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Magnificent Obsession (1935 Film)
''Magnificent Obsession'' is a 1935 melodrama film based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Lloyd C. Douglas. The film was adapted by Sarah Y. Mason, Victor Heerman, and George O'Neil, directed by John M. Stahl, and stars Irene Dunne, Robert Taylor, Charles Butterworth, and Betty Furness. Plot The life of spoiled Robert Merrick is saved through the use of a hospital's only pulmotor, but because the medical device cannot be in two places at once, it results in the death of Dr. Hudson, a selfless, brilliant surgeon and generous philanthropist. Merrick falls in love with Hudson's widow, Helen, though she holds him responsible for her husband's demise. One day, he insists on driving her home, and makes a pass at her. She gets out, and is struck by another car, losing her sight. Merrick confronts a friend of Helen's husband, wanting to know why a beautiful young woman would marry a middle-aged man. The doctor's friend tells him that her husband had a philosophy - to help ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irene Dunne
Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during Classical Hollywood cinema, the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other genres. After her father died when she was 14, Dunne's family relocated from Kentucky to Indiana. She was determined to become an opera singer, but when she was rejected by Metropolitan Opera, The Met, she performed in musicals on Broadway theatre, Broadway until she was scouted by RKO and made her Hollywood film debut in the musical ''Leathernecking'' (1930). She later starred in the successful musical ''Show Boat (1936 film), Show Boat'' (1936). Dunne starred in 42 movies and was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actress—for her performances in the western drama ''Cimarron (1931 film), Cimarron'' (1931), the screwball comedies ''Theodora Goes Wild'' (1936) and ''The Awful Truth'' (1937), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty Furness
Elizabeth Mary Furness (January 3, 1916 – April 2, 1994) was an American actress, consumer advocate, and current affairs commentator. Early years Furness was born in Manhattan, the daughter of wealthy business executive George Choate Furness and his wife Florence. She attended the Brearley School and Bennett Junior College. Acting career Furness made her stage debut in the school holidays in the title role of ''Alice in Wonderland''. She also posed for commercial advertising. She began her professional career as a model before being noticed by a talent scout and being signed to a film contract in 1932 by RKO Studios. Her first film role was as the "Thirteenth Woman" in the film '' Thirteen Women'' (1932) but her scenes were deleted before the film's release. Over the next few years, she appeared in several RKO films, and became a popular actress. Among her film successes were '' Magnificent Obsession'' (1935) and the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film '' Swing Time'' (193 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cora Sue Collins
Cora Susan Collins (April 19, 1927 – April 27, 2025) was an American child actress who appeared in films during the Golden Years of Hollywood. Although she did not make the transition to a film career in adulthood, she appeared in 47 films in total. Early life and career Cora Susan Collins was born on April 19, 1927, in Beckley, West Virginia. She later moved to Los Angeles, California, along with her mother and older sister. Collins made her acting debut in '' The Unexpected Father'' in 1932 at the age of five. She starred opposite Slim Summerville and ZaSu Pitts, playing Summerville's adoptive daughter. She appeared in the American romantic drama '' Smilin' Through'' (1932), starred Norma Shearer, Fredric March, and Leslie Howard. It was a remake of a silent film of the same name made a decade earlier, and Collins had a minor role as Shearer's character Kathleen Wayne as a young girl. ''Smilin' Through'' was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for 1932, but did ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arthur Hoyt
Arthur Hoyt (March 19, 1874 – January 4, 1953) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34-year film career, about a third of them silent films. Career Born in Georgetown, Colorado, in 1874, Hoyt made his Broadway debut in 1905 in ''The Prince Consort''. He also appeared in Ferenc Molnár's '' The Devil'' in 1908, and made his final Broadway appearance in ''The Great Name'' in 1911. Hoyt made the silent comedy short ''The Scrub Lady'' in 1914, but his film acting career did not begin in earnest until 1916 when he appeared in another short, ''The Heart of a Show Girl''. From that time until 1944, each year a film was released in which Hoyt had acted – and frequently up to a dozen or so. Hoyt had large roles in such silent films as '' The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1921), '' Souls for Sale'' (1923), and '' The Lost World'' (1925). He also directed two silent features, '' Station Content'' starring Gloria Swanson and '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidney Bracey
Sidney Bracey (born Sidney Bracy; 18 December 1877 – 5 August 1942) was an Australian-born American actor. Born into an acting family, he began a stage career in Australia, on Broadway and in Britain usually as leading men in musicals and comic operas, and in roles straight theatre, including Shakespeare plays. He then performed in more than 320 films between 1909 and 1942, remembered for his character roles as sometimes exasperated men in authority, such as bosses, directors, and, especially, respectable butlers. He also continued to perform on stage, including in vaudeville. Early life and stage career Bracey was born in Melbourne, Victoria, with the name Sidney Bracy, later changing the spelling of his last name. He was the son of Welsh tenor Henry Bracy and English actress Clara T. Bracy. His aunt was the actress and dancer Lydia Thompson. He was educated at Melbourne University.Bowers, David Q"Bracy, Sidney: Volume III: Biographies" ''Thanhouser Films: An Encyc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theodore Von Eltz
Julius Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Early life Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 years at an eastern private boarding school, he served in France for eight months during World War I. He followed his war experience with ventures into oil fields in Texas and on the stage in New York. In September 1921, von Eltz married Peggy Prior. They had a daughter, Lori March, Lori, and a son, Theodore, Jr. In 1928, the couple separated, reconciled, and finally divorced on November 7. Filmography * ''His Wife (1915 film), His Wife'' (1915) - Harry Dennys * ''The Traffic Cop'' (1916) - Casey's Brother * ''The Man Who Had Everything'' (1920) - Master of Ceremonies at Party (uncredited) * ''Extravagance (1921 film), Extravagance'' (1921) - Dick Vane * ''The Old Nest'' (1921) - Stephen M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beryl Mercer
Beryl Mercer (August 13, 1882 – July 28, 1939) was a Spanish-born American actress of stage and screen who was based in the United States. Early years Beryl Mercer was born to British parents in Seville on 13 August 1882. Her father was Edward Sheppard Mercer, said to be Spanish despite his name, and her mother was actress Effie Martin.The reference work ''An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Women in Early American Films: 1895-1930'' says of Mercer, "... her mother was the famed actor Beryl Montague." Career She became a child actress, making her debut on 14 August 1886 at the Theatre Royal, Great Yarmouth, when she was age 4 and returned to the stage when she was ten. In London, she appeared in ''The Darling of the Gods'' and the production by Oscar Asche of ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. In 1906 she appeared as a Kaffir slave in the West End play '' The Shulamite''. She travelled with this play to the United States, where she received good reviews. That 1906 play marked ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arthur Treacher
Arthur Veary Treacher, Jr. ( ; 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P. G. Wodehouse valet character Jeeves ('' Thank You, Jeeves!'', 1936) and the kind butlers opposite Shirley Temple in '' Curly Top'' (1935) and '' Heidi'' (1937). In the 1960s, he became well known on American television as an announcer and sidekick to talk show host Merv Griffin, and as the support character Constable Jones in Disney's ''Mary Poppins'' (1964). He lent his name to the Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips chain of restaurants. Personal life Treacher was the son of Arthur Veary Treacher (1862–1924), a Sussex solicitor; his mother was Alice Mary Longhurst (1865–1946). He was educated at Uppingham School (Uppingham, Rutland). In 1940, he married Virginia Taylor (1898–1984). Acting career Treacher was a veteran of World War I, servi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gilbert Emery
Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven Broadway plays from 1921 to 1933. Early years Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle was born June 11, 1875, in Naples, New York, to William L. and Hariette (Gilbert) Pottle. He prepared for college at Naples High School and at the Normal School in Oneonta, New York. He graduated from Amherst College in the class of 1899. Career Pottle started out as a short story writer, using the name Emery Pottle, and he later wrote plays. From 1899 to 1900 he was an instructor in English and public speaking at Beloit Academy in Wisconsin. In 1900 he was a reporter for the ''Morning Sun'' in New York City; from 1900-1901 he worked for the '' Evening Post''; and from 1901-1903 he worked for '' Criterion Magazine''. He was an instructor in English at Columbia Universit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Armetta
Henry Armetta (born Enrico Armetta; July 4, 1888 – October 21, 1945) was an American character actor who appeared in at least 150 American films, beginning in silent movies. His last film was released posthumously in 1946, the year after his death. Biography Armetta was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. At the age of 14, he stowed away on a boat to America. The immigration authorities were prepared to send him back, but he found an Italian family to act as his sponsor. He settled in New York City where he delivered groceries, sold sandwiches and pizzas and performed other menial tasks to get by. He eventually ended up working as a pants presser at a well known club where he was befriended by actor/producer Raymond Hitchcock. Hitchcock got him a chorus part in his play ''A Yankee Consul''. After a friend told him about southern California's mushrooming film industry, Armetta hitchhiked to Hollywood in 1920 and soon found work in films as a stereotypical Italian, often playing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Morgan
Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann (July 6, 1883 – June 11, 1956), known professionally as Ralph Morgan, was a Hollywood stage and film character actor, and union activist. He was a brother of actor Frank Morgan as well as the father of actress Claudia Morgan. Early life Morgan attended Trinity School, Riverview Military Academy and graduated from Columbia University with a law degree. However, after almost two years' practicing, he abandoned the world of jurisprudence for the vocation of journeyman actor, having already appeared in Columbia's annual Varsity Show. In 1905, billed as Raphael Kuhner Wupperman, he appeared in ''The Khan of Kathan'', that year's variety show. Career His first role on the stage came in ''The Bachelor'' in 1909 and, in 1913, he joined the Summer stock cast at Denver's Elitch Theatre. Later he played John Marvin in the 1918 hit play, '' Lightnin''' . Morgan made his debut in silent films in 1915, appearing in several productions made on the East Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sara Haden
Sara Haden (born Catherine Haden, November 17, 1898 – September 15, 1981) was an American actress of the 1930s through the 1950s and in television into the mid-1960s. She may be best remembered for appearing as Aunt Milly Forrest in 14 of the 16 entries in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Andy Hardy film series. Early life Some sources say she was born in 1898 in Center Point, Texas, while others claim she was born in Galveston, Texas.Axel Nissen's ''Accustomed to Her Face: Thirty-Five Character Actresses of Golden Age Hollywood'' gives her birthplace as Center Point, Texas. Career Haden first appeared on the stage in the early 1920s. As early as October 1920, she was appearing with Walter Hampden's acting troupe. Her Broadway debut came in ''Trigger'' (1927). She made her film debut in 1934 (one year after her mother's retirement) in the Katharine Hepburn vehicle ''Spitfire''. Haden later became a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the late 1930s and generally appeared in sm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
