- A noticeable weight gain and failing health (back problems) triggered his suicide in 1959, at the age of 54, dying from an overdose of barbiturates. He left behind a note in which he apologized to all the people he'd purportedly let down during his Hollywood days.
- He eloped with Loretta Young in 1930 when he was 25 and she was just 17, shortly after appearing together in The Second Floor Mystery (1930). He was not Catholic, and they were not married by a priest. The scandal caused a sensation. Loretta was able to obtain an annulment since the marriage was invalid in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
- John Wayne was best man at his marriage to Estelita Rodriguez.
- Married and divorced five times, including an annulment from Loretta Young, his first.
- Worked with Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields in his early silent films.
- In his later years he was a member of what became known as "The John Ford Stock Co.", a group of character actors whom director John Ford used in many of his films.
- Was a salesman for the Standard Oil Co. and worked for the Los Angeles Record newspaper before acting. His first assignment was covering the funeral of actor Wallace Reid. He quit after finding work as an extra in films.
- Attended Kemper Military Academy and first drew interest in acting after appearing in school plays.
- Buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA. His grave marker reads 1905 (not 1904) as his year of birth.
- Contrary to many published reports, he was only married four (4) times: First to Inez Emerita Ellis, aka Betty Vernon; Second, Loretta Young; Third, Alys Geraldine Walsh; Fourth, and last, Estelita Rodriguez. He was engaged to Alberta Vaughn before his second marriage, but they never wed.
- His earliest film work was in a Douglas MacLean feature and in the film version of an Elinor Glyn novel, but neither title has yet been identified.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
