Johnny Hyde (23 April 1895 – 18 December 1950) was an American
talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or sport ...
who developed the career of
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
.
Early life
Hyde was born to a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family as Iván Haidabura in Russia and moved to the United States in April 1898.
Career
Hyde was the vice-president of the
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent a ...
's West Coast office during the 1930s and 1940s and represented some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. In 1949 he met then-unknown actress and model
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
when she was being photographed by Hollywood
pin-up
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...
photographer
Bruno Bernard
Bruno Bernard Sommerfeld (February 2, 1912 – June 3, 1987) also known as Bernard of Hollywood, was an American photographer best known for pin-up and glamour photography of Marilyn Monroe and others.
Early life
Bruno Bernard Sommerfeld was born ...
at the
Racquet Club of Palm Springs
The Racquet Club was a resort in Palm Springs, California, founded by actors Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy, which opened on December 15, 1934.here for Table of Contents Originally developed with two tennis courts, it expanded to include a sw ...
. Taking her on as a client, he had her undergo minor
plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
,
and used his influence to help her land the roles of Angela in ''
The Asphalt Jungle
''The Asphalt Jungle'' is a 1950 American film noir heist film directed by John Huston. Based on the 1949 novel of the same name by W. R. Burnett, it tells the story of a jewel robbery in a Midwestern city. The film stars Sterling Hayden and Lo ...
'' and Miss Caswell in ''
All About Eve
''All About Eve'' is a 1950 American Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It is based on the 1946 short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, although Orr does ...
''. The buzz generated by her performances enabled Hyde to negotiate a contract for Monroe with
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
.
Just a few days after securing the contract, Hyde died of a heart attack aged 55.
Despite the fact that Monroe was nearly 31 years his junior, Hyde eventually left his wife for her. He wanted to marry her, but she repeatedly refused his marriage proposals; she said she loved Hyde, but was not actually in love with him.
Death and legacy
Hyde died on 18 December 1950.
California Death Records, using the search terms "John Hyde" 'vitals.rootsweb.ancestry.com'
2 July 2010
He was survived by his third wife, actress Mozelle Cravens (1914–2004) and his four sons. Two from his first marriage to Florence Harper and two from Cravens.
Hyde was played by Ron Rifkin
Ron Rifkin (born Saul M. Rifkin; October 31, 1939) is an American actor best known for his roles as Arvin Sloane on the spy drama ''Alias'', Saul Holden on the drama '' Brothers & Sisters'', and District Attorney Ellis Loew in ''L.A. Confidentia ...
in ''Norma Jean & Marilyn
''Norma Jean & Marilyn'' is a 1996 made-for-TV biographical film produced by HBO and premiered on May 18, 1996. The film featured Ashley Judd as Norma Jean Dougherty and Mira Sorvino as Marilyn Monroe. It was partially based on the 1989 book ''No ...
'', Richard Basehart
John Richard Basehart (August 31, 1914 – September 17, 1984) was an American actor. He starred as Admiral Harriman Nelson in the television science-fiction drama ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' (1964–68). He also portrayed Wilton Knight ...
in the TV movie '' Marilyn: The Untold Story'', Joel Gray
Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret'' on Broadway as well as in the 1972 fil ...
in the TV movie ''Marilyn and Me'', and Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...
in the TV miniseries ''Moviola'' episode "This Year's Blonde
''This Year's Blonde'' is a 1980 American made-for-television drama film directed by John Erman and starring Constance Forslund as Marilyn Monroe, Lloyd Bridges as Johnny Hyde, and Norman Fell. Based on the Garson Kanin novel ''Moviola'' about Mo ...
".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyde, Johnny
1895 births
1950 deaths
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing
Hollywood talent agents
American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States