Line #33 Creator/CharlesLaughton


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/laughton_11111.jpg]]
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3	->''"Charles Laughton...was probably the greatest film actor who came from that period of time. He had something quite remarkable. His generosity as an actor, he fed himself into that work. As an actor, you cannot take your eyes off him."''
4	-->-- '''Creator/DanielDayLewis'''
5
6	Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 -- 15 December 1962) was an English actor who appeared on stage and in Hollywood films during the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood golden era]]. He was also known for being married to fellow actress Elsa Lanchester (best known as the Film/BrideOfFrankenstein) from 1929 until his death, although he was bisexual, and Elsa was accustomed to his affairs with men.
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8	The son of hotel keepers, he learned that business before joining up to fight in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, during which he was hit with mustard gas. He would never talk about his military service. He studied dramatics at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where one of his teachers was Creator/ClaudeRains.
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10	Among the decidedly eccentric roles he took on were UsefulNotes/HenryVIII in 1933's ''Film/ThePrivateLifeOfHenryVIII'' (for which he won the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor), Captain Bligh in 1935's ''Film/MutinyOnTheBounty'', Quasimodo in 1939's ''{{Film/The Hunchback of Notre Dame\|1939}}'' and (later in his career) Senator Gracchus in ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''. Creator/AlfredHitchcock once listed him among the most difficult things to photograph, along with dogs, babies and motorboats.
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12	He was also a respected theatre actor, most famous for his production and collaboration with Creator/BertoltBrecht for the American version of ''Galileo'' (directed by Creator/JosephLosey). Laughton's performance greatly impressed Brecht who noted that "Laughton’s fear of offending the audience (mostly on religious matters) was often in conflict with his desire to correct the public’s false assumptions – normally the latter desire prevailed."
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14	It was his lifelong regret that he was not a handsome man. He had a deep appreciation for beauty and the finer things in life, but believed he looked like a "departing pachyderm".[[note]]He was not always overweight, as you can see in ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' in 1935, ''Ruggles of Red Gap'', also in 1935, and the 1936 Alexander Korda biopic ''Creator/{{Rembrandt\|VanRijn}}''.[[/note]] Nonetheless, Creator/MarilynMonroe, who played the young prostitute in the "Cop and the Anthem" segment of ''Film/OHenrysFullHouse'' (1952) opposite Laughton, said he was the sexiest man she'd ever seen; and Creator/MarleneDietrich was thrilled to be working with him in ''Film/WitnessForTheProsecution.''
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16	He has a terrific WhatCouldHaveBeen in Josef von Sternberg's attempt to film ''I, Claudius'' in 1937. The outtakes can be seen in the 1965 documentary ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUbt0sweIjI The Epic That Never Was.]]''
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18	He was a successful theatre director, whose biggest hit was a Broadway adaptation of ''Literature/TheCaineMutiny'', and was also [[OneBookAuthor the director of ONE movie]], the 1955 thriller ''Film/TheNightOfTheHunter''. It did so poorly that he never got the chance to direct another film.[[note]]At least one other project fell through, and Laughton's declining health was also a factor.[[/note]] However, the film was eventually VindicatedByHistory, and today it is considered to be one of the greatest thrillers ever made.
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20	One odd bit of trivia: he filled in as guest host on the episode of ''Series/TheEdSullivanShow'' on which Music/ElvisPresley made his first appearance (Sullivan was recovering from a car accident).
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22	Laughton died from cancer in 1962.
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24	A LargeHam if there ever was one.
25	----
26	!!Films with TV Tropes pages include:
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28	* ''Film/{{Piccadilly}}'' (1929)
29	* ''Film/IslandOfLostSouls'' (1932) as Dr. Moreau
30	* ''Film/{{The Old Dark House\|1932}}'' (1932) as Sir William
31	* ''Film/ThePrivateLifeOfHenryVIII'' (1933) as King Henry VIII
32	* ''Film/TheBarrettsOfWimpoleStreet'' (1934) as Edward
33	* ''Film/LesMiserables1935'' as Javert
34	* ''Film/MutinyOnTheBounty'' (1935) as Captain Bligh
35	* ''Film/RugglesOfRedGap'' (1935) as Ruggles
36	* ''Film/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame\|1939}}'' (1939) as Quasimodo
37	* ''Literature/JamaicaInn'' (1939) as Sir Humphrey
38	* ''Theatre/TheyKnewWhatTheyWanted'' (1940) as Tony
39	* ''Film/ThisLandIsMine'' (1943) as Arthur
40	* ''Film/ArchOfTriumph'' (1948) as von Haake
41	* ''Film/TheBigClock'' (1948) as Earl Janoth
42	* ''Film/TheBribe'' (1949) as Bealer
43	* ''[[Literature/{{Maigret}} The Man on the Eiffel Tower]]'' (1949) as Commissaire Jules Maigret
44	* ''Film/TheStrangeDoor'' (1951) as Sire Alain de Maletroit
45	* ''Film/OHenrysFullHouse'' (1952) as Soapy
46	* ''Film/{{Salome\|1953}}'' (1953) as King Herod
47	* ''Film/YoungBess'' (1953) as King Henry VIII (again)
48	* ''Film/TheNightOfTheHunter'' (1955, director)
49	* ''Film/WitnessForTheProsecution'' (1957) as Sir Wilfrid Robarts
50	* ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' (1960) as Senator Gracchus
51	* ''Film/UnderTenFlags'' (1960) as Admiral Russell
52	* ''Film/AdviseAndConsent'' (1962) as Senator Cooley

Context Creator / CharlesLaughton