Robert Douglass Montgomery (also credited as Kent Douglass; October 29, 1909
[ – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor.
]
Early years
The son of Chester Montgomery, a jeweler, Montgomery graduated from Los Angeles High School.
Career
Montgomery used the stage name Douglass Montgomery when he began acting in New York. He usually appeared as a male ingenue or leading man.
He gained early acting experience at the Pasadena Community Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...
.
The film phase of his career began at M-G-M in 1930, playing the second male lead in films such as '' Paid'' and ''Five and Ten
''Five and Ten'' is a 1931 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Robert Z. Leonard and starring Marion Davies, Leslie Howard and Irene Rich. Davies plays as an heiress and Howard the man she loves, though he marries s ...
''. When he signed his contract at the studio his name was changed to Kent Douglass, to avoid confusion with that studio's star Robert Montgomery. Upon leaving MGM in 1932, he changed it back to Douglass Montgomery.
Among his most celebrated roles was Laurie in '' Little Women'' (1933), opposite 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 ...
's Jo March. He also played Johnny Hollis ("Johnny-in-the-Clouds") in ''The Way to the Stars
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1945).
After serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
during World War II, Montgomery moved to Great Britain and made films there. He later returned to the U.S. and appeared in a number of television shows.
Marriage
Montgomery married British actress Kay Young (born Kathleen Tamar Young) on March 14, 1952, at Bethlehem Federated Church. He was her second husband. Young had divorced film actor Michael Wilding
Michael Charles Gauntlet Wilding (23 July 1912 – 8 July 1979) was an English stage, television, and film actor. He is best known for a series of films he made with Anna Neagle; he also made two films with Alfred Hitchcock, '' Under Capric ...
the year before she wed Montgomery. (Wilding remarried in 1952, to Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
.) Young and Montgomery remained married until his death.
Death
Douglass Montgomery died of spinal cancer in Norwalk, Connecticut
, image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 230px
, map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...
, at age 56, on July 23, 1966. He was cremated, with his ashes given to his widow.
Filmography
*'' Paid'' (1930) UK title: ''Within the Law'' as Bob (credited as Kent Douglass)
*'' Daybreak'' (1931) as Von Lear
*''Five and Ten
''Five and Ten'' is a 1931 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Robert Z. Leonard and starring Marion Davies, Leslie Howard and Irene Rich. Davies plays as an heiress and Howard the man she loves, though he marries s ...
'' (1931) as Avery Rarick (credited as Kent Douglass)
*''Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at t ...
'' (1931) as Roy Cronin (credited as Kent Douglass)
*'' A House Divided'' (1931) as Matt Law
*'' Little Women'' (1933) as Theodore "Laurie" Laurence
*'' Eight Girls in a Boat'' (1934) as David Perrin
*'' Little Man, What Now?'' (1934) as Hans Pinneberg
*''Music in the Air
''Music in the Air'' is a musical written by Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics and book) and Jerome Kern (music). It introduced songs such as "The Song Is You", "In Egern on the Tegern See" and " I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". The musical premiered on ...
'' (1934) as Karl Roder
*''The Mystery of Edwin Drood
''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870.
Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...
'' (1935) as Neville Landless
*''Lady Tubbs
''Lady Tubbs'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Alan Crosland and written by Barry Trivers. The film stars Alice Brady, Douglass Montgomery, Anita Louise, Alan Mowbray, June Clayworth and Hedda Hopper. The film was released on July 2, 1 ...
'' (1935) as Phil Ash-Orcutt
*''Harmony Lane
''Harmony Lane'' is a 1935 low-budget American film directed by Joseph Santley, based upon the life of Stephen Foster, released by Mascot Pictures.
This was the first sound film based on the life of the famous composer. Two others would follow, ...
'' (1935) as Stephen Foster
*''Everything Is Thunder
''Everything Is Thunder'' is a 1936 British thriller film directed by Milton Rosmer and starring Constance Bennett, Douglass Montgomery and Oskar Homolka. Its plot concerns a British officer who attempts to escape from a German Prisoner of War ca ...
'' (1936) as Hugh McGrath
*''Tropical Trouble
''Tropical Trouble'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Douglass Montgomery, Betty Ann Davies and Alfred Drayton. It was based on the novel ''Bunga-Bunga'' by Stephen King-Hall. A series of misunderstandings lea ...
'' (1936) as George Masterman
*''Life Begins With Love
''Life Begins with Love'' is a 1937 American romantic drama film, directed by Ray McCarey. It stars Jean Parker, Douglass Montgomery, and Edith Fellows.
References
External links''Life Begins with Love''at the Internet Movie Database
IM ...
'' (1937) as William Addington Drake IV
*''Counsel for Crime
''Counsel for Crime'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by John Brahm starring Otto Kruger, Douglass Montgomery and Jacqueline Wells.
Plot
Following his graduation from law school, Senator Robert Maddox's (Hall) adopted son Paul (Montgomer ...
'' (1937) as Paul Maddox
*'' The Cat and the Canary'' (1939) as Charlie Wilder
*''The Way to the Stars
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' UK (1945) (US title ''Johnny in the Clouds'')
*'' Woman to Woman'' UK (1947) as David Anson
* ''Fatal Symphony
''Fatal Symphony'' (Italian: ''Sinfonia fatale'') is a 1947 Italian war-melodrama film directed by Victor Stoloff and starring Douglass Montgomery, Marina Berti and Sarah Churchill. It was screened and awarded a prize at the Lugano Festival.Lov ...
'' Italy (1947) (''When in Rome'') as John Savage
*'' Forbidden'' UK (1949) as Jim Harding
Television appearances
*''Hallmark Hall of Fame
''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...
'' (1951)
*''Cameo Theatre
''Cameo Theatre'' is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from 1950 to 1955.
Television in the round
The live series, produced by Albert McCleery, introduced to television the concept of theater-in- ...
'' (1952) - Peer Gynt
*''Robert Montgomery Presents
''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run, and the title was altered to feature the ...
'' (1952)
*''Kraft Television Theater
''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Cheese ...
'' (1954)
References
Also see
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Douglass
1909 births
1966 deaths
American male film actors
Deaths from cancer in Connecticut
Male actors from Los Angeles
Actors from Norwalk, Connecticut
20th-century American male actors
RKO Pictures contract players