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John Gilbert
- SilentCinemaSchool
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Well, folks. Back again. And this time, I've got a heck of a subject for you all on this Screen Actor Saturday...a silent film legend who rivaled the great Rudolph Valentino at the box office (IMAGINE!). From the soaring heights of fame in the 1920's....it was important to bear in mind: "What goes up, must come down." Because when it does come down, brother, IT DOES COME DOWN....
1897-1936
John Cecil Pringle (no wonder he changed it, just sayin) was born in Logan, Utah (USA). Both of his parents were stage actors, and the family frequently moved due to their careers. John's childhood was quite unhappy, as he was often neglected and abused.
Settling in California, John went to Hitchcock Military Academy (no, not that Hitchcock). He didn't stay long, eventually leaving school altogether to go to work full time. After working several different jobs, including being a stage manager at a theater, John decided to try his hand at acting, himself. Only instead of stage acting, John decided to look into a new form of entertainment: film.
A young, mustacheless, John Gilbert.
Starting as a mere extra in 1915, John quickly moved to bigger roles and found favor with the studio bigwigs - although they still felt he was a bit young and needed more experience, he was given a decent salary and the size of his roles grew over time.
By 1921, John had worked at several studios, and had begun not only acting in films, but writing them as well! He co-wrote several scripts that he also appeared in, as well as writing two scripts that he did not, and even got to direct one (which is the dream of many an actor, even now)! But he was still John C. Gilbert, one of many actors working in Hollywood. He had yet to become THE John Gilbert, box office rival to Valentino (IMAGINE!)...
Also in 1921 (what a year for John), he signed a contract with Fox Film Corporation, under William Fox. After a staggering number of films with Fox, he moved to MGM in 1924. There, he began his ascent to superstardom, namely from the films "The Merry Widow" (1925), directed by everyone's favorite tyrant, Erich von Stroheim, and also the monumental war film, "The Big Parade" (also 1925), which became one of John's personal favorites. He is quoted as saying:
"No love has ever enthralled me as did the making of this picture ["The Big Parade"]...All that has followed is balderdash."
Greta and John. A match made in heaven, as far as the media was concerned...
John continued to thrill fans and sell out tickets for several more years, occasionally paired with his off-screen love interest, the magnificent Greta Garbo. After the tragic passing of Rudolph Valentino, John became known as the screen's "Great Lover". The world appeared to be his oyster. And then, dear readers...."talkies" became a thing. And the ah, "ish" would hit the fan for John....
...see what I mean?? PERFECT. TOGETHER.
In John's first film with dialog, audiences reportedly giggled when they heard him speak - but contrary to a popular myth, it was NOT because his voice was "squeaky". I'm a little thrown by how persistent this myth is in today's day and age, when one can literally pull up a John Gilbert talkie and hear his voice themselves! The giggles were, more than likely, because of his "stage voice". Back in the early days of sound, actors were expected to use the pear-shaped, somewhat "clipped" tones of established stage actors. John did so, to the best of his ability, but unfortunately, his delivery came off as a bit strange, hence the giggles.
The giggles had spoken. John's career declined rapidly as newfound "box office poison". MGM gave him increasingly bad scripts and attempted to make him break his contract and quit. This has Louis B. Mayer written all over it, folks. There is an unsubstantiated claim that Louis himself ordered some technical manipulation of John's voice in a film, making it sound "squeaky". Even if that wasn't true, Louis had consistently gotten into conflicts with John during his time at MGM, once even escalating into a physical altercation!
John, whose mental health was in an equally rapid decline, refused to walk out on his (well-paying) contract. Once it was fulfilled, however - he was off like a rocket. But unfortunately, the damage was done. John not only had poor mental health, but he had also been consumed with alcoholism, which only caused further mental and physical health decline.
Back at it in "Queen Christina" (1933)
John soon got work as an honorary director at Fox, and before you know it, the woman who stole his heart came calling. Greta Garbo was insistent that he co-star in her latest film, "Queen Christina" (1933). The film was a success - but unfortunately, didn't help John or his career in any way. Time marched on....
John's last return to the screen was in 1934, when the menacing Harry Cohn gave John a leading role in a new film. But was it really to give John a hand? Probably not. Harry was known for trying to "one up" other studios by making successes out of their dropouts. John, to him, was simply a way to punch Louis B. Mayer in the nose. An act that has a pleasant ring to it... Harry told John that if he stayed sober and cooperated on set, he would get him more work.
Well, John started out admirably. But as time went on, he started drinking again and his health quickly began failing. His co-stars reportedly didn't help the situation, often giving him alcohol and encouraging him to drink! Miraculously, he finished the film, but it did nothing for his dying career. It would be his last film. "It's too goddam bad," said Harry Cohn, "but if a man wants to go to hell I can't stop him."
In 1935, John suffered a devastating heart attack. A year later, he had another - and it was fatal. He passed away on January 9th, 1936 at his home. He was survived by his 2 daughters....and 4 ex-wives. I'm just saying. And we aren't even talking about girlfriends.
Whenever I cover an actor with a tragic ending to their life, I always shake my head in amazement at how, after all these years, we as a society still treat fame as if it's a great blessing. To many, including John, it's a curse. The stress, the instability, the lack of privacy....there are so many reasons NOT to chase fame. It can literally destroy a person, and it often does. Whenever any of us feels the pull of becoming the "next big thing", let's all agree to pause...and remember John Gilbert. And then just be grateful for what we have.
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You make a good point about fame being a curse, rather than a blessing. John Gilbert is a perfect example. Great post!