Wednesday, May 10, 2017

10 Things You May Not Know About Joel McCrea

Joel McCrea (1905 – 1990) was one of the most underrated stars from Hollwyood’s Golden Age, in my opinion. Unfairly labeled as the poor man’s Gary Cooper, McCrea was a talented actor in his own right. Here are some things about McCrea that you may not know.

1. Joel McCrea was Cecil B. DeMille’s paperboy.

I wonder if Cecil B. DeMille was a good tipper.

2. As a high school student he worked as a stunt double for silent movie cowboys William S. Hart and Tom Mix.

3. He was the first actor to play “Dr. Kildare” on the screen in Internes Can’t Take Money (1937).

McCrea was the first actor to portray Dr. Kildare.

4. When Gary Cooper turned down the part of the hero in Foreign Correspondent (1940), McCrea got one of his best known roles in the iconic Alfred Hitchcock thriller.

5. Writer-director Preston Sturges wrote Sullivan’s Travels (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942) with McCrea in mind for the male leads.

6. He starred in six films with Barbara Stanwyck; their first film together was the pre-Code Gambling Lady (1934).

7. McCrea married actress Frances Dee in 1933; they were married for 57 years (his death).

McCrea and Dee were considered one of the most glamorous couples in Hollywood.

8. He and his wife had three sons: David, Peter, and Jody.

9. Due to his shrewd financial and real-estate investments, he was a multi-millionaire by the end of the 1940s.

10. McCrea was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame in 1968.

1 comment:

  1. Joel McCrea was a great actor , Like Cary Grant, Joel could do comedy, drama, the good guy bad guy . The westerns he stared in where very pleasant not the same old shoot up everyone. Joel made good western with a little something different. And he worked hard and earned his place in the movie. Not like Audie Murphy who was put in to movies because what he did being a war hero, And he is not a good actor at all. Joel McCrea, John Wayne were Great actors

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