John Carradine(1906-1988)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
John Carradine, the son of a reporter/artist and a surgeon, grew up in
Poughkeepsie, New York. He attended Christ Church School and Graphic
Art School, studying sculpture, and afterward roamed the South selling
sketches. He made his acting debut in "Camille" in a New Orleans
theatre in 1925. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1927, he worked in local
theatre. He applied for a job as as scenic designer to
Cecil B. DeMille, who rejected his
designs but gave him voice work in several films. His on-screen debut
was in Tol'able David (1930),
billed as Peter Richmond. A protégé and close friend of
John Barrymore, Carradine was an
extremely prolific film character actor while simultaneously
maintaining a stage career in classic leading roles such as Hamlet and
Malvolio. In his later years he was typed as a horror star, putting in
appearances in many low- and ultra-low-budget horror films. He was a
member of the group of actors often used by director
John Ford that became known as "The
John Ford Stock Company". John Carradine died at age 82 of natural
causes on November 27, 1988.
