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Jack Carson
Age: 52 (passed away Jan. 2nd, 1963)
Height: 6' 2"
Birth Place: Carman, Manitoba, Canada
Born: Oct. 27th, 1910
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Jack Carson's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: When Jack Carson arrived in Hollywood in 1937, he found work at RKO as an extra. After a few years he developed into a popular character actor who would be seen in a large number of comedies, musicals and a few westerns. Not happy with the direction his career was heading, he went to Warner Brothers in 1941, where the quality of his supporting roles improved. It also did not hurt to be in films that starred James Cagney, such as The Strawberry Blonde (1941) and The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941). After three years he starred with Jane Wyman in Make Your Own Bed (1944) and again in The Doughgirls (1944). Jack would play the nice guy with the heart of gold who was still a nice guy even when he was angry. He would take the double take and the quizzical look to a higher level, but he could also act in dramas. He provided a good portrayal of Albert in The Hard Way (1943) and was acclaimed for his performance in Mildred Pierce (1945). However, it was comedies that provided most of his work. He teamed up with his old friend Dennis Morgan (I) for several films in the tradition of Bob Hope (I) and Bing Crosby. It was in the 1940s that Jack would become popular as a wisecracking comedian on radio. This would lead him to TV in the 1950s, where he was one of the hosts on "Ford Star Revue" (1950), which ran until 1952. He would also help host "The U.S. Royal Showcase" (1952). He would appear on a number of shows during the 1950s, one of his most remembered being an episode of "The Twilight Zone" (1959) where he was a somewhat underhanded used-car salesman who came into possession of an old Model A Ford that was "haunted" in that whoever owned it had to tell the truth, whether he wanted to or not. Although his movie career slowed in the 1950s, he still appeared in a number of prestige pictures, such as A Star Is Born (1954) with Judy Garland (I), The Tarnished Angels (1958) with Rock Hudson and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) with Paul Newman (I).
TRIVIA:
- Grandfather of 'Seth D. Webster' (qv), who is the son of 'Daniel Frank Webster' (qv).
- Loved a good discussion about philosophy.
- Jack and 'Dennis Morgan (I)' (qv) made at least 15 projects together, including _Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)_ (qv) and _The Hard Way (1943)_ (qv).
- Recorded for Design Records in 1957: "Jack Carson Sings Favorite College songs". He later sang for Capitol Records.
- His first vaudeville teaming was with friend 'Dave Willock' (qv). He and Dave graduated from St. John's Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, and teamed up while attending Carleton College. They sang, danced and told jokes and later went on radio.
- During the 1940s, he would often disappear from Hollywood for weeks at a time. Only his wife knew where he went, and she ('Kay St. Germain Wells' (qv)) would tell no one. Years later Carson revealed the secret: he had joined the 'Clyde Beatty' (qv) circus as a clown and was traveling with their show. Audiences never knew it was he; "They loved me and my routines," he said,.
- Collapsed in August of 1962 while in rehearsal for the play "Critic's Choice." An early diagnosis deemed it a stomach "disorder," but two months later, cancer was discovered while he was undergoing an unrelated operation.
- While touring in vaudeville, he met his first wife, dancer Betty Alice Lindy. They later performed together in a song-and-dance act ("Lindy and Carson") for a year on the Orpheum Theatre circuit. They married in 1938 but divorced a year later.
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