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Douglas Fairbanks jr.


1909 - 2000

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The actor Douglas Fairbanks jr. was born as the son of the famous actor Douglas Fairbanks. As a child he was overweighted and had serious problems with his self-esteem. But his self-confidence grew when he lost weight and got his first part in the movie "Stephen Steps Out" (23).
He soon became a womanizer who got a huge popularity with movies like "Stella Dallas" (25), "The American Venus" (26), "Broken Hearts of Hollywood" (26), "Is Zat So?" (27) and "A Woman of Affairs" (28).

When Douglas Fairbanks jr. played at Joan Crawford's side in the silent movie "Our Modern Maidens" (29), he conquered her heart and they got married in 1929. The marriage was divorced in 1933.

Doulas Fairbanks jr. took part in some of his best movies in the early 30's, where he often impersonated tough guys too. To his early sound movie successes belong "Loose Ankles" (30), "The Dawn Patrol" (30), "Little Caesar" (30), "Chances" (31), "Union Depot" (32), "The Narrow Corner" (33) and "The Life of Jimmy Dolan" (33).

He left Warners in 1934 and worked as a freelancer in English productions like "Catherine the Great" (34), "Accused" (36) and "Jump for Glory" (37).
He came back to the USA with a triumphant role in "The Prisoner of Zenda" (37). He remembered very strong to his famous father.

In the next few years followed romantic comedies and adventure movies like "Joy of Living" (38), "Having Wonderful Time" (38), "Gunga Din" (39), "The Sun Never Sets" (39), "Angels over Broadway" (40) and "The Corsican Brothers" (41).

During World War 2 he served as a lieutenant commander for the U.S. Navy. You could only see him on the screen again in 1947 in "Sinbad the Sailor" (47), where he fit his performance the the gestures of his father in the 20's and produced with it - intentional or unintentional - a small hommage to the once celebrated star. It followed engagements for "The Exile" (47), "That Lady in Ermine" (48 and "State Secret" (50) before he returned to England again. There he took part in the movies "The Genie" (52), "The Last Moment" (54) and "Destination Milan" (54).
I tfollowed a break of 13 years before he had a comeback with "Red and Blue" (67).

Douglas Fairbanks jr. appeared only seldom in movies during his last decades - "The Crooked Hearts" (72), "The Hostage Tower" (80) and the magnificent casted movie "Ghost Story" (81) with the oldstars Altstars Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas and John Houseman.
His last movie was "Strong Medicine" (86), his last TV appearance followed 1989 for the episode "B.L. Stryker: Auntie Sue" (89).
 

Other movies with Douglas Fairbanks jr.: 
The Air Mail (25) Wild Horse Mesa (25) Padlocked (26) Man Bait (26) Women Love Diamonds (27) A Texas Steer (27) Dead Man's Curve (28) Modern Mothers (28) The Toilers (28) The Power of the Press (28) The Barker (28) The Jazz Age (29) Fast Life (29) The Careless Age (29) The Forward Pass (29) The Show of Shows (29) Party Girl (30) The Dawn Patrol (30) Little Accident (30) The Way of All Men (30) Outward Bound (30) One Night at Susie's (30) L'aviateur (31) I Like Your Nerve (31) It's Tough to Be Famous (32) Love Is a Racket (32) Scarlet Dawn (32) L'athlète incomplet (32) Parachute Jumper (33) Morning Glory (33) Captured! (33) Success at Any Price (34) Mimi (35) Man of the Moment (35) The Amateur Gentleman (36) The Rage of Paris (38) The Young in Heart (38) Rulers of the Sea (39) Green Hell (40) Safari (40) The Fighting O'Flynn (49) Mr. Drake's Duck (51) Three's Company (54) Serie "The United States Steel Hour: Nightmare at Bleak Hill" (62) Serie "Route 66: Kiss the Maiden All Forlorn" (62) Serie "The United States Steel Hour: The Troubles Heart" (63) Serie "Dr. Kildare: An Ungodly Act" (64) Serie "ABC Stage 67: The Canterville Ghost" (66) Serie "The Love Boat: The Love Lamp Is Lit" (79) 

Producer:
The Amateur Gentleman (36) Accused (36) Jump for Glory (37) Angels Over Broadway (40) The Exile (47) The Fighting O'Flynn (49) Another Man's Poison (52) The Genie (52) Three's Company (54) Thought to Kill (54) The Red Dress (54) The Last Moment (54) The Silken Affair (57) Chase a Crooked Shadow (57)


 
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