John Merton (born Myrtland F. LaVarre; February 18, 1901 – September 19, 1959) was an American film actor.
He appeared in more than 250 films between 1927 and 1959, mostly as a villain. He was the brother of filmmaker
André de la Varre
André de la Varre (September 14, 1904 – December 19, 1987) was a leading travelogue filmmaker from a prominent family who started as a 17-year-old visiting Europe with a recently acquired movie camera at the end of World War I. Born Franklin La ...
and
William LaVarre and the grandfather of actress
Diane Delano
Diane Delano (born January 29, 1957) is an American character actress. She is known for her numerous roles in films and television, such as Sergeant Barbara Semanski on the CBS television series ''Northern Exposure'' and Roberta "Bobbi" Glass ...
.
Biography
Born and raised in Seattle with three other brothers,
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
, Claude, and
William LaVarre, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War I.
He joined the
New York Theatre Guild in 1919 and appeared in a variety of shows. He made his film debut as a police officer in ''
Running Wild'' (1927) filmed in Long Island's
Astoria Studios
The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria section of the New York City borough of Queens. The studio was constructed for Famous Players-Lasky in 1920, since it was close to Manhattan's Broadway theater district. The p ...
. He travelled to Hollywood in 1932 and began a long career of small parts in major films and villain roles in
B-movie
A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...
s and
film serials
A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, ge ...
. He met
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...
who cast him as a Roman guard in ''
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
'' (1934) that led to him appearing in all of DeMille's films up to and including ''
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
'' (1956). It was DeMille who suggested he change his name to a more masculine John Merton.
Merton's wife, Esther, sued him for divorce in 1940. They had six children.
[ ]
Selected filmography
* ''
Knockout Reilly
''Knockout Reilly'' is a lost 1927 American silent drama film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and written by Pierre Collings, John W. Conway, and Kenneth Raisbeck based upon a story by Albert Payson Terhune. The film stars Richard Dix, Mary Bria ...
'' (1927)
* ''
Beyond the Law'' (1934)
* ''
Undersea Kingdom
''Undersea Kingdom'' (1936) is a Republic Pictures 12 chapter film serial released in response to Universal's ''Flash Gordon''. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic. In 1966, the serial was edited into a 100-minute televi ...
'' (1936)
* ''
The Vigilantes Are Coming
''The Vigilantes Are Coming'' is a 1936 American Republic film serial directed by Ray Taylor and Mack V. Wright. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed betwee ...
'' (1936)
* ''
Law of the Range
''Law of the Range'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Ray Taylor using a screenplay by Sherman L. Lowe which is based on a story by Charles E. Barnes. The film starred Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight, Nell O'Day, and Riley Hill.
...
'' (1936)
* ''
Border Caballero
''Border Caballero'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield.
Plot
Undercover lawman Tim Ross is working his way across the country as a sharpshooter in a medicine show. He runs into a former colleague working undercover to ...
'' (1936)
* ''
Lightnin' Bill Carson
''Lightnin' Bill Carson'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield.
Plot summary
A lawman captures the notorious "Pecos Kid", who is tried and hanged for his crimes – then starts to have doubts as to whether the Kid actually ...
'' (1936)
* ''
The Crooked Trail'' (1936)
* ''
The Three Mesquiteers
''The Three Mesquiteers'' is the umbrella title for a Republic Pictures series of 51 American Western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943. The films, featuring a trio of Old West adventurers, was based on a series of Western novels by W ...
'' (1936)
* ''
The Gun Ranger
''The Gun Ranger'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Robert N. Bradbury.
Plot summary
Cast
* Bob Steele as Dan Larson
*Eleanor Stewart as Molly Pearson
*John Merton as Kemper Mills
* Ernie Adams as Wally Smeed
*Earl Dwire as Bud Co ...
'' (1936)
* ''
The Lion's Den'' (1936)
* ''
Wildcat Trooper
''Wildcat Trooper'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Elmer Clifton and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Hobart Bosworth, Fuzzy Knight, Lois Wilde, Jim Thorpe, Yakima Canutt, Eddie Phillips, John Merton, F ...
'' (1936)
* ''
Headline Crasher
''Headline Crasher'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Sherman L. Lowe and Charles R. Condon. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, and Muriel Evans.
Cast
* Frankie Darro as Jimmy Tallant
* K ...
'' (1936)
* ''
Robin Hood, Jr.
''Robin Hood, Jr.'' is a 1936 American musical romance film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Harry O. Hoyt. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, and Muriel Evans.
Cast list
*Frankie Darro
*Kane Richmond
*Muriel Evans
...
'' (1936)
* ''
Wild Horse Round-Up
''Wild Horse Round-Up'' is a 1936 American western film directed by Alan James from a screenplay by Joseph O'Donnell, based on a short story by James Oliver Curwood. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Betty Lloyd, and Dickie Jones.
Cast
*Kermit M ...
'' (1936)
* ''
Slaves in Bondage'' (1937)
* ''
Gunsmoke Ranch
''Gunsmoke Ranch'' is a 1937 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by Joseph Kane.
Plot
Cast
* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke
*Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Tucson Smith
* Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin
*Kenneth Harlan as Phinea ...
'' (1937)
* ''
The Law Commands
''The Law Commands'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by William Nigh and starring Tom Keene, Lorraine Randall, Robert Fiske and Budd Buster.Pitts p.183 It was produced by the Poverty Row company Crescent Pictures.
Plot
Cast
* Tom ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Range Defenders
''Range Defenders'' is a 1937 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by Mack V. Wright.
Plot
Set in modern times, Stony Brooke's kid brother George rides into town saying that he is wanted for murder, a charge he denies. Ston ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Arizona Gunfighter
''Arizona Gunfighter'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and starring Bob Steele.
Plot
Colt Ferron (Bob Steele) and his cowhand plan a horse race only to stopped by Farley (John Merton) Durkin's henchman. Colt rides hom ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Valley of Terror
''Valley of Terror'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by Albert Herman and written by John T. Neville, Sherman L. Lowe and Stanley Roberts. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Harley Wood, John Merton, Jack Ingram, Roger Williams, Hank Be ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Roaring Six Guns
''Roaring Six Guns'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by J. P. McGowan and written by Arthur Everett. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Mary Hayes, Sam Flint, John Merton, Budd Buster, Robert Fiske and Ed Cassidy. The film was released on ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Galloping Dynamite
''Galloping Dynamite'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser and written by Sherman L. Lowe, Charles R. Condon, Stanley Roberts and Jesse Duffy. The film stars Kermit Maynard, Ariane Allen, John Merton, David Sharpe, S ...
'' (1937)
* ''
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.
He first appeared in 1933 in ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Dick Tracy Returns
''Dick Tracy Returns'' (1938) is a Republic Movie serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip. It was the eleventh of the sixty-six serials Republic produced and a sequel to the 1937 serial ''Dick Tracy'', with Ralph Byrd reprising his role as the ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Gang Bullets
''Gang Bullets'' is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer.
The film is also known as ''The Crooked Way'' in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Songs and Saddles
''Songs and Saddles'' is a 1938 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser.
Plot
Cast
*Gene Austin as Gene Austin
*Lynne Berkeley as Carol Turner
*Henry Roquemore as Lawyer Jed Hill
*Walter Wills as Pop Turner
*Ted Claire as Mark Bow ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Phantom Ranger'' (1938)
* ''
Where the Buffalo Roam
''Where the Buffalo Roam'' is a 1980 American semi-biographical comedy film which loosely depicts author Hunter S. Thompson's rise to fame in the 1970s and his relationship with Chicano attorney and activist Oscar "Zeta" Acosta. The film was p ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Female Fugitive'' (1938)
* ''
Two Gun Justice'' (1938)
* ''
Zorro's Fighting Legion
''Zorro's Fighting Legion'' is a 1939 Republic Pictures film serial consisting of twelve chapters starring Reed Hadley as Zorro and directed by William Witney and John English. The plot revolves around his alter-ego Don Diego's fight against ...
'' (1939, serial)
* ''
The Great Commandment'' (1939)
* ''
Two Gun Troubador'' (1939)
* ''
Drums of Fu Manchu
''Drums of Fu Manchu'' (1940) is a 15-chapter Republic serial film based on the character created by Sax Rohmer. Though using the title of the ninth novel in the series, it actually is based on numerous elements from throughout the series to that ...
'' (1940)
* ''
Billy the Kid Outlawed
''Billy the Kid Outlawed'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Oliver Drake. It stars Bob Steele as gunfighter "Billy the Kid", Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones and Carleton Young as Jeff Travis, w ...
'' (1940)
* ''
Billy the Kid in Texas
''Billy the Kid in Texas'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. It's the second in the "Billy the Kid" film series, produced by PRC from 1940 to 1946.
Plot
Billy the Kid runs into his old friend Fuzzy in a wide-open Texas ...
'' (1940)
* ''
Covered Wagon Days
''Covered Wagon Days'' is a 1940 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by George Sherman.
Cast
* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke
* Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin
* Duncan Renaldo as Rico Rinaldo
* Kay Griffith as Maria
* ...
'' (1940)
* ''
Frontier Crusader
''Frontier Crusader'' is a 1940 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Sam Newfield and starring Tim McCoy, Dorothy Short and Lou Fulton.Darby p.200
Cast
* Tim McCoy as Trigger Tim Rand
* Dorothy Short as Jenny Mason
* Lou Fulton ...
'' (1940)
* ''
The Trail Blazers
''The Trail Blazers'' is a 1940 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by George Sherman and starring Robert Livingston, Bob Steele, and Rufe Davis.
Cast
* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke
* Bob Steele as Tucson Smith
* R ...
'' (1940)
* ''
Lone Star Raiders
''Lone Star Raiders'' is a 1940 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by George Sherman.
Cast
* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke
* Bob Steele as Tucson Smith
* Rufe Davis as Lullaby Joslin
* June Johnson as Linda Cameron
* ...
'' (1940)
* ''
White Eagle'' (1941)
* ''
Radar Patrol vs. Spy King'' (1942)
* ''
Prairie Pals'' (1942)
* ''
Boot Hill Bandits
''Boot Hill Bandits'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the fourteenth in Monogram Pictures' " Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alib ...
'' (1942)
* ''
Sheriff of Sage Valley
''Sheriff of Sage Valley'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield.
Plot
Billy, Fuzzy and Jeff interrupt a stagecoach robbery and discover that one of the passengers, the sheriff of Sage Valley was shot in the back by one of ...
'' (1942)
* ''
The Mysterious Rider'' (1942)
* ''
Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns
''Billy the Kid's Smoking Guns'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Milton Raison and George Wallace Sayre. The film stars Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Dave O'Brien, John Merton, Milton Kibbee and Ted Adam ...
'' (1942)
* ''
Devil Riders
''Devil Riders'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. It was the first film in Producers Releasing Corporation's Billy the Kid film series where Crabbe changed his name to "Billy Carson".
Plot
Billy and Fuzzy are in charg ...
'' (1943)
* ''
The Law Rides Again
''The Law Rides Again'' is a 1943 American Western (genre), Western film, directed by Alan James and starring Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson.
Cast
*Ken Maynard as U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard
*Hoot Gibson as U.S. Marshal Hoot Gibson
*Jack La Rue a ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Fugitive of the Plains
''Fugitive of the Plains'' is a 1943 American Producers Releasing Corporation Western (genre), Western film of the Billy the Kid (film series), "Billy the Kid" series directed by Sam Newfield. In April 1947 PRC re-released the film as a "strea ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Black Market Rustlers
''Black Market Rustlers'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Patricia Harper. The film is the twenty-third in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Dusty, Dennis M ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Land of Hunted Men
''Land of Hunted Men'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the twenty-first in Monogram Pictures' " Range Busters" series and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, Dennis Moore as Denny and Max Terhune as ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Cowboy Commandos
''Cowboy Commandos'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Elizabeth Beecher. The film is the twenty-second in Monogram Pictures' " Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Dusty, Dennis ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Zorro's Black Whip
''Zorro's Black Whip'' is a 1944 12-chapter film serial by Republic Pictures starring Linda Stirling. The film was made after the 1940 20th Century-Fox remake of '' The Mark of Zorro'' in order to capitalize on it. Republic was not able to u ...
'' (1944)
* ''
Ghost Guns
''Ghost Guns'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer.Martin, p. 168. This is the thirteenth film in the "Marshal Nevada Jack McKenzie" series, and stars Johnny Mack Brown as Jack McKenzie and Raymond Hatton as his sidekick ...
'' (1944)
* ''
Fuzzy Settles Down
''Fuzzy Settles Down'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield.
Plot
Two cowboys, Fuzzy Jones and Billy Carson, catch a pair of bank robbers; and then are endowed with the reward money. In the town of Red Rock the local newspa ...
'' (1944)
* ''
Valley of Vengeance'' (1944)
* ''
Rustlers' Hideout
''Rustlers' Hideout'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. In 1940 Crabbe had followed and replaced Bob Steele in the role of Billy the Kid in a series of B-Westerns. After 19 films as Billy, the character was renamed Bill ...
'' (1944)
* ''
Brenda Starr, Reporter'' (1945)
* ''
The Cherokee Flash
''The Cherokee Flash'' is a 1945 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr. It is a Sunset Carson serial Western in which Carson works to free his father and clear the family name from a crime his father did not commit.
Plot
Lawyer But ...
'' (1945)
* ''
Flame of the West'' (1945)
* ''
Hop Harrigan
Hop Harrigan (also known as The Guardian Angel and Black Lamp) is a fictional character
published by All-American Publications. He appeared in American comic books, radio serials and film serials. He was created by Jon Blummer, and was a popular h ...
'' (1946)
* ''
Son of the Guardsman
''Son of the Guardsman'' is an American film serial released in 1946 by Columbia Pictures. It was the 31st of the 57 serials produced by that studio.
''Son of the Guardsman'' is a rare serial with a period setting, in this case 12th century Englan ...
'' (1946)
* ''
Galloping Thunder'' (1946)
* ''
The Gay Cavalier'' (1946)
* ''
Brick Bradford
''Brick Bradford'' is a science fiction comic strip created by writer William Ritt, a journalist based in Cleveland, and artist Clarence Gray. It was first distributed on August 21, 1933 by Central Press Association, a subsidiary of King Features ...
'' (1947, Serial)
* ''
Raiders of the South
''Raiders of the South'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by J. Benton Cheney. The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Evelyn Brent, Raymond Hatton, Reno Browne, Marshall Reed and John Hamilton. The film was r ...
'' (1947)
* ''
Adventures of Sir Galahad
''Adventures of Sir Galahad'' is the 41st serial released in 1949 by Columbia Pictures. Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet, it stars George Reeves, Nelson Leigh, William Fawcett, Hugh Prosser, and Lois Hall. It was based on Arthurian legend, one o ...
'' (1949)
* ''
The Blazing Trail'' (1949)
* ''
Haunted Trails
''Haunted Trails'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Adele Buffington. The film stars Whip Wilson, Andy Clyde, Reno Browne, Dennis Moore, I. Stanford Jolley and William Ruhl. The film was released on ...
'' (1949)
* ''
A Snitch in Time
''A Snitch in Time'' is a 1950 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 128th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...
'' (1950)
* ''
The Bandit Queen'' (1950)
* ''
Gold Raiders
''Gold Raiders'' is a 1951 comedy Western film starring George O'Brien and The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). The picture was O'Brien's last starring role and the only feature film released during Shemp Howard's 1947 ...
'' (1951)
* ''
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
''Up in Daisy's Penthouse'' is a 1953 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 144th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures s ...
'' (1953)
* ''
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
'' (1956)
* ''
Omar Khayyam
Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīsābūrī (18 May 1048 – 4 December 1131), commonly known as Omar Khayyam ( fa, عمر خیّام), was a polymath, known for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, an ...
'' (1956)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merton, John
1901 births
1959 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
Male actors from Washington, D.C.