John
Gilbert was born John Pringle on July 10, 1895 in Logan, Utah.
He entered films through family connections in 1916 and slowly
worked his way up to leading man. By the mid 20s, he
had become one of Hollywood's top romantic leads. His
teaming with Garbo for the 1927 film Flesh
And The Devil was a match made for box office
heaven. Apparently the sparks flew off screen as well
and Gilbert proposed to Garbo three times. Gilbert's
box office appeal began to diminish with the advent of sound.
For decades, a rumor circulated that claimed Gilbert's voice
was too high pitched and that audiences laughed when he spoke
on screen. This was false because Gilbert made several
sound films, including Queen Christina,
and which his voice was fine. Film researchers have
come to the conclusion that Gilbert's downfall was due to
studio head Louis B. Mayer. Mayer disliked Gilbert intensely
and after one heated argument (that dealt with Garbo), Mayer
vowed to destroy Gilbert's career. The true story may
never be known, but Gilbert began to drink heavily and succumbed
to a heart attack in 1936 at the age of 40. He married
three times (to actresses Leatrice Joy, Ina Claire and
Virginia Bruce.)
Films with Garbo:
Leading
Men Index
