Two full days have not been enough to get my Beery bio together. They could have been had I been satisfied with giving you the short version. Maybe I should have, because now I’ve got myself in pretty deep.
Wallace Beery had a long career. He first came to notice on the stage in 1907 and would appear in his first movie in 1913. He remained active on the screen until just prior to his death in 1949. As you might imagine this lengthy career had its ups and downs. The most notable ups came in the mid-1920s which were then eclipsed by Beery’s 1930s at MGM when he was one of the most popular and highest paid stars in the world. He never played in a talkie that flopped!
Beery’s talkies make up the bulk of TCM’s Summer Under the Stars tribute to the actor on Saturday, August 17. You already know about the all-star classics Grand Hotel (1932 – 8 pm EST) and Dinner at Eight (1933 – 10 pm), but be sure to tune in to other major Beery talkies such as:
- The Big House (1930 – 7:30 am EST), which revived his career and kicked off his successful run at MGM.
- The Champ (1931 – 12:30 pm), which won him a share of the Academy Award. Jackie Cooper will make you cry.
- Treasure Island (1934 – 2:15pm) as the ultimate pirate, Long John Silver, to Cooper’s Jim Hawkins.
- Ah, Wilderness! (1935 – 4:15 pm), the Eugene O’Neill based title that I recently wrote about HERE.
- Min and Bill (1930 – 12 midnight), his first pairing with Marie Dressler which brought each of their careers to unprecedented heights.
- Viva Villa! (1934 – 1:15 am), Beery’s then signature role as Pancho Villa, which has taken some flak over the years but remains a very entertaining film from Jack Conway.
- Finally, another star-studded cast for China Seas (1935 – 3:15 am), where Beery causes no end of trouble for Jean Harlow and Clark Gable.
In addition to Ah, Wilderness! other Wallace Beery titles I have previously written about, but which do not air on TCM Saturday, include Flesh (1932) and Stablemates (1938).
I’ve been bogged down by over forty years of press clippings the past few days (and by the way, the Media History Digital Library’s new Lantern search is an amazing help!). I’ve been absent on social media and if you’ve written I probably owe you an email. My apologies for that. I feel confident that I’m going to be able to tie together the most complete Beery biography on the web, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to definitively answer any of the biggest questions about Beery, the man.
Beery’s reputation off the screen has suffered greatly the past few decades. Ex-wife Gloria Swanson accused him of rape and more in her 1980 autobiography
While the guy certainly appears far from a sweetheart, I’m currently leaning towards the lighter side of that scale. After all, anyone whose funeral is attended by thousands couldn’t have been all bad.
But more about all of that in the coming days. I’m shooting to have this finished up by Monday morning. Possibly Tuesday. I’m pretty far along, but timing is really going to come down to how far these last few loose ends can take me.
Beery’s story has all but preempted my Summer Under the Stars celebration, though I’d still really like to have something for you by Hattie McDaniel day on the 20th and am making plans to get my hands dirty for Charles Coburn day on the 24th. We’ll see, playing it by ear for now.
Enjoy Wallace Beery on TCM today and be sure to check out what other film bloggers are talking about at the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon at Sittin’ On a Backyard Fence and ScribeHard on Film.
I received an email from my friend Alan Mowbray, Jr. the other day informing me that this Sunday, August 18th marks 107 years since the birth of his father, the popular character actor Alan Mowbray.
To celebrate I wanted to point back to my review of Alan’s book Up from Central Park: Scenes From an Actor’s Life and the biographical post submitted to the site by Alan, Jr. about his dad shortly thereafter.
Finally, be sure to visit Alan Mowbray, Jr.’s own website to learn what he’s up to himself these days.
Alan Mowbray with Mickey Rooney in A Yank at Eton (1942)
Back to Beery for me. I’ll be ready to share very soon!
Have a great weekend and thanks for reading,
Cliff
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Hi Cliff, Wallace Berry was a favorite of Mom and Dad’s, so I got an early intro to him as a child. I don’t remember near all, but ones like, The Champ are still fresh in my mind Have enjoyed so far…..there is more coming, right? Let’s see, was Noah his Son or nephew? Another favorite. And my greatest is Noah Berry. Jr. Quite an acting family. Thanks, KEITH
Hi Keith,
Thanks and yes, a lot more coming! I tried to have the main biography ready for today but the information just kept piling up and I didn’t want to rush it just to beat TCM’s day for Beery! I expect by Tuesday morning I’ll have the main post put together, though no promises on that.
Okay, this is going to be confusing but, the Beery brothers’ father was also named Noah (he was a KC policeman; not involved in show biz); The actor referred to as Noah, Sr. (actually Noah II) was one of Wallace’s two older brothers. Brother Noah was a movie actor at the same time as Wally and he actually got started on the stage shortly before Wallace just after the turn of the century. Noah’s son was Noah, Jr. (Actually, Noah III in this timeline)–he was Wally’s nephew and the actor who eventually showed up in The Rockford Files.
I was surprised to see Noah, Jr. inherited quite a bit from Wally as he was one of just two surviving heirs by the time Wally’s sizable estate was settled.
More to come!
Cliff
Genuinely excited to read your bio, there’s very little about the man floating about.
Thanks, Danny. I’ve mostly found some color to add to what’s already out there. His basic biography seems to follow the same trajectory across most sources from the 1910s until today. While Beery was undoubtedly an unpleasant workmate reading between the lines I don’t think he’s the biggest bastard who ever lived. I think he’ll wind up coming across as more eccentric than evil in what I’m putting together, though the worst accusations will be in there too.
Beery doesn’t have the best off-screen reputation, but he is so charismatic on film, no? Even when he’s playing a disreputable character, you can’t wait until he appears on screen again.
Still researching Beery, but he’s coming together as somebody who is more immature than mean. His off-screen rep seems driven by many of the same comments about how he works and how he behaves at work. But that said, yeah, he’s a heap of personality up there with a very interesting face and demeanor. Been watching a lot of his talkies this week and I can see why they all made money–no real clunkers.
I can’t wait to read what you find on Beery. There is so much rumor and speculation about his personal life.
And very cool that you keep in touch with Alan Mowbray’s son. One of the great character actors of all time.
Thanks again, Cliff.
Jill, I can’t wait to see what I finally put together myself! Not sure I can clear up the rumor and speculation (without raising the dead) but after going through tons of info I’m seeing a person who’s more ignorant than evil. Could be wrong, but that’s the current tone of what I’m trying to put together.