| A young Victor McLaglen poses in costume for his role as Captain Donald Gordon King in John Ford's 1929 film The Black Watch. McLaglen's youthfulness in this photograph belies his later roles for director John Ford where is was classically cast as the grizzled Irish U.S. Cavalry sergeant in such films as Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. An interesting side note to The Black Watch is the fact that a then unknown John Wayne played an uncredited part as a member of 42nd Highlanders in the film. McLaglen was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. His father, a bishop, moved the family to South Africa when McLaglen was a child. While The Black Watch takes plaice in post-Victorian times McLaglen himself actually did serve in Queen Victoria's army when he joined the army during the Boer War. He lied about his age - he was only 14 at the time - with the hopes of seeing action in South Africa. He was instead posted to Windsor Castle with The Life Guards. He was discharged when his true age was discovered. Four years later, he moved to Canada, where he earned a living as a wrestler and heavyweight boxer, with several notable wins in the ring. One of his most famous fights was against Heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson. The fight was a 6 round exhibition bout. Between bouts, he toured with a circus, which offered $25 to anyone who could go three rounds with him. He returned to England in 1913 and claimed to have served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers during World War I although he actually served as a Temporary Captain with the 10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, now part of the The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires). He served for a time as military Provost Marshal for the city of Baghdad. He also continued boxing, and was named Heavyweight Champion of the British Army in 1918. After the war, he began taking roles in British silent films. McLaglen's career took a turn in the 1920s, when he moved to Hollywood. He became a popular character actor, with a particular knack for playing drunks. The highlight of his career was an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Informer (1935), based on a novel by Liam O'Flaherty. Near the end of his career he was nominated again, this time for Best Supporting Actor, for his role opposite John Wayne in The Quiet Man (1952). He was especially popular with director John Ford, who frequently included McLaglen in his films. Toward the end of his career, McLaglen made several guest appearances on television, particularly in Western series such as Have Gun, Will Travel and Rawhide. He died of a heart attack in 1959. He had by that time become a naturalized U.S. citizen. 8 inch by 10 inch Press Photograph Autry - Photograpgher Fox Film Corporation Hollywood, California, United States c. 1929 |
