is a 1939 American musical comedy film directed by George Amy and written by Charles Belden and Raymond L. Schrock. The film stars John Payne, Jane Wyman, Walter Catlett, Edward Brophy, Charles D. Brown, Max Hoffman Jr., ...
'' (1939) and ''
Wings of the Navy ''Wings of the Navy '' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring George Brent, Olivia de Havilland and John Payne. Like many of the Warner Bros. features in the pre-World War II era, it was intended to serve as propaga ...
'' (1939). Payne supported
Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagne ...
in ''
Indianapolis Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United States ...
'' (1939). During this time he returned to Broadway to appear in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1938–39). Payne was unhappy with his Warner Bros. roles, and asked for a release.


20th Century Fox

Payne went to
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
where he appeared in '' Star Dust'' (1940). During filming,
Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of ...
offered him a long-term contract. He had supporting roles in ''
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
'' (1940) and ''
The Great Profile ''The Great Profile'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring John Barrymore, Mary Beth Hughes, Gregory Ratoff and John Payne. Synopsis Barrymore lampoons himself. A famous actor, given to drink, nearly destroys the ...
'' (1940). Payne had roles in the comedy ''
The Great American Broadcast ''The Great American Broadcast'' is a 1941 comedy film directed by Archie Mayo. It stars Jack Oakie, Alice Faye and John Payne. Plot Impoverished roommates Rix Martin and Chuck Hadley have dreams of being the first to operate a coast-to-coast ra ...
'' (1940), and was in the musicals ''
Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...
'' (1940), ''
Week-End in Havana ''Week-End in Havana'' (also known as ''A Week-End in Havana'' and ''That Week-End in Havana'') is a 1941 20th Century Fox Technicolor musical film directed by Walter Lang and starring Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. It was the second of three pict ...
'' (1941) and '' Sun Valley Serenade'' (1941). Fox gave him the chance to do drama in '' Remember the Day'' (1941) and ''
To the Shores of Tripoli ''To the Shores of Tripoli'' is a 1942 American Technicolor film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring John Payne, Maureen O'Hara and Randolph Scott. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. Its cinematography was nominated for an Ac ...
'' (1942). After serving in the military during World War II Payne returned to Fox, and was in '' The Dolly Sisters'' (1945), playing
Harry Fox Harry Fox (born Arthur Carringford; May 25, 1882 – July 20, 1959) was an American vaudeville dancer, actor, and comedian. Biography Fox is most notably famous for being related as name-source to the Fox Trot dance in New York. In "Dance Mad ...
. It was one of Payne's most successful films. Payne starred with Maureen O'Hara in '' Sentimental Journey'' (1946), and was in ''
The Razor's Edge ''The Razor's Edge'' is a 1944 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. It tells the story of Larry Darrell, an American pilot traumatized by his experiences in World War I, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. The story beg ...
'' (1946). Payne's most familiar role may be his final film for Fox, that of attorney Fred Gailey in the classic holiday favorite ''
Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American List of Christmas films, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on ...
'' (1947) with
Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...
,
Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural ...
and
Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won t ...
. It was another box office success. He was meant to make another with O'Hara, '' Sitting Pretty'' (1948) . However, in October 1947 he got his release from the studio, despite the contract having another four years to run, which would have brought him $670,000. Payne claimed he was dissatisfied with the roles being offered him. Payne later said he had asked for his release every week for eight months before he got it. Film historian Jeanine Basinger later wrote that "Fox thought of ayneas a secondary
Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...
. They didn't know how to use him."


Freelance actor

After leaving Fox, Payne attempted to change his image and began playing tough-guy roles in Hollywood
films noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...
. He did two noirs at Universal, ''
Larceny Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of Engla ...
'' (1948), where he played the lead role, and was in''
The Saxon Charm ''The Saxon Charm'' is a 1948 American film noir drama film written and directed by Claude Binyon based on the novel of the same name by Frederic Wakeman Sr. and starring Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery, Susan Hayward, John Payne (ac ...
'' (1948). He had the lead in '' The Crooked Way'' (1949) for United Artists.


Pine-Thomas Productions

Payne received an offer to star in a Western for
Pine-Thomas Productions Pine-Thomas Productions was a prolific B-picture unit of Paramount Pictures from 1940–1957, producing 81 films. Co-producers William H. Pine (February 15, 1896 – April 29, 1955) and William C. Thomas (August 11, 1903 – April 2, 1984) were kno ...
, a unit that operated out of Paramount Studios. His first film for the company was ''
El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...
'' (1949). Other roles were in ''
Captain China ''Captain China'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by Lewis R. Foster and written by Lewis R. Foster and Gwen Bagni. The film stars John Payne, Gail Russell, Jeffrey Lynn, Lon Chaney Jr., Edgar Bergen, Michael O'Shea and Ellen Corb ...
'' (1950), an adventure film; ''
Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
'' (1950) set during the Barbary War; and '' The Eagle and the Hawk'' (1950), a Western. He signed a contract to make three more films for Pine-Thomas and was in ''
Passage West Passage West (locally known as "Passage"; ) is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour, some 10 km south-east of Cork city. The town has many services, amenities and social outlets. Passage West was ...
'' (1951), another Western; and '' Crosswinds'' (1951), an adventure film; ''
Caribbean Gold ''Caribbean Gold'' is a 1952 American pirate film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring John Payne, Arlene Dahl and Cedric Hardwicke. It is known by the alternative title ''Caribbean''. Plot In 1728, Dick Lindsay is taken prisoner by Captain ...
'' (1952), a pirate film; ''
The Blazing Forest ''The Blazing Forest'' is a 1952 American lumberjack adventure film directed by Edward Ludwig and written by Lewis R. Foster and Winston Miller. The film stars John Payne, William Demarest, Agnes Moorehead, Richard Arlen, Susan Morrow, Roscoe At ...
'' (1952), an adventure story; ''
The Vanquished ''The Vanquished'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Edward Ludwig, written by Lewis R. Foster, Winston Miller and Frank L. Moss, and starring John Payne, Jan Sterling, Coleen Gray, Lyle Bettger, Willard Parker, Roy Gordon and John D ...
'' (1952), a Western. Payne insisted that the films he appeared in be filmed in color and that the rights to the films revert to him after several years, making him wealthy when he rented them to television. In 1952 he said he got four times the fan mail he did at Fox. "I make fewer pictures now but I make the kind I want to make."


Other independent producers

Payne starred in ''
Kansas City Confidential ''Kansas City Confidential'' is a 1952 American film noir and crime film directed by Phil Karlson starring John Payne (actor), John Payne and Coleen Gray. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''The Secret Four''. Karlson and Payne teamed ...
'' (1952), a noir, and owned 25% of the film. He later worked with on ''
Raiders of the Seven Seas ''Raiders of the Seven Seas'' is a 1953 American swashbuckler film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring John Payne and Donna Reed. The supporting cast features Gerald Mohr, Lon Chaney Jr. and Anthony Caruso. Plot The pirate Barbarossa raids ...
'' (1953), a pirate movie; and '' 99 River Street'' (1953), a noir. Payne did a series of Westerns: '' Silver Lode'' (1954), for
Benedict Bogeaus Benedict Bogeaus (May 4, 1904, in Chicago – August 23, 1968, in Hollywood), was an independent film producer and former owner of General Service Studios. Biography and filmography Bogeaus' business career started when he was seventeen, workin ...
; '' Rails Into Laramie'' (1955), for Universal; ''
Santa Fe Passage ''Santa Fe Passage'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring John Payne, Faith Domergue and Rod Cameron. Plot Kirby Randolph ( John Payne) is a veteran scout who comes to hate all Indians after being betrayed ...
'' (1955) and ''
The Road to Denver ''The Road to Denver'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane starring John Payne, Mona Freeman, Lee J. Cobb, Ray Middleton and Skip Homeier. The supporting cast features Lee Van Cleef, Andy Clyde, Glenn Strange and Emory P ...
'' (1955) at Republic, and ''
Tennessee's Partner ''Tennessee's Partner'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Allan Dwan, written by Graham Baker, D. D. Beauchamp, Milton Krims, and Teddi Sherman, with uncredited rewrites by Dwan, and starring John Payne, Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Fl ...
'' (1955) for Bogeaus. In 1955, he paid a $1,000-a-month option for nine months on the
Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., a ...
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
novel ''Moonraker'' (he eventually gave up the option when he learned he could not retain the rights for the entire book series). He returned to Pine-Thomas for a noir, ''
Hell's Island ''Hell's Island'' is a 1955 American film noir directed by Phil Karlson starring John Payne and Mary Murphy. The film was shot in the VistaVision wide-screen format. ''Hell's Island'' was re-released in 1962 under the title ''South Sea Fury''. ...
'' (1956), then did '' Slightly Scarlet'' (1956) for Bogeaus. He made ''
Hold Back the Night Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (ship), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Ferm ...
'' (1956) for Allied Artists and '' The Boss'' (1956) for United Artists, co-producing the latter. He did another noir, Hidden Fear, shot in Denmark. Payne made one more Pine-Thomas film, '' Bailout at 43,000'' (1957), playing Major Paul Peterson.


Television

Payne starred as Vint Bonner in ''
The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...
'', a half-hour western which aired on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
Monday evenings from September 23, 1957 to September 14, 1959. He played a gunfighter who preferred not to fight if other options were available. The series was originally based on an earlier radio series starring
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
titled ''
The Six Shooter ''The Six Shooter'' is a United States western old-time radio program starring James Stewart as a gunfighter. It was created by Frank Burt (screenwriter), Frank Burt, who also wrote many of the episodes, and lasted only one season of 39 episodes o ...
''. On October 31, 1957 Payne guest-starred on ''
The Ford Show ''The Ford Show'' (also known as ''The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford'' and ''The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show'') is an American variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired on NBC on Thursday eveni ...
'' hosted by
Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for h ...
.


Later career

Payne directed one of his last films, ''They Ran for Their Lives'' (1968), and starred with Alice Faye in a 1974 revival of the musical '' Good News''. He also starred in the ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'' episode of "Gentry's Law" in 1970. His final role was in 1975, when he co-starred with
Peter Falk Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the long-running television series ''Columbo'' (1968–1978, 1989–2003), for which he ...
and
Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. Her career spanned over five decades. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, ...
in the ''
Columbo ''Columbo'' () is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC f ...
'' episode "Forgotten Lady". Later in life Payne became wealthy through real estate investments in southern California.


Personal life

During World War II Payne served as a flight instructor in the
United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
. Major Payne received a silver star in 1942 for his actions during a bombing mission of the Italian fleet which allowed British forces to proceed. He was honorably discharged in September 1944. Payne was married to actress
Anne Shirley Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' by L. M. Montgomery. Shirley is featured throughout the classic book series, which revolve around her life and family in 19th and 20th-century Prince Edw ...
from 1937 to 1942; they had a daughter, Julie Anne Payne. He married actress
Gloria DeHaven Gloria Mildred DeHaven (July 23, 1925 – July 30, 2016) was an American actress and singer who was a contract star for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Early life DeHaven was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actor-director Carter De ...
in 1944; the couple had two children, Kathleen Hope Payne (b. 1945) and Thomas John Payne, before divorcing in 1950. The couple remained on good terms, and on June 27, 1961 columnist Earl Wilson wrote that DeHaven was still concerned over Payne's March 1961 accident, and called him once a week. During the filming of ''
Kansas City Confidential ''Kansas City Confidential'' is a 1952 American film noir and crime film directed by Phil Karlson starring John Payne (actor), John Payne and Coleen Gray. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''The Secret Four''. Karlson and Payne teamed ...
'' (1952) Payne had a romance with co-star
Coleen Gray Coleen Gray (born Doris Bernice Jensen; October 23, 1922 – August 3, 2015) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles in the films '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947), '' Red River'' (1948), and Stanley Kubrick's '' The Killing'' ...
that continued well past filming. They later appeared together in ''
Tennessee's Partner ''Tennessee's Partner'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Allan Dwan, written by Graham Baker, D. D. Beauchamp, Milton Krims, and Teddi Sherman, with uncredited rewrites by Dwan, and starring John Payne, Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Fl ...
'', alongside future U.S. President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
. Payne then married Alexandra Beryl "Sandy" Crowell Curtis in 1953, and remained with her until his death. His oldest daughter Julie was married to writer-director
Robert Towne Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' by Peter Biskind page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition November 23, 1934) is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He started with writing films for Roger Corm ...
from 1977 to 1982. Payne was a
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
and in October 1960 he was one of many conservative notables who drove in the Nixon-Lodge Bumper Sticker Motorcade in Los Angeles. Payne also supported
Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
in the
1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial United States presidential election, presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic Party (United States), Democratic President of the Un ...
.


Accident

On the evening of March 1, 1961, when Payne was 49, he suffered extensive, life-threatening injuries when struck by a car when he was crossing Madison Avenue in New York City.Lloyd Shearer, "Faith Kept Him Alive", ''Parade'', December 24, 1961, page 12 It had been raining, and the driver, future billionaire hedge fund manager Bernard Selz, claimed he had not seen Payne. Payne was tossed into the air, and came down facefirst into the car’s windshield, which then shattered, causing extensive facial lacerations, including damaging both his eyes. His left leg was broken in five places, and he suffered a skull fracture. Payne was taken to Roosevelt Hospital (now named
Mount Sinai West Mount Sinai West, opened in 1871 as Roosevelt Hospital, is affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. The 514-bed facility is located in the Midtown West neighborhood of New York City. The fac ...
), where he had facial surgery. He was in a hip cast for five-and-a-half months. He claimed his full recovery was due to doctors telling him that a patient’s attitude is important, and he always remained optimistic. One of Payne's first public appearances during this period was as a guest panelist on the popular
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
Sunday night game show ''
What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...
'' In the December 3, 1961 episode, regular panelist Dorothy Kilgallen introduced Payne by saying, "He's been in the hospital after a very bad accident. So it's good to see him fit as a fiddle and all in one piece." Regular panelist
Bennett Cerf Bennett Alfred Cerf (May 25, 1898 – August 27, 1971) was an American writer, publisher, and co-founder of the American publishing firm Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearanc ...
remarked, "Good to see you here, John. Glad to see you beat that car on Madison Avenue that bumped into you."


Death

Payne died in
Malibu, California Malibu ( ; es, Malibú; Chumash: ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its strip of the Malibu ...
, of
congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
on December 6, 1989, aged 77. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. He has two stars on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
, in motion pictures and television.


Complete filmography


Radio appearances


References


External links

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John Payne
at Virtual History
John Payne in Lux Radio Theater: ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1948)
– downloadable mp3 and streaming audio {{DEFAULTSORT:Payne, John 1912 births 1989 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 20th Century Studios contract players 20th-century American male singers American male film actors American male radio actors American male television actors American male voice actors California Republicans Columbia University alumni First Motion Picture Unit personnel Juilliard School alumni Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Virginia Male Western (genre) film actors Military personnel from Virginia People from Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke College alumni Vaudeville performers Virginia Republicans Warner Bros. contract players