John Lund
| John Lund | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 6, 1911 Rochester, New York USA |
| Died | May 10, 1992 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California USA |
| Years active | 1946–1962 |
| Spouse | Marie Lund (1942-1982) (her death) |
John Lund (6 February 1911 - 10 May 1992) was an American film actor who is probably best remembered for his role in the film A Foreign Affair (1948), directed by Billy Wilder. [1]
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[edit] Background
John Lund's father was a Norwegian immigrant and glassblower in Rochester, NY. Lund did not finish high school[2], and he tried several businesses before settling on advertising in the 1930s. While working for an advertising agency, he was asked by a friend to appear in an industrial show for the 1939 World's Fair. Before moving to New York City he had appeared in several amateur productions in Rochester[3]. He began acting professionally by appearing on Broadway in William Shakespeare's As You Like It. He wrote the book and lyrics for Broadway's New Faces of 1943. It was his appearance in the play The Hasty Heart (1945) that got him recognized by Hollywood and led to a long-term film contract with Paramount Pictures.
[edit] Film career
His first film was To Each His Own (1946) with Olivia de Havilland for Paramount, in which he played dual roles. A Foreign Affair (1948), in which Lund played romantic lead to both Marlene Dietrich and Jean Arthur, was highly acclaimed but failed to make him a major star. In 1949, in My Friend Irma, Lund is Al, boyfriend of Irma (Marie Wilson). My Friend Irma, was the film debut of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
In the 1950s he played insurance investigator Johnny Dollar in the popular radio series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. The series can be heard at http://www.otr.net.
Another notable film role of his was in Mitchell Leisen's comedy The Mating Season (1951) co-starring Gene Tierney, Miriam Hopkins, and Thelma Ritter. The blond, blue-eyed actor also acted on Broadway and radio.[4]
[edit] Later years
By the early 1960s, he appeared in minor films and secondary roles and then retired from the screen in 1963, becoming a successful Hollywood businessman. Lund retired to his house in Coldwater Canyon in the Hollywood Hills in 1963 and died of heart problems in 1992.
[edit] Partial film list
- To Each His Own (1946)
- The Perils of Pauline (1947)
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948)
- A Foreign Affair (1948)
- My Friend Irma (1949)
- Bride of Vengeance (1949)
- No Man of Her Own (1950)
- Duchess of Idaho (1950)
- My Friend Irma Goes West (1950)
- The Mating Season (1951)
- White Feather (1955)
- Chief Crazy Horse (1955)
- High Society (1956)
- Affair in Reno (1957)
- The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960)
- If a Man Answers (1962)
[edit] References
- ^ John Lund, 81; Radio, Stage and Film Actor (Los Angeles Times. May 12, 1992)
- ^ New York Times May 13, 1992[1]
- ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper, March 6, 1946, also Rochester Times Union newspaper, March 8, 1946; both articles are archived in the 1944-1946 Scrapbook of the Rochester Community Players collection, Local History Department, Rochester Public Library
- ^ John Lund (MTV Networks)
