JEFF CHANDLER
BIRTH: December 15, 1918
DEATH: June 17, 1961
AGED: 42 years
DIED FROM: pneumonia and blood poisoning after back surgery
REAL NAME: Ira Grossel
NICKNAME: Big Grey
MARRIED: once, to Marjorie Hoshelle-divorced
AFFAIRS: Esther Williams, Gloria DeHaven, Ann Sheridan, Julie Adams, Barbara Shelley, Mamie Van Doren(who didn’t!), Marilyn Maxwell, and Eartha Kitt
CHILDREN: 2 daughters. Both died in the early 2000s from cancer. His Aunt, Uncle and Grandfather also died from cancer. Genetic link to this horrible disease.
FRIENDS: Susan Hayward, Gordon MacCrea, Sammy Davis Jr.
OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Broken Arrow for his role as Cochise
OSCAR WINS: Nil
TALENT: singer, violinist, song writer
KNOWN FOR: Grey Hair and Chiseled features plus body hair. That had to be shaved for the movies so he was, often, quite itchy. An avid Democrat, proud of his Jewish Heritage and into civil rights.
What is sad is that Jeff Chandler is known more for what Esther Williams wrote in her autobiography, which was proven to be false, by her own admission, than for his acting ability plus his many other talents. She wrote that he was a cross dresser and loved to wear women’s clothing, panties etc… while playing a he-man in his many films. This disgusting gossip went “viral” with all the TV shows, like “ Entertainment Tonight” plus even regular news, discussing Chandler’s “hidden” fetish asking Esther Williams about his life. She loved talking all about this which made her book a best seller. Much later, it came out that she was asked to spruce up her autobiography so she decided to ruin this man’s reputation just to sell her book. She is not a nice person, sadly. I don’t care if a man wears women’s clothing as long as he is a nice person…let him do whatever he wishes, but when a man is not a cross dresser and can’t even defend himself because he has been dead over 40 years, that’s just very, very wrong.
Jeff Chandler was very proud of his Jewish heritage starring in a couple of films and supporting them when they attacked Egypt which caused a stir. He formed his own production company, was a radio star plying the love interest to Eve Arden in “Our Miss Brooks” plus he was a singer and violinist. He played many Indians in film, which is now considered in bad taste, but these were the times so let’s get over it and move on. He also played many heroes from chivalrous heroes to swashbucklers and adventurers.
He had many affairs which is understandable given his rugged good looks and his silver hair which started to turn white when he was 18. His chiseled features became the model for the main character in the comic, “Johnny Quest”. He loved baseball, was in WW2, and was a devoted friend. He went to school and became a life-long friend of Susan Hayward, and, when Sammy Davis Jr lost his left eye in a car accident and his right eye was feared to be affected, Chandler volunteered to have one of his eyes taken, but the technology was not ( and is not) available. He had many talents but, sadly, he died suddenly and it was blatant malpractice. On the set of one of his movies, he injured his back ( playing baseball with U. S. soldiers who were extras in the film) and underwent surgery but his artery was knicked, developed blood poisoning and died. His family sued and won the case.
This man should be known for his acting, his devotion to his friends plus his many talents not the gossip that was proven to be false.
FILMS
1. Broken Arrow-1950
2. Cochise-1950
3. Two Flags West-1950
4. Smuggler’s Island-1951
5. War Arrow-1953
6. Foxfire-1955
7. Merrill's Marrauders-1961
8. Thunder In The Sun-1959
9. The Tattered Dress-1957
10. Man In The Shadow-1957
I don't know the name, but his face is familiar. I had never heard the cross dressing allegations. I didn't realize Esther Williams was such a horrible person.
ReplyDeleteHe was a handsome guy. Sad he died so young, those were big movies he starred in. Shame on Esther Williams for falsehoods in her memoir.
ReplyDeleteI can see why he changed his name. Shame on Esther Williams!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I remember the face and the movies, but not the name! What a tragic end for a decent man! Esther Williams did a terrible thing, besmirching his reputation. I hope her conscience was plagued by guilt!
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteJeff is someone I came to appreciate more as I worked my way through his filmography. I wouldn’t say he was a “great” actor, but he was a good solidly dependable one without a lot of fuss to his work.
Glad you are shining a light on him; his early death really led to him not being as well remembered as he should be. I think his relaxed, more naturalistic acting style would have stood him in good stead in the “New Hollywood” that was coming in just as he died.
Over the years I’ve managed to see all his films, and they are a pretty consistent bunch. No classics, more a mix of solid entertainments and B adventures but enjoyable overall. Being a contract player with a rugged masculinity at home in the saddle, the boxing ring or a suit he was paired with most of the important actresses of the time and managed to not appear in any film that was a total disaster, some are mediocre but there are no outright fiascos. Unfortunately, one of his worst, Thunder in the Sun, was made with his long-time chum, Susan Hayward. Very cool however that they were childhood friends from impoverished backgrounds who both found fame in Hollywood.
I was extremely disillusioned with that Williams woman when she wrote about his purported cross dressing in her bio. It wasn’t that I had a problem with Jeff doing that, how is it remotely any of my business (or anyone else’s), but she had no right to publicize that information particularly for someone who can’t dispute it. Then when it came out that she made it up, out of spite it would seem my opinion of her sunk even lower. Her movies are still wonderful fun, but I find them hard to watch because of her.
Anyway, here are my top ten of his films:
Man in the Shadow (1957)-In my opinion, this is his best film and performance. Jeff and Orson Welles go head-to-head in a High Noon style drama with Jeff the honest sheriff and Welles a dastardly town kingpin.
Merrill’s Marauders (1962)-His last film, a solid war picture in which he acquits himself well. At least he was able to go out on a high note.
Iron Man (1951)-Decent boxing picture with a good cast including a rising Rock Hudson.
Stranger in My Arms (1959)-Romantic drama with Jeff falling for his fallen comrade’s widow (June Allyson) with a young Sandra Dee and Mary Astor as a smothering, manipulative mother-in-law.
The Plunderers (1960)-Tough little Western with John Saxon and in one of her few roles before heading to the convent, Dolores Hart.
The Tattered Dress (1957)-Fevered melodrama with a fine performance by Jack Carson and Gail Russell (looking haggard) in one of her last role.
The Great Sioux Uprising (1953)
Deported (1950)-Crime noir costarring the short-lived Marta Toren.
Red Ball Express (1952)
The Spoilers (1955)-Big rollicking star studded Technicolor Western remake is fun but missing the punch of the Marlene Dietrich/John Wayne original.
I wouldn’t list either as faves, but I think it’s hilarious that Universal stuck Jeff in two pirate flicks in a brief period with Yankee in the title-Yankee Buccaneer (1952) & Yankee Pasha (1954)!