biography
Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on September 3, 1913, Alan Ladd had a difficult start in life. His impoverished family suffered many
setbacks, most notably the death of his father in 1918. Ladd's mother moved the family to Oklahoma and, when she remarried, moved on
to California. As a child he worked many odd jobs and later excelled at swimming and track in high school. At age 22 Ladd married his
first wife and welcomed a son the following year. First operating a hamburger stand, Ladd eventually found work on the Warner Bros. lot
as a grip. Tragically, Ladd's alcoholic and depressed mother committed suicide at about this time. In the early 1930s Ladd entered films but had little luck in the business; his roles were usually small and the movies lacked production values. For five years he toiled in mostly uncredited parts in such films as Island of Lost Souls (1932; with Bela Lugosi and Richard Arlen) and Pigskin Parade (1936; with Patsy Kelly). However, he had some success in radio. His film fortunes improved in the late 1930s when he met actress-turned-agent Sue Carol, who took on Ladd as a client. Carol aggressively promoted the young actor and soon his film career picked up; he landed respectable roles at RKO and Republic and also appeared in an early 'Soundie.' In 1941 Ladd's marriage tanked, and the following year Ladd married Carol, with whom he had two more children. Carol's efforts eventually netted him a contract with Paramount Pictures, where Ladd was cast in a meaty role in the film noir release This Gun for Hire (1942; with Veronica Lake). The film was tailored for Ladd's acting style and proved such a smash that Paramount used Ladd and costar Veronica Lake in several films throughout the 1940s. By the early 1950s Ladd left Paramount and freelanced for the remainder of his career; his production companies Warwick and Jaguar produced a number of his 1950s films, often released through Warner Bros. |
the films of alan laddLucky Jordan (1942) 
LEFT: With Helen Walker in Paramount's noir comedy Lucky Jordan. RIGHT: With Helen Walker and Marie McDonaldThe Glass Key (1942)Salty O'Rourke (1945)
Ladd as the title character in Paramount's film noir drama Salty O'RourkeThe Blue Dahlia (1946)O.S.S. (1946)
From the Paramount war drama O.S.S. with Geraldine FitzgeraldTwo Years Before the Mast (1946)
With Barry Fitzgerald and Brian Donlevy in the excellent Paramount sea adventure Two Years Before the MastWild Harvest (1947) 
From the Paramount drama Wild Harvest. LEFT: Fighting Robert Preston. RIGHT: Romancing Dorothy LamourBeyond Glory (1948)
From the Paramount drama Beyond GlorySaigon (1948)
From the Paramount drama Saigon, the final film in which Ladd costarred with Veronica LakeChicago Deadline (1949)
From the Paramount film noir drama Chicago DeadlineRed Mountain (1952)
From Paramount's Civil War drama Red Mountain with Lizabeth ScottShane (1953)
Shane is probably Alan Ladd's most famous film and definitely his best. Also pictured are Van Helfin, Jean Arthur, and Brandon De Wilde. This Paramount release was Arthur's last filmThe McConnell Story (1955)
With June Allyson in the Warner Bros. drama The McConnell StorySantiago (1956)
With Rossana Podesta, Lloyd Nolan, and Paul Fix in the Warner Bros. release SantiagoThe Deep Six (1958)
With Dianne Foster in the Warner Bros. war flick The Deep SixThe Man in the Net (1959)
In the film noir thriller The Man in the Net, Alan Ladd is set up for a crime he didn't commit; the children of the town assist him in finding the real killer13 West Street (1962) 
From the Columbia drama 13 West Street. LEFT: With Chris Robinson, Rod Steiger, Arnold Merritt, and Jeanne Cooper. RIGHT: With Michael Callan and Rod Steigerlater yearsWhile shooting The McConnell Story (1956; with June Allyson), Ladd began an affair with co-star June Allyson. He was ready to divorce his wife, but Allyson (married to Dick Powell at the time) called a halt to the affair, leaving Ladd depressed and despondent. His career slowed considerably with the onset of the 1960s, as the film noir and western genres began to wane. A heavy drinker, his consumption of alcohol took its took on his good looks and career ambitions. On January 29, 1964, Ladd died at his Palm Springs home as a result of mixing alcohol and sedatives; he was just 50 years old. His final film was released posthumously, which was the steamy drama The Carpetbaggers (1964; with Martha Hyer), making its debut only two months after his death. He was survived by his wife, Sue Carol, a daughter, and two sons. Carol passed away in 1982 at age 75. Ladd's son, actor and producer David Ladd, was the first husband of actress Cheryl Ladd. |
filmographyFILM
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This page premiered March 16, 2004.
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