History Creator / AlanLadd

Ladd had a varied acting career. He could portray a gangster in one film and a detective in another. Commonly, he was considered for roles (and even announced as the final pick), but then rejected for the talents of someone else. He turned to Westerns in the 1950s, most notably ''Film/{{Shane}}'' with Creator/JeanArthur, and then jumped between many studios in Hollywood and around the world. He created the production company Jaguar Productions in 1954 which soon defunct in the early 1960s and Ladd's career began to fail, reportedly retiring from acting in 1960. His personal life appeared to be dipping too: he was found unconscious with a bullet wound in his chest in 1962 which didn't actually kill him, leading to assumptions that it was a failed suicide attempt, but he later died in 1964 from a variety of alcohol and drug-related reactions. He was meant to make a career comeback with ''The Carpetbaggers'', but was a success when it was released posthumously.

[[AC:Film]]
* ''Theatre/OnceInALifetime'' (1932) as Projectionist
* ''Film/MurderAtTheVanities'' (1934)(extra)

* ''Film/TheHowardsOfVirginia'' (1940) as Backwoodsman

* ''Film/MyFavoriteBrunette'' (1947) as Sam [=McCloud=]

Ladd had a varied acting career. He could be a gangster in one film and a detective in another. Commonly, he was considered for roles (and even announced as the final pick), but was then rejected for the talents of someone else. He turned to westerns in the 1950s, most notably ''Film/{{Shane}}'' with Creator/JeanArthur, and then jumped between many studios in Hollywood and around the world. He created the production company Jaguar Productions in 1954 which soon defunct in the early 1960s and Ladd's career began to fail, reportedly retiring from acting in 1960. His personal life appeared to be dipping too: he was found unconscious with a bullet wound in his chest in 1962 which didn't actually kill him, leading to assumptions that it was a failed suicide attempt, but he later died in 1964 from a variety of alcohol and drug-related reactions. He was meant to make a career comeback with ''The Carpetbaggers'', but was a success when it was released posthumously.

Alan Walbridge Ladd Sr. (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.

Ladd's film career was a rocky start. He wasn't seen as "leading man" material by Hollywood because they didn't believe he was conventionally attractive enough, but he was also held back because of his height [[note]]many leading men in Hollywood were over six feet tall (actors like Creator/GaryCooper and Creator/CaryGrant), whereas Ladd was said to not even reach 5 feet, six inches[[/note]] -- a shortcoming that had made him a ButtMonkey when he was a child. However, he began his acting career in the 1930s with uncredited roles, as well as many appearances on the radio.

Through RetroactiveRecognition in a small part in ''Film/CitizenKane'' and an emotional death scene in ''Film/JoanOfParis'', the studios noticed the potential of Ladd and offered him contracts and bigger roles. He starred in ''Film/ThisGunForHire'' in 1942, which was said to have been in the making for almost ten years, and soon followed with ''Lucky Jordan'' and other parts, mostly being gangsters, often being compared to Creator/JamesCagney. He halted acting for a while to serve in the army but was sent home on sick leave; he demanded a pay rise from Paramount in 1948, getting suspended in response. When he returned, he appeared in the wartime movie ''O.S.S.'' and the image-shifting lead role in ''The Great Gatsby (1949)'', which met a reluctant studio's expectations when it was a critical failure.

Through RetroactiveRecognition in a small part in ''Film/CitizenKane'' and an emotional death scene in ''Film/JoanOfParis'', the studios noticed the potential of Ladd and offered him contracts and bigger roles. He starred in ''Film/ThisGunForHire'' in 1942, which was said to have been in the making for almost ten years, and soon followed with ''Lucky Jordan'' and other parts, mostly being gangsters, often being compared to Creator/JamesCagney. He halted acting for a while to serve in the army but was sent home on sick leave; he demanded a pay rise from Paramount in 1948, getting suspended in response. When he returned, he appeared in the wartime movie ''O.S.S.'' and the image-shifting lead role in ''Film/TheGreatGatsby1949'', which met a reluctant studio's expectations when it was a critical failure.

Alan Walbridge Ladd Sr. (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, many with Creator/VeronicaLake, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.

Ladd had a varied acting career. He could be a gangster in one film and a detective in another. Commonly, he was considered for roles (and even announced as the final pick), but was then rejected for the talents of someone else. He turned to westerns in the 1950s, most notably ''Film/{{Shane}}'' with Creator/JeanArthur, and then jumped between many studios in Hollywood and around the world. He created the production company Jaguar Productions in 1954 which soon defunct in the early 1960s and Ladd's career began to fail, reportedly retiring from acting in 1960. His personal life appeared to be dipping too: he was found unconscious with a bullet wound in his chest in 1962 which didn't actually kill him, leading to assumptions that it was a failed suicide attempt, but he later died in 1964 from a variety of alcohol and drug-related reactions. He was meant to make a career comeback with ''The Carpetbaggers'', but was a success when it was released posthumously.

Meanwhile, on [=TVTropes=], you might know of his eldest son (also named Alan Ladd) who is an executive producer, that provides the page quote for NetworkToTheRescue.

Through RetroactiveRecognition in a small part in ''Film/CitizenKane'' and an emotional death scene in ''Film/JoanOfParis'', the studios noticed the potential of Ladd and offered him contracts and bigger roles. He starred in movie ''Film/ThisGunForHire'' in 1942, which was said to have been in the making for almost ten years, and soon followed with ''Lucky Jordan'' and other parts, mostly being gangsters, often being compared to Creator/JamesCagney. He halted acting for a while to serve in the army but was sent home on sick leave; he demanded a pay rise from Paramount in 1948, getting suspended in response. When he returned, he appeared in the wartime movie ''O.S.S.'' and the image-shifting lead role in ''Film/TheGreatGatsby1949'', which met a reluctant studio's expectations when it was a critical failure.

[[quoteright:305:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alan_ladd.jpg]]

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alan_ladd.jpg]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alan_ladd.jpg]]

Alan Walbridge Ladd Sr. (September 3rd 1913 -- January 29th 1964) was an American actor who made frequent appearances in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, many with Creator/VeronicaLake, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.

Alan Walbridge Ladd, Sr. (September 3rd 1913 -- January 29th 1964) was an American actor that made frequent appearances in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, many with Creator/VeronicaLake, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.

!!Alan Ladd on TV Tropes

*

* ''Film/TheREluctantDragon'' (1941) as Al, Baby Weems storyboard artist

Through RetroactiveRecognition in a small part in ''Film/CitizenKane'' and an emotional death scene in ''Film/JoanOfParis'', the studios noticed the potential of Ladd and offered him contracts and bigger roles. He starred in movie ''Film/ThisGunForHire'' in 1942, which was said to have been in the making for almost ten years, and soon followed with ''Lucky Jordan'' and other parts, mostly being gangsters, often being compared to Creator/JamesCagney. He halted acting for a while to serve in the army but was sent home on sick leave; he demanded a pay rise from Paramount in 1948, getting suspended in response. When he returned, he appeared in the wartime movie ''O.S.S.'' and the image-shifting lead role in ''Film/TheGreatGatsby'', which met a reluctant studio's expectations when it was a critical failure.

[[quoteright:323:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alan_ladd.jpg]]

Ladd had a varied acting career. He could be a gangster in one film and a detective in another. Commonly, he was considered for roles (and even announced as the final pick), but was then rejected for the talents of someone else. He turned to westerns in the 1950s, most notably ''Film/{{Shane}}'' with Creator/JeanArthur, and then jumped between many studios in Hollywood and around the world. He created the production company Jaguar Productions in 1954 which soon defunct in the early 1960s and Ladd's career began to fail, reportedly retiring from acting in 1960. His personal life appeared to be dipping too: he was found unconscious with a bullet wound in his chest in 1962 which didn't actually kill him, leading to assumptions that it was a failed suicide attempt, but he later died in 1964 from a variety of alcohol and drug-related reaction. He was meant to make a career comeback with ''The Carpetbaggers'', but was a success when it was released posthumously.

Meanwhile, on [=TVTropes=], you might know of his son (also named Alan Ladd) who is an executive producer, that provides the page quote for NetworkToTheRescue.

Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3rd 1913 -- January 29th 1964) was an American actor that made frequent appearances in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, many with Creator/VeronicaLake, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.

Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3rd 1913 -- January 29th 1964) was an American actor that made frequent appearances in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. He commonly appeared in FilmNoir, many with Creator/VernoicaLake, but actually appeared in a variety of different film genres; his filmography has been calculated to over 90 appearances.