Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 –
January 29, 1964) was an American film actor. He was famous for his emotionless demeanor and small
stature (reports of his height vary from 5'2" to 5'5", with 5'5" being the most generally accepted today). In the majority of his
films, he played either the hero or a bad guy with a conscience.
Life and career
Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas to English immigrant parents.
After first becoming a star with his performance as a hitman with a conscience in This
Gun for Hire (1942), he became most famous for his starring role as a gunfighter in the classic 1953 western Shane. Ladd also made Quigley's Top 10 Stars of the
Year List 3 times, 1947, 1953 and 1954. In 1954 he starred alongside Peter Cushing and Patrick Troughton in the British film
The Black Knight, unusually cast as a medieval swashbuckling hero,
and surrounded by veterans of British films. Unfortunately, this film was being made just as Shane was becoming a gigantic
critical and commercial hit, and Ladd missed out on the public events surrounding his most popular success.
He was sometimes listed as Allan Ladd in credits.
Ladd also worked in radio, most notably the syndicated series Box 13. This series ran from
1948 to 1949 and was produced by Ladd's own company, Mayfair Productions.
Alan Ladd was married to his agent and former silent film actress Sue Carol, who was also
his manager. Actress Jordan Ladd is his granddaughter. His son Alan Ladd, Jr. by first wife Midge Harrold became a motion picture executive and producer founding The
Ladd Company. Another son, David Ladd, married Charlie's Angels star Cheryl Ladd.
He died in Palm Springs, California of an acute overdose of alcohol and
sedatives at the age of 50, a probable suicide. On his death in 1964, Ladd was entombed in the
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Filmography
- The Carpetbaggers as Nevada Smith – 1964
- 13 West Street as Walt Sherill – 1962
- Orazi e curiazi as Horatius – 1961
- One Foot in Hell as Mitch – 1960
- All the Young Men as Pvt. Kincaid – 1960
- Guns of the Timberland as Jim Hadley – 1960
- The Man in the Net as John Hamilton -1959
- The Badlanders as Peter Van Hoek – 1958
- The Proud Rebel as John Chandler – 1958
- The Deep Six as Alec Austen – 1958
- Boy on a Dolphin as Dr. James Calder – 1957
- The Big Land as Chad Morgan – 1957
- A Cry in the Night-1956
- Santiago (film) as Cash Adams – 1956
- The McConnell Story as Capt. Joseph C. McConnell, Jr. – 1955
- Hell on Frisco Bay as Steve Rollins – 1955
- Drum Beat as Johnny MacKay – 1954
- The Black Knight as John – 1954
- Saskatchewan as O’Rourke – 1954
- Hell Below Zero as Duncan Craig – 1954
- The Red Beret – 1953
- Shane as Shane – 1953
- Desert Legion as Paul Lartal – 1953
- Botany Bay as Hugh Tallant – 1953
- Thunder in the East as Steve Gibbs – 1952
- The Iron Mistress as Jim Bowie – 1952
- Red Mountain as Capt. Brett Sherwood – 1951
- Appointment with Danger as Al Goddard – 1951
- Branded as Choya – 1950
- Captain Carey, U.S.A. as Webster Carey – 1950
- Chicago Deadline as Ed Adams – 1949
- The Great Gatsby as Jay Gatsby – 1949
- Eyes of Hollywood – 1949
- Whispering Smith as Luke Whispering Smith – 1948
- Beyond Glory as Capt. Rockwell Gilman – 1948
- Saigon as Maj. Larry Briggs – 1948
- Wild Harvest as Joe Madigan – 1947
- Calcutta (film) as Neale Gordon – 1947
- My Favorite Brunette as Sam McCloud – 1947
- O.S.S. as Philip Masson/John Martin – 1946
- The Blue Dahlia as Johnny Morrison – 1946
- Two Years Before the Mast as Charles Stewart – 1946
- Salty O'Rourke as Salty O’Rourke – 1945
- And Now Tomorrow as Doctor Merek Vance – 1944
- China as Mr. Jones – 1943
- Letter from a Friend – 1943
- Lucky Jordan as Lucky Jordan – 1942
- The Glass Key as Ed Beaumont – 1942
- This Gun for Hire as Philip Raven – 1942
- Joan of Paris as Baby – 1942
- Military Training – 1941
- Cadet Girl – 1941
- Great Guns – 1941
- They Met in Bombay – 1941
- The Reluctant Dragon – 1941
- Paper Bullets – 1941
- The Black Cat (1941 film) as Richard Hartley – 1941
- Citizen Kane – 1941
- Petticoat Politics as Higgins’ Daughters’ Boyfriend – 1941
- I Look at You – 1941
- Her First Romance as John Gilman – 1940
- Victory as Heyst as an 18 year old – 1940
- Meet the Missus as Boyfriend of Higgins’ Daughter - 1940
- Captain Caution as Newton – 1940
- The Howards of Virginia as Neighbor – 1940
- Wildcat Bus – 1940
- Those Were the Days! as Keg Rearick – 1940
- Cross-Country Romance as Mr. Williams – 1940
- Gangs of Chicago – 1940
- In Old Missouri as Landlord’s Son – 1940
- The Light of Western Stars as Danny – 1940
- Brother Rat and a Baby as Cadet in Trouble – 1940
- The Green Hornet as Gilpin – 1940
- American Portrait as Young man/Old man – 1940
- Blame It on Love – 1940
- Meat and Romance as Bill – 1940
- Unfinished Rainbows as Charles Martin hall – 1940
- Rulers of the Sea as Colin Farrell – 1939
- Hitler - Beast of Berlin as Himself – 1939
- The Mysterious Miss X as Henchman – 1939
- Freshman Year as Student – 1938
- Come On, Leathernecks! as Club Waiter – 1938
- The Goldwyn Follies as Auditioning singer – 1938
- Hold 'Em Navy as Chief Quartermaster – 1937
- All Over Town as Young Man – 1937
- Souls at Sea as Sailor – 1937
- The Last Train from Madrid as Soldier – 1937
- Pigskin Parade as Student – 1936
- Saturday's Millions as Student – 1933
- Island of Lost Souls – 1933
- Once in a Lifetime as Projectionist – 1932
- Tom Brown of Culver – 1932
External links
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