| WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO BOB MONTGOMERY? by Paul Weston Film Pictorial (British) September 26, 1936 |
Bob Montgomery is the type of young man who will face the world with a smile, even if his
heart is breaking.
He's been smiling a lot lately. For even if his heart is not breaking, Bob has been facing
one of those awkward times which come in the life of every man--especially in Hollywood.
There has been a strange silence about Montgomery in the film world during the past year.
His admirers have wondered what has been happening to him, for he has not been seen on
the screen since the general release of No More Ladies last autumn. They have waited
patiently for Petticoat Fever, which is generally released next week.
A year is a long time to be off the screen. Many famous stars have been forgotten in less
time than that. What, then, has happened which has caused this extraordinary delay?
One cannot help feeling that Bob has not had a fair deal from Hollywood. It is now several
years since he first sprang into popularity as a gay, but rather bounderish young man. Such
was his charm that women liked him in spite of his caddish characters.
Seeing that he was so popular, Hollywood rushed him from film to film. As soon as he
completed one production, he began work on another. His roles never varied and Bob, who is
quite a good actor, was able to play them almost without having to think about them.
The strain, however, was too much for him. His health, never over-robust, made him decide
that he urgently needed a rest. So he came to England for a holiday. He stayed here a while,
was mobbed by his admirers, saw the beauties of our countryside and said he would like to
make a picture here. Then he passed on and there followed a long silence. Whereas he had
previously been kept so busy in the past year, he has made only three films. They are
Petticoat Fever, a frothy, inconsequential story which will do little to enhance his reputation;
Suicide Club, a costume picture which is rather outside Bob's sphere; and Piccadilly Jim, a
gay P.G. Wodehouse story which is a considerable improvement upon the other two.
But where is Robert Montgomery heading? Is he to play more bounders and light-hearted
fools, or is he to be given one big chance to show his ability? If you look back over his career,
you discover that he has never yet been cast in a really first-rate film. Clark Gable, William
Powell, Gary Cooper and all the others have had their opportunities, but Bob's best has been
Lovers Courageous, a romance which was made charming mainly by his acting and by Madge
Evans.
Bob's misfortune, undoubtedly, is his smile. Knowing that it has made him so popular with
women filmgoers, producers are reluctant to give him a real chance to be dramatic. Actually
he has the intelligence and the experience to become one of the screen's really great young
actors.
Bob's patience, however, makes him hope that one day Hollywood will change its mind
about him. If it doesn't, then maybe he will leave films and go back to the stage. At one time
he intended to do that last year. Then, for some reason known only to himself, he changed
the date until 1938.
In his stage debut, Bob had four roles and if you didn't look quickly you would have missed
him in all of them. He was, in turn, a young man at a party, a butler, a mourner at a funeral
and a valet. In addition, he sang off stage and was assistant stage manager. It was while he
was acting in this play that he met Elizabeth Allen, a young actress in the same company.
Before the play ended they had sworn undying love and were waiting for the day when they
could afford to get married. They had to wait nearly five years. That was his greatest lesson in
patience.
ARRIVED AN HOUR LATE
After a varied stage career, he eventually arrived in Hollywood. M.G.M. put him on
short-term contract and it was a stroke of luck that it was ever renewed. For Bob knew little
about film production and he did not realize that, although they might keep you waiting on the
set all day before starting work, punctuality is essential.
His wife was seriously ill in New York and he was anxiously waiting a telephone call to say
how she was faring. Consequently he was an hour late at the studio. When he walked on the
set the director immediately began to tell him just what he thought of him. Bob listened for a
few seconds. Then he said stiffly, "I'm accustomed to dealing with gentlemen. Good-day."
The whole studio stood aghast. an unknown young actor was actually walking out of the
cast. It was unheard of. But they called him back and there were mutual apologies.
It is not surprising, therefore, that M.G.M. showed little further interest in him. In fact they
told him that for the rest of his contract he could work for other studios. Bob got a small job
with another company and then played a bluff which put him right back in favour with M.G.M.
He asked the casting director of this company to telephone M.G.M. and inquire if they
intended to renew his contract. After a slight argument the casting director agreed to do so.
An M.G.M. official listened patiently to the telephone query and said: "We will let you know
in a couple of hours."
The bluff succeeded. It was argued at M.G.M. that if another studio saw possibilities in him,
why risk the chance of losing a potential star? So they sent for Montgomery and made him
sign a new contract.
That marked the opening chapter in Montgomery's Hollywood career. From then until last
year he had little to complain about. Just now he has plenty to complain about. Will Bob win
out by playing his old game of patience or will Hollywood get its own back this time by bluffing
him?
heart is breaking.
He's been smiling a lot lately. For even if his heart is not breaking, Bob has been facing
one of those awkward times which come in the life of every man--especially in Hollywood.
There has been a strange silence about Montgomery in the film world during the past year.
His admirers have wondered what has been happening to him, for he has not been seen on
the screen since the general release of No More Ladies last autumn. They have waited
patiently for Petticoat Fever, which is generally released next week.
A year is a long time to be off the screen. Many famous stars have been forgotten in less
time than that. What, then, has happened which has caused this extraordinary delay?
One cannot help feeling that Bob has not had a fair deal from Hollywood. It is now several
years since he first sprang into popularity as a gay, but rather bounderish young man. Such
was his charm that women liked him in spite of his caddish characters.
Seeing that he was so popular, Hollywood rushed him from film to film. As soon as he
completed one production, he began work on another. His roles never varied and Bob, who is
quite a good actor, was able to play them almost without having to think about them.
The strain, however, was too much for him. His health, never over-robust, made him decide
that he urgently needed a rest. So he came to England for a holiday. He stayed here a while,
was mobbed by his admirers, saw the beauties of our countryside and said he would like to
make a picture here. Then he passed on and there followed a long silence. Whereas he had
previously been kept so busy in the past year, he has made only three films. They are
Petticoat Fever, a frothy, inconsequential story which will do little to enhance his reputation;
Suicide Club, a costume picture which is rather outside Bob's sphere; and Piccadilly Jim, a
gay P.G. Wodehouse story which is a considerable improvement upon the other two.
But where is Robert Montgomery heading? Is he to play more bounders and light-hearted
fools, or is he to be given one big chance to show his ability? If you look back over his career,
you discover that he has never yet been cast in a really first-rate film. Clark Gable, William
Powell, Gary Cooper and all the others have had their opportunities, but Bob's best has been
Lovers Courageous, a romance which was made charming mainly by his acting and by Madge
Evans.
Bob's misfortune, undoubtedly, is his smile. Knowing that it has made him so popular with
women filmgoers, producers are reluctant to give him a real chance to be dramatic. Actually
he has the intelligence and the experience to become one of the screen's really great young
actors.
Bob's patience, however, makes him hope that one day Hollywood will change its mind
about him. If it doesn't, then maybe he will leave films and go back to the stage. At one time
he intended to do that last year. Then, for some reason known only to himself, he changed
the date until 1938.
In his stage debut, Bob had four roles and if you didn't look quickly you would have missed
him in all of them. He was, in turn, a young man at a party, a butler, a mourner at a funeral
and a valet. In addition, he sang off stage and was assistant stage manager. It was while he
was acting in this play that he met Elizabeth Allen, a young actress in the same company.
Before the play ended they had sworn undying love and were waiting for the day when they
could afford to get married. They had to wait nearly five years. That was his greatest lesson in
patience.
ARRIVED AN HOUR LATE
After a varied stage career, he eventually arrived in Hollywood. M.G.M. put him on
short-term contract and it was a stroke of luck that it was ever renewed. For Bob knew little
about film production and he did not realize that, although they might keep you waiting on the
set all day before starting work, punctuality is essential.
His wife was seriously ill in New York and he was anxiously waiting a telephone call to say
how she was faring. Consequently he was an hour late at the studio. When he walked on the
set the director immediately began to tell him just what he thought of him. Bob listened for a
few seconds. Then he said stiffly, "I'm accustomed to dealing with gentlemen. Good-day."
The whole studio stood aghast. an unknown young actor was actually walking out of the
cast. It was unheard of. But they called him back and there were mutual apologies.
It is not surprising, therefore, that M.G.M. showed little further interest in him. In fact they
told him that for the rest of his contract he could work for other studios. Bob got a small job
with another company and then played a bluff which put him right back in favour with M.G.M.
He asked the casting director of this company to telephone M.G.M. and inquire if they
intended to renew his contract. After a slight argument the casting director agreed to do so.
An M.G.M. official listened patiently to the telephone query and said: "We will let you know
in a couple of hours."
The bluff succeeded. It was argued at M.G.M. that if another studio saw possibilities in him,
why risk the chance of losing a potential star? So they sent for Montgomery and made him
sign a new contract.
That marked the opening chapter in Montgomery's Hollywood career. From then until last
year he had little to complain about. Just now he has plenty to complain about. Will Bob win
out by playing his old game of patience or will Hollywood get its own back this time by bluffing
him?
| Once, he was so popular in Hollywood--and everywhere else--and was rushed from film to film. But after a visit to England there was a long silence until "Petticoat Fever," which you can see next week... |
| Robert Montgomery and Myrna Loy as they appear in "Petticoat Fever." |
| Bob Montgomery should have a role after his own heart as Piccadilly Jim, in the film of that name. This is Robert Benchley with him. |
HOME
Earl of Hollywood
WHAT'S NEW
Site Updates
BIOGRAPHY
RM Bio
FILMOGRAPHY
Films of RM
PHOTOS
Portraits, Candids,
Stills, Family, Covers
ROBERT
MONTGOMERY
PRESENTS
TV Series
BOB'S BEWITCHING
DAUGHTER:
Elizabeth Montgomery
THE SON ALSO RISES:
Robert Montgomery, Jr.
ALL IN THE FAMILY:
Elizabeth Allen &
Martha-Bryan Allen
PRINT THE LEGEND
Vintage Articles
RADIO DAYS
Radio Appearances
BRIGHT LIGHTS
OF BROADWAY
Broadway Appearances
BOB AT HOME
Pictorial of Homes
LEADING LADIES
Co-stars
THE ONES THAT
GOT AWAY
Unrealized Projects
STORE
Purchase
Videos/DVDs, Etc.
WANTED PAGE
Stuff I'm looking for
LINKS
Best of the web
GUESTBOOK
Leave your message
SITE MAP
Guide to exploring the
site
CONTACT THE
WEBMASTER
Earl of Hollywood
WHAT'S NEW
Site Updates
BIOGRAPHY
RM Bio
FILMOGRAPHY
Films of RM
PHOTOS
Portraits, Candids,
Stills, Family, Covers
ROBERT
MONTGOMERY
PRESENTS
TV Series
BOB'S BEWITCHING
DAUGHTER:
Elizabeth Montgomery
THE SON ALSO RISES:
Robert Montgomery, Jr.
ALL IN THE FAMILY:
Elizabeth Allen &
Martha-Bryan Allen
PRINT THE LEGEND
Vintage Articles
RADIO DAYS
Radio Appearances
BRIGHT LIGHTS
OF BROADWAY
Broadway Appearances
BOB AT HOME
Pictorial of Homes
LEADING LADIES
Co-stars
THE ONES THAT
GOT AWAY
Unrealized Projects
STORE
Purchase
Videos/DVDs, Etc.
WANTED PAGE
Stuff I'm looking for
LINKS
Best of the web
GUESTBOOK
Leave your message
SITE MAP
Guide to exploring the
site
CONTACT THE
WEBMASTER