Friday, April 10, 2015

I is for John Ireland

 
 

Born: January 30, 1914

Died: March 21, 1992

Aged: 78 years from leukemia

Married: 3 times-2nd wife was Joanne Dru

Affairs: Oh my..where to start-Natalie Wood, Sue Lyon, Joan Crawford, Tuesday Weld


An actor who started strong but never quite made it-could have been so much more. He started in a water carnival because he was an excellent swimmer. He was known to be likeable and would always greet his fans and sign autographs but he could have a temper. A tall man with a rather large nose who was also known for something else..um...rather large. In the film, "Red River"  he and Montgomery Clift are comparing guns which was supposed to be an inside joke. During the making of this film, he and Joanne Dru fell in love. Howard Hawks, the director, also fancied Joanne Dru so Hawks severely cut his film role. The other story is that Ireland felt cheated, money wise, by his agent who was invested in this film. Ireland and Hawks had a falling out and Ireland walked out. They filmed around him  which is why you see his character near the beginning and then at the end. It was also rumoured he liked his drink and would show up late until he got canned. The story that is most often repeated is that Hawks fell for Dru. Soon he started to be more in character roles or in B films whether made here or overseas ("Satan's Cheerleaders" is one such B film). He started to do more TV work in the 80's and, at one point, took a huge ad out in the paper requesting film work.  He seemed to like the women young and had a very notorious affair with Tuesday Weld when she was 16 and he was...45! (jerk).

Oscar Nominations: "All The King's Men",

Films: "A Walk In The Sun", "Red River", "The Gangster", "Little Big Horn", "The Fast and the Furious", "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", "55 Days at Peking"

Quote: Regarding the affair with Tuesday Weld-"If there wasn't such a difference in our ages I'd ask her to marry me. That and her mother are the only things that stop me."

The films in bold are the ones to see first:) but you can choose whatever

36 comments:

  1. Well he sure liked to sleep around. Surprised none of the women didn't try and have him snip snipped lol

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    1. Hahahaaa-Maybe he was too good....k I'm going to throw up now

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  2. It's funny, I saw Red River way back when in a films class I took but I have no memory of this guy at all! I didn't really notice anyone but Montgomery Clift I guess. :D
    The affair with Tuesday Weld is just sick.

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    1. Yup-He appears early and then at the end and one forgets he was even there which is one reason his career was not helped by this film at all. I agree about Tuesday Weld-now he would be brought up on charges I think

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  3. When the girl could be your daughter, then she is too young for you. Not to mention Weld was underage at the time.

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    1. No kidding! From what I read he liked them young...the perv-no wonder the mother was going ballistic

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    1. hahahaaaaaaa-You probably have seen him in shows-he did many TV guest spots in the 70's and 80's

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  5. That Hollywood! I was never fond of the place or the morals. John Ireland's story is probably one of the more benign ones. Still that's what interesting stories can come from. :-)

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    1. Yup-bring in money, fame, people at your feet and the studios protecting you and you could do allot of damage-mostly to themselves

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  6. Tuesday Weld - Hoo-Wee!

    Yep, I agree with the ones you put in bold, those are really the ones to see.

    Another Hollywood star who supposedly had an extraordinarily large... "gun"... was Gary Cooper.

    BIRGIT, I didn't realize until today that you are located in Canada. Well, THAT'S evidently the source of the new trouble you're having getting videos I embed on my blog to play.

    The only other person who is also suddenly having this problem is D.G. Hudson, but she also lives in Canada.

    So, I have no idea THE CAUSE of the issue, but it's apparently a "Canadian thang".

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  7. Yup Gary Cooper-as Clara Bow said "Gary is hung like a horse and can go all night". Yup I live in Canuckland and there are some things we just can't get which I think is silly

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    1. But you know what, this video problem is something new. Neither you or D.G. ever had any problems playing my BOTB songs until very recently. At least, as far as I know.

      ~ D-FensDogG

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    2. That is true! I did get this message once on Arlee Bird's blog too. Could be something new or just coincidence that we found it recently

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  8. I have seen Red River. Those old Hollywood types were really full of themselves.

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  9. That was bout the time Tuesday Weld was in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," wasn't it?

    John Holton
    Blogging from A to Z 2015 Cohost
    The Sound of One Hand Typing

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    1. I believe it was-all I know is she was young...really young

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  10. Incredible what some actors will get up to. I'm surprised he didn't die sooner from bullet wounds

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    1. No kidding-from Tuesday Weld's mother. My mom would have beat him with a club and I would never have seen the light of day!

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  11. Well... I hadn't heard of him, but I'm kind of glad I didn't. I hate to say he did it to himself, but...

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    1. Oh he did. I think he was a bit of a jerk. When he was getting work on TV Shows in the 70's and 80's he even poo-pooed the work saying he was beneath that..idiot

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  12. Ireland starred in Vengeance Valley in 1951. I hadn't heard of him until now. Seems he had a reputation.

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    1. He did and I think his antics is what hurt his career

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  13. I agree a jerk to carry on with someone so young as Tuesday Weld. Now I have to admit, I know nothing of water carnival. Swimming demonstrations? Performances?

    betty

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    1. Yup The jerk would do some swimming stunts I guess. I came across this and wondered what the ?? I think he did diving stunts also.

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  14. I get him confused with the guy who played on wagon train -- John McIntire. I had to go look that up. Both had similar sexy eyes. I'm sure I've seen Ireland before, just can't remember in what. I saw "Little Big Horn" but can't remember him in it.

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    1. Yup I think he would have been better known if he didn't think he was great himself

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  15. Birgit, What an interesting selection of stars. Some I like, some I don't but fun reading anyway. I like a lot of the movies highlighted. Thanks for the comments on my blog. You have provided a suggestion for finding people I didn't think of. I will start reading the census reports.

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    1. Well I pick film stars that some will not like(watch tomorrow). All are good in what they did if you like them:) Oh I hope you find something and hope you let me know:)

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  16. I remember Tuesday Weld from Dobie Gillis, but I wasn't familiar with John Ireland. I agree that the idea of a middle-aged man with a 16 year-old girl is pretty creepy. Ireland did make some impressive movies though, and it's a shame he didn't have a more successful career.

    Julie

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    1. It is creepy and I wish I knew how old her mother was.

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  17. The name is familiar, but I wouldn't have been able to identify him. Handsome dude, though. Great post, Birgit! Sehr gut.

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  18. Hi! Name is familiar, but can't place him in any movies. He sure is good-looking.
    Inventions by Women A-Z
    Shells–Tales–Sails

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