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Robert Montgomery
Robert Montgomery
77 years (May 21, 1904 – Sep 27, 1981)
Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA
61 Movies
1 TV Shows

Robert Montgomery

Born in Fishkill Landing, New York in 1904, Robert Montgomery was a smooth MGM leading man of the 1930s and 1940s who eventually turned director. He earned Oscar nominations for Night Must Fall (1937) and Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), then commanded the naval drama They Were Expendable (1945) opposite John Wayne. As a filmmaker he pushed formal experiment with the entirely first-person adaptation of Raymond Chandler in Lady in the Lake (1947). Later in life he became a pioneering television producer and adviser to President Eisenhower on his on-camera work.
Born in Fishkill Landing, New York in 1904, Robert Montgomery was a smooth MGM leading man of the 1930s and 1940s who eventually turned director. He earned Oscar nominations for Night Must Fall (1937) and Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), then commanded the naval drama They Were Expendable (1945) opposite John Wayne. As a filmmaker he pushed formal experiment with the entirely first-person adaptation of Raymond Chandler in Lady in the Lake (1947). Later in life he became a pioneering television producer and adviser to President Eisenhower on his on-camera work.
Movies
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The Gallant Hours
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The Gallant Hours
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Full Filmography
The Gallant Hours
Narration (American scenes)
★ 6.7
1960
Film
Your Witness
Adam Heyward
★ 6.2
1950
Film
Robert Montgomery Presents
Self - Host · 318 episodes
★ 6.0
1950–
TV
Once More, My Darling
Collier Laing
★ 6.5
1949
Film
June Bride
Carey Jackson
★ 7.1
1948
Film
The Saxon Charm
Matt Saxon
★ 4.6
1948
Film
Ride the Pink Horse
Lucky Gagin
★ 7.2
1947
Film
Lady in the Lake
Phillip Marlowe
★ 6.1
1946
Film
They Were Expendable
Lt. John Brickley
★ 6.5
1945
Film
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Robert Montgomery still alive?
Robert Montgomery passed away on September 27, 1981 at age 77.
What are the most famous roles of Robert Montgomery?
Robert Montgomery is best known for roles in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, They Were Expendable, Here Comes Mr. Jordan.
How many movies has Robert Montgomery been in?
Over a 52-year career (since 1929), Robert Montgomery has appeared in 61 movies and 0 TV shows.
What was Robert Montgomery's first movie?
The career of Robert Montgomery began with The Single Standard (1929).
What is Robert Montgomery's most recent movie or series?
Robert Montgomery's most recent release is The Merv Griffin Show, which premiered on October 1, 1962.
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Robert Montgomery
Robert Montgomery
1904-05-21 · Fishkill Landing [now Beacon], New York, USA

Robert Montgomery (born Henry Montgomery Jr.; May 21, 1904 – September 27, 1981) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer. He was also the father of actress Elizabeth Montgomery.

Montgomery settled in New York City to try his hand at writing and acting. He established a stage career, and became popular enough to turn down an offer to appear opposite Vilma Bánky in the film This Is Heaven (1929). Sharing a stage with George Cukor gave him an entry to Hollywood and a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he debuted in So This Is College (also 1929).

Montgomery initially played exclusively in comedy roles, but portrayed a character in his first drama film in The Big House (1930). MGM was initially reluctant to assign him in such a role, until "his earnestness, and his convincing arguments, with demonstrations of how he would play the character" won him the assignment. From The Big House on, he was in constant demand. Appearing as Greta Garbo's romantic interest in Inspiration (1930) started him toward stardom with a rush. Norma Shearer chose him to star opposite her in The Divorcee (1930), Strangers May Kiss (1931), and Private Lives (1931), which led him to stardom.

In another challenging role, Montgomery played a psychopath in the chiller Night Must Fall (1937), for which he received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination.

After World War II broke out in Europe in September, 1939, and while the United States was still officially neutral, Montgomery enlisted in London for American field service and drove ambulances in France until the Dunkirk evacuation. He then returned to Hollywood and addressed a massive rally on the MGM lot for the American Red Cross in July 1940. Montgomery returned to playing light comedy roles, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) with Carole Lombard. He continued his search for dramatic roles. For his role as Joe Pendleton, a boxer and pilot in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), Montgomery was nominated for an Oscar a second time. After the U.S. entered World War II in December 1941, he joined the United States Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander, and served on the USS Barton (DD-722) which was part of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

In 1945, Montgomery returned to Hollywood, making his uncredited directing debut with They Were Expendable, where he directed some of the PT boat scenes when director John Ford was unable to work for health reasons. Montgomery's first credited film as director and his final film for MGM was the film noir Lady in the Lake (1947), in which he also starred, which received mixed reviews. Adapted from Raymond Chandler's detective novel and sanitized for the censorship of the day, the film is unusual because it was filmed entirely from Marlowe's vantage point. Montgomery only appeared on camera a few times, three times in a mirror reflection.

Active in Republican politics and concerned about communist influence in the entertainment industry, Montgomery was a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947.

Montgomery has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for movies at 6440 Hollywood Boulevard, and another for television at 1631 Vine Street.

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