The men who made their living from being adored
Women used to flock to the cinema to swoon at the movies of Hollywood’s legendary heartthrobs. MARION McMULLEN turns the spotlight on some of the famous silver screen lovers as we count down to Valentine’s Day
GONE With The Wind’s Clark Gable was once asked: “How does it feel to be the world’s greatest lover?”
He simply responded: “It’s a living.”
Films like It Happened One Night and the role of Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind cemented his reputation as a Hollywood heartthrob and fellow film star Joan Crawford once wrote “Clark Gable was the King of an empire called Hollywood”.
The five-times married actor was rugged with a roguish air and it is said Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster used his first name for their superhero’s human alter ego Clark Kent.
Gable initially had no interest in appearing in 1942 MGM movie Gone With The Wind, but it became his most famous film.
He played down his heartthrob status though, saying: “Hell, if I’d jumped on all the dames I’m supposed to have jumped on. I’d have had no time to go fishing.”
Errol Flynn on the other hand was the sexy star with a devilmay-care look in his eyes.
Films such as Captain Blood in 1935 and The Adventures Of Robin Hood in 1938 turned him into a swashbuckling hero on the big screen and film critic David Shipman once declared: “No actor ever swashed so blithe a buckle.”
He and suave British actor David Niven once shared a house in California which they promptly called Cirrhosis By The Sea.
Flynn left broken female hearts in his wake and Niven once described him as “a magnificent specimen of the rampant male”.
The famous waves crashing on a beach scene in From Here To Eternity in 1953 did Burt Lancaster no harm in the passion stakes.
He and co-star Deborah Kerr were romantically involved during filming and the movie went on to win eight Oscars – even though the censors demanded that Deborah Kerr’s swimming costume should include a skirt so it would not look too provocative.
The famous love scene was filmed at Halona Cove in Hawaii and it later became a major tourist attraction because of the movie’s huge success.
Tyrone Power came from a theatrical family and fought against the matinee idol tag saying “I don’t want to become an ageless matinee idol, having to keep up my looks, lift my chin like Marlene and never dare smile in case my face cracks”.
However, romance novelist Barbara Cartland was once asked how she could write so many love stories while
still a virgin. She answered: “We didn’t need sex. We had Tyrone Power.”
English actor Peter Lawford was a member of the Rat Pack with the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Joey Bishop and they all appeared together in films like Ocean’s 11 and Sergeants 3.
He was romantically linked with film stars Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak and married four times, but once described his appeal saying: “I was a half-way decent looking English boy who looked nice in a drawing room standing by a piano.”
Bristol born Cary Grant was the leading man who remained a box office favourite for decades starring in classic movies Hitchcock thrillers North by Northwest, Notorious, To Catch a Thief and Suspicion as well comedies Arsenic and Old Lace and Father Goose.
“Everybody wants to be Cary Grant,” he said. “Even I want to be Cary Grant.”
He also suggested his epitaph should read: “He was lucky and he knew it.”
Bonfire Of The Vanities writer Tom Wolfe described him as: “Hollywood’s lone example of the Sexy Gentlemen.”
Cary Grant oozed charm and brought a sense of sophistication to the big screen – with Tony Curtis cheekily adopting the image – and accent – for 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot.
Tony Curtis later said he asked director Billy Wilder if he could imitate Cary Grant for his scenes when he pretended to be a millionaire oil tycoon to woo Marilyn Monroe’s character in the movie.
It is said Cary Grant jokingly said after seeing the film: “I don’t talk like that.”
Tony Curtis in turn achieved matinee idol status thanks to his handsome looks at the start of his acting career.
“I was falling in love every day. I am completely in love with women. Every woman. I loved their company and there was always a chance you could kiss them,” he said.
Tony did not take all the attention too seriously though saying: “They gave me away as a prize once – a Win Tony Curtis For A Weekend competition. The woman who won was disappointed. She’d hoped for second prize – a new stove.”