Cary Grant

Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. So would I.¨`

----Cary Grant

Cary Grant, born Archibald Alexander Leach, has been one of Hollywood’s most charismatically debonair actors of classic films throughout the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Though most of his performances were timeless, some of his critically acclaimed and most unforgetable films are: “An Affair to Remember” (1957), “North by Northwest” (1959), and “Charade” (1963). While Cary Grant was never granted any Academy award, in 1970 he was awarded the Honorary Award at the 42nd Academy Awards “for his unique mastery of the art of screen acting.”.

In 1966, at the age of 62, after making his last film Walk do not run, Cary Grant desided to retire from screen permanantely to raise his only daughter Jennier, ending his more than three decades of movie career.

THE face and figure

height / taille / altezza / alto / Größe / 高さ / 高度: 185.4 cm / 6'1''

weight / poids / peso / Gewicht / 重量: 76-80kg / 168-176lbs

chest / poitrine / busto / pechos / brustumfang / バスト / 胸围: cm /inches

waist / taille / vita / talle / Taillenweite /ウエスト周囲 / 腰围: cm / inches

hip / bassin / fianchi / caldera / Hüftumfang / 股関節周囲 / 臀围: cm / inches

shoe size / chaussure / calzature / calzado / Schuhgröße / 靴のサイズ / 鞋码: US / EU / UK

THE WOMEN

The women in Cary Grant's life: on screen

The women in Cary Grant's life: off screen

the life

Cary Grant's life:

1904, Birth in Bristol

Cary Grant was born in Horfield, Bristol, a city in South West England, and started performing with a troupe named "Penders" since age six.

1920s: From Vaudeville to Broadway

At age of 14, Cary Grant was expelled from school and rejoined "Penders" troupe, thus starting his vaudeville years. In 1921, while on tour with the troupe to USA, he decided to stay in New York with a few other performers.

In the next 10 year, Cary Grant performed with different companies in variety shows as well as musicals, and it was one of the musicals Nikki that got him his first screen test.

1930s: Journey to Hollywood

1931: Becoming Cary Grant

On December 7, 1931, Cary Grant signed his first Hollywood contract, with Paramount Pictures general manager B.P. Schulberg. Soon afterwards, Cary Grant was requested to change his name from Archibald Leach. Cary Grant was born at age of 28.

1934: First marriage

On February 9, 1934, Cary Grant married Virginia Cherrill in London and they divorced on March 26, 1935.

Cary Grant and his first wife Virginia Cherrill in coats preparing for voyage, 1932

with Randolph Scott (front) in their house in Santa Monica Photo by ullstein bild

Cary Grant on set of the film Bringing Up Baby with Katharine Hepburn 1938

Cary Grant in film Topper holding champagne with Constance Bennett (1904 - 1965) Photo by Silver ScreenCollection, 1937

1940s: Leading man of screwball comedy and Oscar Nominations

1942: First Academy award nomination, become American and second marriage

After his 5 year contract ended in 1936, Cary Grant didn't renew it and became the first free lance actor in Hollywood.

In 1941, he played against Irene Dunne in the film Penny Serenade directed by George Stevens, for which he got his first academy award nomination in 1942, and on June 26 of same year, Cary Grant became naturalized American citizen, and legally changed his name to Cary Grant. A few days later, on July 8, Cary Grant married Barbara Hutton, the heiress to Woolworth fortune at Lake Arrowhead, Los Angles, California, and they would divoice in 1945.

1945: Second Academy award nomination and divoice

On March 15, 1945, at the 17th Academy Awards Ceromony, Cary Grant was nominated the best actor for his performance as Ernie Mott in None But the Lonely Heart but lost to Bing Crosby.

In July that same year, Barbard Hutton filed for divorce.

1949: Third and longest marriage

On December 25 1949, Cary Grant married British actress Betsy Drake whom he met in 1947, the marriage lasted 13 years, the longest of all his marriages, but

1950s: Leading Hollywood and LSD

Starting early 1940s, Cary Grant had already become the leading man of Hollywood films, most of them are nothing but screwball comedies with many of them bordering on farce, with only a few exceptions like Notorious he played with Ingrid Bergman in 1946.

But since 1950s, Cary Grant seemed more careful about his choices of films which showed less his verbal skill and more his overall acting abilities, and it could be said most of his best films were all made during this period: To Catch a Thief in 1955 with Grace Kelly, to An Affair to Remember in 1957 with Debra Kerr to Indiscreet in 1958 with Ingrid Bergman, and North by Northwest in 1959 with Eva Marie Saint. And it is in these films Cary Grant the actor and Cary Grant the man became one.

At the time when Cary Grant became the most important and popular male star in Hollywood, his marriage with his third wife Betsy Drake showed sign of trouble, and he embarked on a special spiritual journey of yoga, meditation as well as taking LSD, with the encouragement of his wife, hoping to both understand himself and save their marriage. It was said he has had more than 100 LSD sessions, and became an unintentional pioneer of the drug.

According to Cary Grant himself, he felt much liberated and peaceful after these LSD sessions, but his marriage was not improved, and in 1957, while filming Pride and Passion in Spain with the young Italian actress Sophia Loren, he felt passionately in love with the latter. The affair ended before the ending of filming and Sophia Loren married Carlo Ponti soon afterwards in Mexico. Cary Grant's passion toward Sophia Loren, however, was not cooled, and his marriage was damaged further. He and his wife Betsey were separated and four years later, they were divorced.

1960s: Fourth marriage, fatherhood and farewell to films

On July 22 1965, Cary Grant married actress Dyan Cannon in Las Vegas, and this is the only marriage that gave Cary Grant a child. On 26 February 1966, his daughter Jennifer Grant was born. This experience gave him so much joy that he said: "My life changed the day Jennifer was born. I've come to think that the reason we're put on this earth is to procreate. To leave something behind. Not films, because you know that I don't think my films will last very long once I'm gone. But another human being. That's what's important."

And that same year, Cary Grant even decided to retire from silver screen after making his last film Walk Do Not Run to devote himself to his daughter.

The marriage itself, however, was not saved by neither the birth of the child, nor his decision of retirement. Dyan Cannon divorced him in March 1968.

1970s: Being father and peace with oscar

In 1970, Cary Grant was awarded an Honorary Oscar, which was presented by his friend Frank Sinatra at the 42nd Academy Awards.

1980s: Fifth marriage and lasting happiness

On April 11, 1981, Grant married Barbara Harris, a British hotel public relations agent who was 47 years his junior. This would be his last marriage and would bring him happiness and peace until his last days.

1986

On November 29, 1986, Cary Grant suddenly felt ill while preparing for his performance in A Conversation with Cary Grant at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa. He was taken back to the Blackhawk Hotel where he and his wife Barbara stayed, and a doctor was called. When the doctor found out that Grant was having a massive stroke, and suggested he go to the hospital, Cary Grant refused.
According to the doctor: "The stroke was getting worse. In only fifteen minutes he deteriorated rapidly. It was terrible watching him die and not being able to help. But he wouldn't let us."

That same night, Cary Grant was dead, at age of 82.

THE manner and movement

Good manner and pleasant personality, even without college eductation, will take you far."

-- Cary Grant

THE style

THE LIFESTYLE

What matters to me is I know who I am.``

- cary grant

House in Palm Spring California

The unique two-story, Spanish-inspired house built in 1927 sits on 1.54 acres is a historically designated site, built as a replica of a 19th-century Spanish farmhouse with original tiles and preserved details throughout.

It includes a master suite with fireplace, balconies, and built-in dressing room, 5 additional bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, and another 4 fireplaces, a Wallace Neff-designed guest wing, studio, double-height living room, and a great room with 40-ft ceilings. The immaculately maintained grounds also include rolling lawns, courtyards, and a saline swimming pool.
Cary Grant lived here for over 20 years before he planned to sell it.