biography
Character actor Brian Donlevy was born near Cleveland, Ohio, on February 9, 1901, and was raised in Wisconsin. Lying about his age, in 1916 he joined the Army during World War I.
Donlevy considered a career in military service and spent two years at the US Naval Academy but eventually chose dramatics instead. By the mid 1920s, he was cast in the Broadway show What Price Glory? and continued
acting on the legitimate stage in the 1920 and 1930s. Although he had acted in several silent films in the 1920s, his film career didn't get off the ground until 1935, when he
left the New York stage and signed with 20th Century-Fox.
The studio cast him in starring roles in such films as the comedy Human Cargo (1936; with Claire Trevor) and the
crime drama 36 Hours to Kill (1936; with Gloria Stuart). He shined in film noir, portraying heavies and heroes in Behind Prison Gates (1939; with Julie Bishop),
The Glass Key (1942; with Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake), and Kiss of Death (1947; with Victor Mature
and Coleen Gray). Donlevy also acted in numerous westerns, including Jesse James (1939; with Tyrone Power), When the Daltons Rode
(1940; with Randolph Scott), and The Virginian (1946; with Joel McCrea).A first marriage in the 1920s ended before Donlevy left for Hollywood. He married second wife, singer Marjorie Lane, in 1936, and the couple settled in Beverly Hills and welcomed a daughter, Judy. With his career going well, Donlevy left 20th Century-Fox for Paramount in the early 1940s, but his tenure was short-lived and he freelanced from 1946 onward. He proved to be a hit on NBC Radio from 1949 to 1953 in his show Dangerous Assignment. In 1950, Donlevy was looking to move the series from radio to television and produced a pilot for the TV network, but NBC turned the series down. So he created his own production company and produced and acted in the syndicated TV series Dangerous Assignment (1952). Sadly, it lasted for only one season, as production costs were prohibitive. |
the films of brian donlevyCrack-Up (1936)
With Peter Lorre in the 20th Century Fox spy drama Crack-UpHigh Tension (1936)
From the 20th Century-Fox comedy High Tension with Glenda Farrell and Helen WoodBehind Prison Gates (1939)
With Julie Bishop in Columbia's noir Behind Prison GatesThe Great McGinty (1940)
From the Paramount comedy The Great McGinty with Muriel AngelusThe Glass Key (1942)
With Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd in The Glass KeyA Gentleman After Dark (1942)
With Miriam Hopkins and Preston Foster in the noir thriller A Gentleman After DarkWake Island (1942)
From the Paramount war drama Wake Island with Macdonald Carey and Robert PrestonHangmen Also Die (1943)
With Anna Lee in the war noir United Artists release Hangmen Also DieCanyon Passage (1946)
With Susan Hayward, Patricia Roc, and Dana Andrews in Universal's western release Canyon PassageTwo Years Before the Mast (1946) 
From Paramount's adventure flick Two Years Before the Mast. LEFT: With William Bendix. RIGHT: With Barry Fitzgerald and Alan LaddSong of Scheherazade (1947)
With Jean-Pierre Aumont in the Universal-International adventure Song of ScheherazadeCommand Decision (1948)
From the MGM war drama Command Decision with Cameron Mitchell and Walter PidgeonThe Lucky Stiff (1949)
From the United Artists noir comedy The Lucky Stiff with Dorothy LamourShakedown (1950)
From Universal-International's film noir thriller ShakedownThe Quatermass Xperiment (1955)
From the British sci-fi flick The Quatermass XperimentA Cry in the Night (1956)
In A Cry in the Night, Donlevy tries to rescue kidnapping victim Natalie Wood from the clutches of Raymond BurrQuatermass II (1957)
From the British sci-fi sequel Quatermass IIJuke Box Rhythm (1959)
From the Columbia musical Juke Box Rhythm with Karin Booth and Jack JonesThe Girl in Room 13 (1961)
From the Brazilian-made crime drama The Girl in Room 13Curse of the Fly (1965)
With George Baker in Curse of the Fly, a British-made final entry in The Fly series released by 20th Century-FoxThe Fat Spy (1966)
From the low-budget comedy The Fat Spy with Jayne Mansfieldlater yearsIn 1962, Brian Donlevy briefly retired from acting and moved to Palm Springs. However, he came out of retirement in 1964 and resumed his career, acting in such films as How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965; with Annette Funicello), The Fat Spy (1966; with Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, and Phyllis Diller), and Arizona Bushwhackers (1968; with Yvonne De Carlo). He also worked frequently in television as a guest star on popular programs such as Perry Mason and Family Affair. Married three times, in February 1966 Donlevy married Lillian Lugosi, the ex-wife of actor Bela Lugosi. He began to slow down in the late 1960s, and following the release of Jack Hill's effective racing film shot in 1967, Pit Stop (1969; with Sid Haig and Richard Davalos), Donlevy retired from the screen. After a bout with throat cancer, he passed away in Los Angeles on April 5, 1972, at age 71. Donlevy was survived by his wife Lillian, daughter Judy from his second marriage, and stepson Bela Lugosi Jr. |
filmography
FILM
|
brian donlevy trailers now showingbrian donlevy television appearances now showingbrian donlevy film now showing |
Click on the logo to go back to Brian's Drive-In Theater
This page premiered October 27, 2003.
Copyright and Disclaimer Information