Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor. His career spanned both

silent films A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

and talkies. He appeared in such films as

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...

's ''

A Woman of Paris ''A Woman of Paris'' is a feature-length American silent film that debuted in 1923. The film, an atypical drama film for its creator, was written, directed, produced and later scored by Charlie Chaplin. It is also known as ''A Woman of Paris: A D ...

'', where he played the lead role;

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

's ''

Paths of Glory ''Paths of Glory'' is a 1957 American anti-war film co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb. Set during World War I, the film stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, the commanding officer of ...

'' with

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. D ...

;

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

's '' The Marriage Circle''; '' The Sheik'' with

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...

; ''

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

'' with

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

and

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

; and '' A Star Is Born'' with

Janet Gaynor Janet Gaynor (born Laura Augusta Gainor; October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an American film, stage, and television actress. Gaynor began her career as an extra in shorts and silent films. After signing with Fox Film Corporation (late ...

and

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...

, and was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for '' The Front Page'' in 1931.Obituary ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', October 30, 1963, page 71.

Early life

Adolphe Jean Menjou was born on February 18, 1890, in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, to a French father, Albert Menjou (1858–1917), and a mother from Ireland, Nora (''

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

'' Joyce, 1869–1953). His brother, Henry Arthur Menjou (1891–1956), was a year younger. He was raised Catholic, attended the Culver Military Academy, and graduated from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

with a degree in engineering. Attracted to the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

stage, he made his movie debut in 1916 in '' The Blue Envelope Mystery''. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, he served as a captain in the

United States Army Ambulance Service The United States Army Ambulance Service (USAAS) was a unit of the United States Army during World War I. It was established by General Order No. 75 of the War Department in May 1917. It primarily provided medical services to the French, Britis ...

, for which he trained in Pennsylvania before going overseas.

Career and stardom

After returning from the war, Menjou gradually rose through the ranks with small but fruitful roles in films such as ''

The Faith Healer ''The Faith Healer'' is a lost 1921 American silent drama film directed by George Melford and written by Z. Wall Covington and Mrs. William Vaughn Moody from William Vaughn Moody's play. The film stars Milton Sills, Ann Forrest, Fontaine La ...

'' (1921) alongside supporting roles in prominent films such as '' The Sheik'' (1921) and ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight f ...

'' (1921). By 1922, he was receiving top or near-top billing, with a selection of those films being with

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

and

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, starting with '' Pink Gods'' (1922), although he did films for various studios and directors. His supporting role in 1923's ''

'' solidified the image of a well-dressed man-about-town, and he was voted Best Dressed Man in America nine times. He was noted as an example of a suave type of actor, one who could play lover or villain. In 1929, he attended the preview of

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank H ...

's first Hollywood film ''

Innocents of Paris ''Innocents of Paris'' is a 1929 black and white American musical film. Directed by Richard Wallace and is based on the play ''Flea Market'', the film was the first musical production by Paramount Pictures. Although the screenplay was regarded ...

'', and personally reassured Chevalier that he would enjoy a great future, despite the mediocre screenplay. He closed the end of the 1920s with star roles such as '' His Private Life'' (1928) and '' Fashions in Love'' (1929). Adolphe Menjou in A Star is Born

The crash of the stock market in 1929 meant that his contract with Paramount was cancelled, but he went on to

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

(MGM) and continued on with films (now talkies) in a variety of ways, with his knowledge of French and Spanish helping at key times, although his starring roles declined by this point. In 1930, he starred in ''

'', with

. He was nominated for an

for '' The Front Page'' (1931), after having received the role upon the death of

Louis Wolheim Louis Robert Wolheim (March 28, 1880 – February 18, 1931) was an American actor, of both stage and screen, whose rough physical appearance relegated him to roles mostly of thugs or villains in the movies, but whose talent allowed him to fl ...

during rehearsals. A variety of supporting roles in this decade were films such as ''

A Farewell to Arms ''A Farewell to Arms'' is a novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, set during the Italian campaign of World War I. First published in 1929, it is a first-person account of an American, Frederic Henry, serving as a lieutenant () in the a ...

'' (1932), '' Morning Glory'' (1933), and '' A Star Is Born'' (1937). His roles decreased slightly in the 1940s, but he did overseas work for

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

alongside supporting roles in films like '' Roxie Hart'' (1942) and ''

State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condit ...

'' (1948). Over the course of his career, he bridged the gap of working with several noted directors that ranged from

Frank Borzage Frank Borzage (; April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an Academy Award-winning American film director and actor, known for directing '' 7th Heaven'' (1927), '' Street Angel'' (1928), '' Bad Girl'' (1931), ''A Farewell to Arms'' (1932), '' Man's ...

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...

Later career

Menjou had just eleven roles in the 1950s, but he managed to snag one last leading role with the film noir '' The Sniper'' (1952). Incidentally, the director of that film was

Edward Dmytryk Edward Dmytryk (September 4, 1908 – July 1, 1999) was an American film director. He was known for his 1940s noir films and received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for '' Crossfire'' (1947). In 1947, he was named as one of the Hollywoo ...

, who had been a member of the

Hollywood Ten The Hollywood blacklist was an entertainment industry blacklist, broader than just Hollywood, put in effect in the mid-20th century in the United States during the early years of the Cold War. The blacklist involved the practice of denying empl ...

, in which he was

blacklist Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, ...

ed from the film industry for not testifying to the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, create ...

(HUAC) during the 'Red scare' before deciding to testify and name names as a brief member of the Communist Party. In 1955, Menjou played Dr. Elliott Harcourt in "Barrier of Silence", episode 19 of the first season of the

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

series '' Science Fiction Theatre''. He guest-starred as Fitch, with

Orson Bean Orson Bean (born Dallas Frederick Burrows; July 22, 1928 – February 7, 2020) was an American film, television, and stage actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He was a game show and talk show host and a "mainstay of Los Angeles’ small ...

and

Sue Randall Sue or SUE may refer to: Music * Sue Records, an American record label * ''Sue'' (album), an album by Frazier Chorus * " Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", a song by David Bowie Places * Sue Islet (Queensland), one of the Torres Straits isla ...

as John and Ellen Monroe, in a 1961 episode, "The Secret Life of James Thurber", based on the works of American humorist

James Thurber James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) was an American cartoonist, writer, humorist, journalist and playwright. He was best known for his cartoons and short stories, published mainly in ''The New Yorker'' and collected ...

(especially " The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"), in the CBS

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a dif ...

The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series wa ...

''. He also appeared in the

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

episode of

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 ...

's ''

The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford ''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 ...

,'' which aired on November 22, 1956. Menjou ended his film career with such roles as French General George Broulard in

's film ''

'' (1957) and his final film role was that of the town curmudgeon in Disney's '' Pollyanna'' (1960).

Political beliefs

Menjou was a staunch Republican who equated the Democratic Party with

socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes th ...

. He supported the

Hoover administration Herbert Hoover's tenure as the 31st president of the United States began on his inauguration on March 4, 1929, and ended on March 4, 1933. Hoover, a Republican, took office after a landslide victory in the 1928 presidential election over De ...

's policies during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Menjou told a friend that he feared that if a Democrat won the White House, they "would raise taxes nddestroy the value of the dollar," depriving Menjou of a good portion of his wealth. He took precautions against this threat: "I've got gold stashed in safety deposit boxes all over town... They'll never get an ounce from me." In the 1944 presidential election, he joined other celebrity Republicans at a rally in the

Los Angeles Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was commissioned in 1921 as a me ...

, organized by studio executive

David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca'' (1940), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Picture. ...

, to support the Dewey– Bricker ticket and

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Earl Warren Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. The Warren Court presided over a major shift in American constitutio ...

of California, who would be Dewey's running mate in 1948. The gathering drew 93,000, with Cecil B. DeMille as the master of ceremonies and short speeches by

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

and

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

. Despite the rally's large turnout, most Hollywood celebrities who took public positions supported the Roosevelt– Truman ticket. In 1947, Menjou cooperated with the House Committee on Un-American Activities saying that

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

"is one of the main centers of Communist activity in America". He added: "it is the desire and wish of the masters of Moscow to use this medium for their purposes" which is "the overthrow of the American government". Menjou was a leading member of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, a group formed to oppose

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...

influence in Hollywood, whose other members included

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

(with whom Menjou costarred in '' Forbidden'' in 1932 and '' Golden Boy'' in 1939) and her husband, actor Robert Taylor. Because of his political leanings, Menjou came into conflict with actress

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

, with whom he appeared in '' Morning Glory'', ''

Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 RKO film directed by Gregory La Cava. Adapted from the play of the same name, it tells the story of several would-be actresses who live together in a boarding house at 158 West 58th Street in New York City. The film ...

'', and ''

'' (also starring

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

). Hepburn was strongly opposed to the HUAC hearings, and their clashes were reportedly instant and mutually cutting. During a government deposition, Menjou said, "Scratch a do-gooder, like Hepburn, and they'll yell, 'Pravda'." To this, Hepburn called Menjou "wisecracking, witty—a flag-waving super-patriot who invested his American dollars in Canadian bonds and had a thing about Communists." In his book ''Kate'', Hepburn biographer William Mann said that during the filming of ''

'', she and Menjou spoke to each other only while acting.

Personal life

Menjou was married three times. His first marriage, in 1920 to Kathryn Conn Tinsley, ended in divorce. He married

Kathryn Carver Kathryn Carver Hall (born Catherine Drum; August 24, 1899 – July 17, 1947) was an American actress. Career Carver played in motion pictures during a brief career from 1925 to 1929. She co-starred with Adolphe Menjou in ''Service For Ladies'' ...

in 1928; they divorced in 1934. His third and final marriage, to Verree Teasdale, lasted from 1934 until his death on October 29, 1963; they had one adopted son, Peter Menjou. In 1948, Menjou published his autobiography, ''It Took Nine Tailors''. Menjou died on October 29, 1963, of

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

, California. He is interred beside Verree at

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angel ...

Legacy

For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Menjou has a star 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, Calif ...

at 6826 Hollywood Boulevard.

Cultural references

Because of Menjou's public support of

HUAC The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

, the propaganda of the

German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

(GDR) often depicted their western opponents with Menjou-style

moustache A moustache (; en-US, mustache, ) is a strip of facial hair grown above the upper lip. Moustaches have been worn in various styles throughout history. Etymology The word "moustache" is French, and is derived from the Italian ''mustaccio'' ...

s, and it was considered a statement of political opposition to trim one's moustache that way. The style became a symbol for the resourceful criminal, and in Germany is still called ''Menjou-Bärtchen'' (Menjou beardlet). In German film and theatre, dubious men, opportunists, corrupt politicians, fraudulent persuaders, marriage impostors and other "slick" criminals often wear ''Menjou-Bärtchen''. In real life, the style is often associated with

opportunism Opportunism is the practice of taking advantage of circumstances – with little regard for principles or with what the consequences are for others. Opportunist actions are expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives. The term ...

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...

admired Adolphe Menjou. He declared "la moustache d'Adolphe Menjou est surréaliste" and began offering fake mustaches from a silver cigarette case to other people with the words "Moustache? Moustache? Moustache?" One of the most famous photographs by the avant-garde photographer Umbo is titled "Menjou En Gros" ca. 1928.

Filmography

* ''The Acid Test'' (1914, Short) as Extra (uncredited) * ''The Man Behind the Door'' (1914) as Ringmaster (uncredited) * ''A Parisian Romance'' (1916) as Julianai * ''

Nearly a King ''Nearly a King'' is a 1916 silent film romantic comedy directed by Frederick A. Thomson, produced by Famous Players Film Company and distributed by Paramount Pictures. John Barrymore stars in a story written for the screen. Barrymore's first w ...

'' (1916) as Baron * '' The Price of Happiness'' (1916) as Howard Neal * ''

The Habit of Happiness ''The Habit of Happiness'' is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and filmed by cinematographer Victor Fleming. The film was written by Allan Dwan and Shannon Fife from a suggestion by D. W. Griffith and stars Douglas Fai ...

'' (1916) as Society Man (uncredited) * ''

The Crucial Test ''The Crucial Test'' is a lost 1916 American silent drama film directed by John Ince and Robert Thornby. It stars Kitty Gordon and was distributed by the World Film Corporation. Cast *Kitty Gordon as Thanya *Niles Welch as Vance Holden * J. H ...

'' (1916) as Count Nicolai * '' The Devil at His Elbow'' (1916) as Wilfred Carleton * ''

The Reward of Patience ''The Reward of Patience'' is a 1916 American drama silent film directed by Robert G. Vignola and written by Shannon Fife. The film stars Louise Huff, John Bowers, Lottie Pickford, Kate Lester, Adolphe Menjou and Gertrude Norman. The film was ...

'' (1916) as Paul Dunstan * '' Manhattan Madness'' (1916) as Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Scarlet Runner ''The Scarlet Runner'' is a 1916 American drama film serial directed by William P. S. Earle and Wally Van. The film is considered lost. Plot A series of 12 two-reel episodes, each a separate story related to the adventures of Christopher Race ...

'' (1916) as Bit Part * '' The Kiss'' (1916) as Pennington * '' The Blue Envelope Mystery'' (1916) as Bit Part (uncredited) * ''

The Valentine Girl ''The Valentine Girl'' is a 1917 American silent romantic drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film starred Marguerite Clark, Frank Losee, and Richard Barthelmess. Actress Laura Sawyer wrote the scr ...

'' (1917) as Joe Winder * '' Wild and Woolly'' (1917) (uncredited) * '' The Amazons'' (1917) (uncredited) * ''

An Even Break ''An Even Break'' is a 1917 American silent comedy-drama film written and directed by Lambert Hillyer, and starring Olive Thomas and Charles Gunn. A print of the film is preserved at the Library of Congress. Prints and/or fragments were found i ...

'' (1917) as Bit Part (uncredited) * '' The Moth'' (1917) as Teddy Marbridge / The Husband * ''

What Happened to Rosa ''What Happened to Rosa'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film directed by Victor Schertzinger and featuring Mabel Normand and Doris Pawn.

'' (1920) as Reporter Friend of Dr. Drew (uncredited) * ''

'' (1921) as Dr. Littlefield * ''

Courage Courage (also called bravery or valor) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in battle. Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, ...

'' (1921) as Bruce Ferguson * ''

Through the Back Door ''Through the Back Door'' is a 1921 American silent comedy drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and Jack Pickford, and starring Mary Pickford.

'' (1921) as James Brewster * ''

'' (1921) as Louis XIII * '' Queenie'' (1921) as Count Michael * '' The Sheik'' (1921) as Dr. Raoul de St. Hubert * '' Head Over Heels'' (1922) as Sterling * ''

Arabian Love ''Arabian Love'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Jerome Storm and starring John Gilbert (actor), John Gilbert, Barbara Bedford (actress), Barbara Bedford and Barbara La Marr. It is not known whether the film currently lost film, ...

'' (1922) as Captain Fortine (uncredited) * ''

Is Matrimony a Failure? ''Is Matrimony a Failure?'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by James Cruze and written by Walter Woods based upon a play of the same name by Leo Ditrichstein, which itself was an adaptation of the German play ''Die Tür ins Fre ...

'' (1922) as Dudley King * '' The Fast Mail'' (1922) as Cal Baldwin * '' The Eternal Flame'' (1922) as Duc de Langeais * '' Pink Gods'' (1922) as Louis Barney * ''

Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a l ...

'' (1922) as Hubert Stein * ''

Singed Wings ''Singed Wings'' is a lost 1922 American silent romantic drama film directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws and starring Bebe Daniels. Famous Players-Lasky served as producers with the usual released through Paramount Pictures.The World's Applause ''The World's Applause'' is a 1923 American silent drama film starring Bebe Daniels. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. William C. deMille directed the film and it was written and scripted by his wi ...

'' (1923) as Robert Townsend * '' Bella Donna'' (1923) as Mr. Chepstow * ''

Rupert of Hentzau ''Rupert of Hentzau'' is a sequel by Anthony Hope to ''The Prisoner of Zenda'', written in 1895 but not published in book form until 1898. The novel was serialized in '' The Pall Mall Magazine'' and '' McClure's Magazine'' from December 1897 t ...

'' (1923) as Count Rischenheim * ''

'' (1923) as Pierre Revel * '' The Spanish Dancer'' (1923) as Don Salluste * '' The Marriage Circle'' (1924) as Prof. Josef Stock * '' Shadows of Paris'' (1924) as Georges de Croy, His Secretary * ''

The Marriage Cheat ''The Marriage Cheat'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by John Griffith Wray and written by C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars Leatrice Joy, Adolphe Menjou, Percy Marmont, Laska Winter, Henry A. Barrows, and J. P. Lockney. The ...

'' (1924) as Bob Canfield * ''

Broadway After Dark ''Broadway After Dark'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Monta Bell and starring Adolphe Menjou, Norma Shearer, and Anna Q. Nilsson. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Rose Dulane, a waitress at a restaurant, is fas ...

'' (1924) as Ralph Norton * '' For Sale'' (1924) as Joseph Hudley * '' Broken Barriers'' (1924) as Tommy Kemp * '' Sinners in Silk'' (1924) as Arthur Merrill * '' Open All Night'' (1924) as Edmund Durverne * '' The Fast Set'' (1924) as Ernest Steel * '' Forbidden Paradise'' (1924) as Chancellor * '' A Kiss in the Dark'' (1925) as Walter Grenham * '' The Swan'' (1925) as Albert von Kersten-Rodenfels * ''

Are Parents People? ''Are Parents People?'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film starring Betty Bronson, Florence Vidor, Adolphe Menjou, George Beranger, and Lawrence Gray Lawrence Gray (July 28, 1898 – February 2, 1970) was an American actor of the ...

'' (1925) as Mr. Hazlitt * '' Lost: A Wife'' (1925) as Tony Hamilton * ''

The King on Main Street ''The King on Main Street'', also known as ''The King'', is a 1925 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Monta Bell and starring Adolphe Menjou and Bessie Love. The film was adapted for the screen by Bell, and was based on the play ...

'' (1925) as King Serge IV of Molvania * ''

The Grand Duchess and the Waiter ''The Grand Duchess and the Waiter'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Mal St. Clair and starring Florence Vidor and Adolphe Menjou. The film is based on a 1925 Broadway play of the same name starring stage actress Els ...

'' (1926) as Albert Durant * ''

Fascinating Youth ''Fascinating Youth'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Sam Wood. It starred Charles "Buddy" Rogers (in his feature debut), along with Thelma Todd and Josephine Dunn in supporting roles. Many well-known personalities ...

'' (1926) as Himself * ''

A Social Celebrity ''A Social Celebrity'' is a 1926 American silent comedy drama film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and starred Louise Brooks as a small town manicurist who goes to New York City with her boyfriend (Adolphe Menjou), a barber who poses as a French ...

'' (1926) as Max Haber * '' The Ace of Cads'' (1926) as Chappel Maturin * ''

The Sorrows of Satan ''The Sorrows of Satan'' is an 1895 Faustian novel by Marie Corelli. It is widely regarded as one of the world's first best-sellers – partly due to an upheaval in the system British libraries used to purchase their books, and partly due to its ...

'' (1926) as Prince Lucio de Rimanez * ''

Blonde or Brunette ''Blonde or Brunette'' is a surviving 1927 silent film comedy directed by Richard Rosson, produced by Famous Players–Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. It stars Adolphe Menjou, Greta Nissen and Arlette Marchal. Copy held at Library o ...

'' (1927) as Henri Martel * ''

Evening Clothes ''Evening Clothes'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Luther Reed that was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released by Paramount. Production background The film is based on the 1920 play ''L'homme en habit'' (''The Man i ...

'' (1927) as Lucien d'Artois * '' Service for Ladies'' (1927) as Albert Leroux * '' A Gentleman of Paris'' (1927) as Marquis de Marignan * ''

Serenade In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honor of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Itali ...

'' (1927) as Franz Rossi * '' A Night of Mystery'' (1928) as Captain Ferreol * '' His Tiger Wife'' (1928) as Henri * '' His Private Life'' (1928, with

) as Georges St. Germain * ''

Marquis Preferred ''Marquis Preferred'' is a 1929 silent film comedy directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Adolphe Menjou. It was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Cast *Adolphe Menjou - Marquis d'Argenville * Nora Lane - Peggy Winton * Chester Con ...

'' (1929) as Marquis d'Argenville * '' Fashions in Love'' (1929) as Paul de Remy * ''Soyons gais'' (1930) as Bob Brown * '' My Childish Father'' (1930) as Jérome * ''Amor audaz'' (1930) as Albert d'Arlons * '' Mysterious Mr. Parkes'' (1930) as Courtenay Parkes * ''

'' (1930) as Monsieur La Bessiere * ''

New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar ecl ...

'' (1930) as Governor Boris Brusiloff * '' The Easiest Way'' (1931) as William Brockton * ''

Men Call It Love ''Men Call It Love'' is a 1931 American pre-Code romantic melodrama film directed by Edgar Selwyn and written by Doris Anderson. The film stars Adolphe Menjou, Leila Hyams, Norman Foster, Mary Duncan and Hedda Hopper. The film was released on ...

'' (1931) as Tony * '' The Front Page'' (1931) as Walter Burns * '' The Great Lover'' (1931) as Jean Paurel * ''The Parisian'' (1931) as Jérome Rocheville * '' Friends and Lovers'' (1931) as Captain Geoffrey Roberts * ''

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

'' (1931) as Capt. Remy Bandoin * ''Wir schalten um auf Hollywood'' (1931) as Himself * '' Forbidden'' (1932) as Bob * '' Wives Beware'' (1932, first film ever shown at a

drive-in A drive-in is a facility (such as a restaurant or movie theater) where one can drive in with an automobile for service. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk or rollerskat ...

) as Maj. Carey Liston * ''

Bachelor's Affairs ''Bachelor's Affairs'' also known as Fancy Free is a 1932 American Pre-Code film based on the play "Precious" by James Forbes. While its availability for viewing is currently limited, it has been preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archi ...

'' (1932) as Andrew Hoyt * '' Diamond Cut Diamond'' (1932) as Dan McQueen * ''

The Night Club Lady ''The Night Club Lady'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Adolphe Menjou, Mayo Methot and Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher.Backer p.187 It was followed by a sequel '' The Circus Queen Murder'' in 1933 w ...

'' (1932) as Police Commissioner Thatcher Colt * ''

'' (1932) as Rinaldi * ''

The Circus Queen Murder ''The Circus Queen Murder'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Adolphe Menjou, Donald Cook and Greta Nissen. It is the sequel to the 1932 film '' The Night Club Lady'' in which Menjou had also st ...

'' (1933) as Thatcher Colt * '' Morning Glory'' (1933) as Louis Easton * ''

The Worst Woman in Paris? ''The Worst Woman in Paris?'' is a 1933 American drama film directed by Monta Bell and written by Monta Bell and Marion Dix. The film stars Benita Hume, Adolphe Menjou, Harvey Stephens, Helen Chandler, Margaret Seddon and Adele St. Mauer. The fi ...

'' (1933) as Adolphe Ballou * '' Convention City'' (1933) as T.R. (Ted) Kent * '' Easy to Love'' (1934) as John * '' Journal of a Crime'' (1934) as Paul Moliet * ''

The Trumpet Blows ''The Trumpet Blows'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code film directed by Stephen Roberts, featuring George Raft as a Mexican matador, Adolphe Menjou as a retired bandito clearly based on Pancho Villa, and Frances Drake as Chulita, the woman they both ...

'' (1934) as Pancho Montes / Pancho Gomez * ''

Little Miss Marker ''Little Miss Marker'' (also known as ''The Girl in Pawn'') is an American Pre-Code 1934 comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Hall. It was written by William R. Lipman, Sam Hellman, and Gladys Lehman after a 1932 short story of the same n ...

'' (1934) as Sorrowful Jones * ''

The Great Flirtation ''The Great Flirtation'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy drama film directed by Ralph Murphy and starring Elissa Landi, Adolphe Menjou, David Manners and Lynne Overman. The film was released on June 15, 1934 by Paramount Pictures. It was based ...

'' (1934) as Stephan Karpath * ''

The Human Side ''The Human Side'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Edward Buzzell and written by Edward Buzzell, Frank Craven and Ernest Pascal. The film stars Adolphe Menjou, Doris Kenyon, Charlotte Henry, Reginald Owen, Joseph Cawthorn and Betty La ...

'' (1934) as Gregory Sheldon * '' The Mighty Barnum'' (1934) as Bailey Walsh * '' Gold Diggers of 1935'' (1935) as Nicolai Nicoleff * ''

Broadway Gondolier ''Broadway Gondolier '' (1935) is a musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon. The film was released by Warner Bros., and featured Dick Powell, Joan Blondell and Adolphe Menjou. Plot Richard "Dick" Purcell (Dick Powell), a taxi driver, aspires to ach ...

'' (1935) as Professor Eduardo de Vinci * '' The Milky Way'' (1936) as Gabby Sloan * '' Sing, Baby, Sing'' (1936) as Bruce Farraday * ''

Wives Never Know ''Wives Never Know'' is a 1936 American black-and-white comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent. Written by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Edwin Justus Mayer and Keene Thompson, the film stars Charlie Ruggles, Mary Boland, and Adolphe Menjou, and w ...

'' (1936) as J. Hugh Ramsey * '' One in a Million'' (1936) as Tad Spencer * '' A Star Is Born'' (1937) as Oliver Niles * '' Café Metropole'' (1937) as Monsieur Victor * '' One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (1937) as John Cardwell * ''

'' (1937) as Anthony Powell * '' The Goldwyn Follies'' (1938) as Oliver Merlin * '' Letter of Introduction'' (1938) as John Mannering * '' Thanks for Everything'' (1938) as J. B. Harcourt * ''

King of the Turf ''King of the Turf'' is a 1939 American drama film starring Adolphe Menjou.''King of the Turf
at

'' (1939) as Jim Mason * '' Golden Boy'' (1939) as Tom Moody * '' The Housekeeper's Daughter'' (1939) as Deakon Maxwell * '' That's Right—You're Wrong'' (1939) as Stacey Delmore * '' Turnabout'' (1940) as Phil Manning * '' A Bill of Divorcement'' (1940) as Hilary Fairfield * '' Road Show'' (1941) as Colonel Carleton Carroway * '' Father Takes a Wife'' (1941) as Senior * '' Roxie Hart'' (1942) as Billy Flynn * ''

Syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...

'' (1942) as George Latimer * '' You Were Never Lovelier'' (1942) as Eduardo Acuña * '' Hi Diddle Diddle'' (1943) as Col. Hector Phyffe * ''

Sweet Rosie O'Grady ''Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1943 Technicolor musical film about an American singer who attempts to better herself by marrying an English duke, but is harassed by a reporter. Directed by Irving Cummings, it stars Betty Grable and Robert Young. ...

'' (1943) as Tom Moran * '' Step Lively'' (1944) as Wagner * '' Man Alive'' (1945) as Kismet * '' Heartbeat'' (1946) as Ambassador * '' The Bachelor's Daughters'' (1946) as Alexander Moody * ''

I'll Be Yours ''I'll Be Yours'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Deanna Durbin. Based on the play '' A jó tündér'' by Ferenc Molnár, the film is about a small-town girl who tells a fib to a wealthy business ...

'' (1947) as J. Conrad Nelson * ''

Mr. District Attorney ''Mr. District Attorney'' is a radio crime drama produced by Samuel Bischoff that aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading district attorney initi ...

'' (1947) as Craig Warren * ''

The Hucksters ''The Hucksters'' is a 1947 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film directed by Jack Conway starring Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr, her debut in an American film. The supporting cast includes Sydney Greenstreet, Adolphe Menjou, Ava Gardner, Keenan Wynn, and ...

'' (1947) as Mr. Kimberly * ''

'' (1948) as Jim Conover * ''

My Dream Is Yours ''My Dream Is Yours'' is a 1949 Technicolor musical romantic comedy film starring Jack Carson, Doris Day, and Lee Bowman. Plot The film opens in Los Angeles, where Doug Blake is dumped as a manager by Gary Mitchell. He goes to New York City to f ...

'' (1949) as Thomas Hutchins * '' Dancing in the Dark'' (1949) as Melville Crossman * '' To Please a Lady'' (1950) as Gregg * '' The Tall Target'' (1951) as Colonel Caleb Jeffers * '' Across the Wide Missouri'' (1951) as Pierre * '' The Sniper'' (1952) as Police Lt. Frank Kafka * ''

Man on a Tightrope ''Man on a Tightrope'' is a 1953 American drama directed by Elia Kazan, starring Fredric March and Terry Moore and Gloria Grahame. The screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood was based on a 1952 novel of the same title by Neil Paterson. Paterson base ...

'' (1953) as Fesker * ''

Timberjack Timberjack is a manufacturer of forestry machinery for both cut-to-length and whole tree logging, and was a subsidiary of John Deere from 2000 to 2006. History Timberjack was founded in Woodstock, Ontario in the 1950s by Wesley Maggill and R ...

'' (1955) as 'Sweetwater' Tilton * '' The Ambassador's Daughter'' (1956) as Senator Jonathan Cartwright * ''

Bundle of Joy ''Bundle of Joy'' is a 1956 Technicolor musical remake of the comedy film ''Bachelor Mother'' (1939), which starred Ginger Rogers and David Niven. It stars Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (who were married in real-life at the time), and Adolphe ...

'' (1956) as J.B. Merlin * ''

The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown ''The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown'' is a 1957 American romantic comedy film made by Russ-Field Productions and released by United Artists. It was directed by Norman Taurog from a screenplay by Richard Alan Simmons, based on a novel of the same name by ...

'' (1957) as Arthur Martin * ''

'' (1957) as Major General Georges Broulard * '' I Married a Woman'' (1958) as Frederick W. Sutton * '' Pollyanna'' (1960) as Mr. Pendergast

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * *
Photographs of Adolphe Menjou
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menjou, Adolphe 1890 births 1963 deaths 20th-century American male actors American anti-communists American male film actors American male silent film actors United States Army personnel of World War I American people of French descent American people of Irish descent American Roman Catholics Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery California Republicans Cornell University College of Engineering alumni Deaths from hepatitis Male actors from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Republicans Vaudeville performers John Birch Society members Culver Academies alumni Old Right (United States) United States Army officers Catholics from California Catholics from Pennsylvania

Early life

Career and stardom

Later career

Political beliefs

Personal life

Legacy

Cultural references

Filmography

Radio appearances

See also

References

External links