John Emery (May 20, 1905 – November 16, 1964) was an American actor.
Early years
Born in New York City, Emery was the son of stage actors Edward Emery (c. 1861 – 1938) and Isabel Waldron (1871–1950). He was educated at Long Island's
La Salle Military Academy.
Film
Through the late 1930s to the early 1960s Emery appeared in supporting roles in many Hollywood films, beginning with
James Whale
James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Fra ...
's ''
The Road Back'' (1937) and ranging from
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...
's ''
Spellbound'' to ''
Rocketship X-M''.
Stage

Emery appeared on Broadway in ''John Brown'' (1934), ''
Romeo and Juliet
''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'' (1934-1935), ''
The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' (1935), ''Flowers of the Forest'' (1935), ''Parnell'' (1935-1936), ''Alice Takat'' (1936), ''Sweet Aloes'' (1936), ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
'' (1936-1937), ''
Antony and Cleopatra
''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed around 1607, by the King's Men at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre. Its first appearance in print was in the First Folio published ...
'' (1937), ''Save Me the Waltz'' (1938), ''
The Unconquered'' (1940), ''
Liliom'' (1940), ''Retreat to Pleasure'' (1940-1941), ''
Angel Street'' (1941-1944), ''Peepshow'' (1944), ''
The Relapse'' (1950), ''
The Royal Family'' (1951), ''
The Constant Wife'' (1951-1952), ''Anastasia'' (1954-1955), ''Hotel Paradiso'' (1957), and ''Rape of the Belt'' (1960).
''Peepshow'' was the first production in which Emery and his third wife,
Tamara Geva, appeared together.
[ ]
Television and radio
Emery was also known for his television work, appearing on programs like ''
I Love Lucy
''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...
'' and ''
Have Gun Will Travel''. In 1946 he starred in a radio program as detective
Philo Vance.
Personal life
Emery married Patricia Calvert in 1926, ending in divorce in 1929.
He married
Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lifeboat (194 ...
on August 31, 1937, in Jasper, Alabama (her only marriage), divorcing on June 13, 1941, in Reno, Nevada. The two remained friendly after their marriage. In 1942, Emery married dancer
Tamara Geva, divorcing in 1963. Emery had started a long-term relationship with actress
Joan Bennett in 1961, who cared for him through his final illness and death in 1964.
Due to their resemblance, Emery often was rumoured to be the illegitimate child of
John Barrymore. As a child, Emery roomed for a while with Barrymore and his first wife,
Katherine Corri.
[''John Barrymore: A Bio-Bibliography'' c.1995 by Martin Norden]
Death
Emery died on November 16, 1964, in New York City, aged 59.
Selected filmography
* ''
The Road Back'' (1937) - Captain Von Hagen
* ''
Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' (1941) - Tony Abbott
* ''
The Corsican Brothers'' (1941) - Tomasso
* ''
Two Yanks in Trinidad'' (1942) - Chicago Hagen
* ''
Ship Ahoy'' (1942) - Dr. Farno
* ''
Eyes in the Night'' (1942) - Paul Gerente
* ''
George Washington Slept Here'' (1942) - Clayton Evans
* ''
Assignment in Brittany'' (1943) - Captain Deichgraber
* ''
Mademoiselle Fifi'' (1944) - Jean Cornudet
* ''
Blood on the Sun'' (1945) - Premier Giichi Tanaka
* ''
The Spanish Main'' (1945) - Captain Mario Du Billar
* ''
Spellbound'' (1945) - Dr. Fleurot
* ''
The Voice of the Turtle'' (1947) - George Harrington
* ''
Let's Live Again'' (1948) - Larry Blake
* ''
The Woman in White'' (1948) - Sir Percival Glyde
* ''
The Gay Intruders'' (1948) - John Newberry
* ''
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
'' (1948) - Jean, Duke d'Alençon, cousin of
Charles VII
* ''
Dakota Lil'' (1950) - Vincent
* ''
Rocketship X-M'' (1950) - Dr. Karl Eckstrom
* ''
Frenchie'' (1950) - Clyde Gorman
* ''
Double Crossbones'' (1951) - Governor Elden
* ''
Joe Palooka in Triple Cross'' (1951) - 'Professor'
* ''
The Mad Magician'' (1954) - The Great Rinaldi
* ''
A Lawless Street'' (1955) - Cody Clark
* ''
Forever, Darling'' (1956) - Dr. Edward R. Winter
* ''
The Girl Can't Help It
''The Girl Can't Help It'' is a 1956 American musical comedy film starring Jayne Mansfield in the lead role, Tom Ewell, Edmond O'Brien, Henry Jones, and Julie London. The picture was produced and directed by Frank Tashlin, with a screenpla ...
'' (1956) - Wheeler
* ''
Kronos'' (1957) - Dr. Hubbell Eliot
* ''
Ten North Frederick'' (1958) - Paul Donaldson
* ''
Youngblood Hawke'' (1964) - Georges Peydal (final film role)
Selected television
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Emery, John
1905 births
1964 deaths
American male film actors
American male radio actors
American male television actors
Male actors from New York City
American male stage actors
20th-century American male actors
Burials at Ferncliff Cemetery