Roland Young
Roland Young (11 November 1887 – 5 June 1953) was an English-born actor. He began his acting career on the London stage, but later found success in America and received an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film "Topper" (1937). In 1960, Young was posthumously honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions in the television and motion pictures industries. Early life. Born in London, England, Young was the son of an architect, and early indications were that he would pursue the father's career. He was educated at Sherborne School , Sherborne, Dorset and University College London before being accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where his fellow classmate was Gordon Richards. Career. Young made his first stage appearance in London's West End in "Find the Woman" in 1908, and in 1912 he made his Broadway debut in "Hindle Wakes". He appeared in two comedies written for him by Clare Kummer, "Good Gracious Annabelle!" (1916) and "A Successful Calamity" (1917) before he served with the United States Army during World War I. He returned to New York when the war ended, and married Kummer's daughter Majorie in  1921 after they costarred in Kummer's "Rollo's Wild Oat". For the next few years, he alternated between New York and London. He made his film debut in the 1922 silent film "Sherlock Holmes", in which he played Watson opposite John Barrymore as Holmes. He signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and made his talkie debut in "The Unholy Night" (1929), directed by Lionel Barrymore. He was loaned to Warner Bros. to appear in "Her Private Life" (also 1929), with Billie Dove and Fox Film Corporation, winning critical approval for his comedic performance as Jeanette MacDonald's husband  in "Don't Bet on Women" (1931). He was again paired with MacDonald "Annabelle's Affairs" (1931), a talkie version of "Good Gracious Annabelle!". He appeared in Cecil B. de Mille's "The Squaw Man", and played opposite Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in "The Guardsman" (both 1931). He appeared with Evelyn Brent in Columbia's "The Pagan Lady" (also 1931) and Pola Negri in RKO's "A Woman Commands" (1932). His final film under his MGM contract was "Lovers Courageous" (1932), opposite Robert Montgomery. He had a starring role in a risqué comedy for Fox entitled "Pleasure Cruise" (1933 ) alongside Genevieve Tobin. Freelance performer. Young began to work as a freelance performer and found himself in constant demand. He appeared with Jeanette MacDonald, Genevieve Tobin and Maurice Chevalier in "One Hour With You" (1932) and with Kay Francis in "Street of Women" (1932). Alexander Korda invited him to return to Britain to make his British film debut in "Wedding Rehearsal" (1932). He returned to Hollywood and appeared in a diverse group of films that included comedies, murder mysteries, and dramas, and also worked on Broadway. Among his films of this period were "Ruggles of Red Gap" (1935), "David Copperfield  (1935) (playing Uriah Heep), and the H.G. Wells fantasy The Man Who Could Work Miracles" (1936). In 1937, he achieved one of the most important successes of his career in "Topper", as a bank president haunted by the ghosts of his clients, played by Cary Grant and Constance Bennett. It was one of the most successful films of the year, and Young was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Topper's wife was played by Billie Burke, who wrote in her memoir that Young "was dry and always fun to work with". They also appeared together in  The Young in Heart (1938), and both of the "Topper" sequels, "Topper Takes a Trip" (1938) and "Topper Returns" (1941). He continued to play supporting roles in comedies such as "Yes, My Darling Daughter", with Fay Bainter and Priscilla Lane, but over the next few years the importance of his roles again decreased. He achieved another success as Uncle Willie in "The Philadelphia Story" (1940) with Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart. His last starring role was in the final instalment of the "Topper" series, "Topper Returns" in 1941, with Billie Burke, Joan Blondell and Carole Landis. Later life  and career. He continued working steadily through the 1940s, playing small roles opposite some of Hollywood's leading actresses, such as Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Paulette Goddard and Greta Garbo in her final film, "Two-Faced Woman" (1941). In 1945, he began his own radio show and appeared in the film adaption of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None". By the end of the decade his film career had declined, and his final films, including "The Great Lover" (1949), in which he played a murderer opposite Bob Hope, and Fred Astaire's "Let's Dance" (1950), were not  successful. In the 1950s, Young appeared on several episodic television series, including "Lux Video Theatre", "Studio One", "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse" and "The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre". Recognition. Young has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for film at 6523 Hollywood Blvd. and another for television at 6315 Hollywood Blvd. Both were dedicated 8 February 1960. Personal life. Young was married twice, to Marjorie Kummer from 1921 until 1940, and to Patience DuCroz from 1948 until his death at home in New York City at 65 in 1953.