It was only recently that I discovered Walter Pidgeon started his career in musicals in the theater. I still find it humorous when I see him playing Franz von Renner in Viennese Nights (1930). It is not that I think he wasn't an excellent singer, but I have difficulty imagining him as anyone other than the Walter of the 1940s to 1970s that I had seen so often. Yes, tall, dark-haired and handsome with a shake of stuffiness, that's my Walter Pidgeon.
Walter made seven movies as the husband of Greer Garson. When MGM stumbled across a successful pairing, you were together for life, or perhaps it just seemed that long. Bill and Myrna, Jeanette and Nelson, Greer and Walter ... just think of all the money they made for MGM.
Walter enjoyed being an actor, worked until he was 80 when poor health caused him to retire. He was born September 23rd in 1897 in New Brunswick, Canada. Died September 25th, 1984, in Santa Monica, CA at the age of 87. It was quite a distance to travel, but he had plenty of time to make and enjoy his successful journey.
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3 comments:
In my opinion MGM was brilliant in casting couples with great chemistry over and over. Some of us are hopeless romantics and fall in love with screen couples as much as just favorite actors. Bill and Myrna for sure, Bob and Roz, Walter and Greer (Mrs. Miniver is a favorite of mine), Fred and Ginger, just to name a few. When I can't find something on TCM I like to watch the Hallmark Channel and their Movies and Mysteries. (I know, kinda cheesy, But I can't help myself. The more I watch them I find they are doing the same thing. Putting couples with great chemistry together over and over. It's just my opinion but I think it's brilliant. If you love romance, it works!
I really liked Walter Pidgeon in How Green Was My Valley, though he may have been a bit old for character.
Sorry for the late response. Can I blame it on the season change?
Debbie --- you do realize that if you added a photo or two to your comment, you'd have a quite good blog post. Just saying ...
Alison --- agreed, Walter was a bit old for the character, but it works. The best thing about Walter for MGM was that he was well above draft age, no worries about having your star drafted mid shoot.
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