Franchot Tone

Actor

About

Also Known As

Stanislas Pascal Franchot Tone

Birth Place

Niagara Falls, New York, USA

Born

February 27, 1905

Died

September 18, 1968

Cause of Death

Lung Cancer

Biography

Filmography

Uncle Vanya (1958)

In Associate with

The High Commissioner (1968)

La bonne soupe (1964)

Montasi, Jr.

Advise & Consent (1962)

The President

Photos & Videos

View All

Honeymoon (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Walter Pidgeon Type

Honeymoon (1947) -- (Movie Clip) Every Smart Young Diplomat

Family & Companions

Joan Crawford

Wife

Actor. Married October, 1935, divorced 1939; co-starred with Tone in "Dancing Lady" (1933) and "Sadie McKee" (1934).

Jean Wallace

Wife

Actor. Married 1941, divorced 1948; two sons together; Franchot Tone won custody after divorce.

Barbara Payton

Wife

Actor. Married 1951, divorced 1952.

Dolores Dorn-Heft

Wife

Actor. Married 1956, divorced 1959; met during stage production of "Uncle Vanya".

Notes

"In 1951 he appeared in some very unpleasant headlines over a romance with starlet Barbara Payton, when he was beaten senseless on September 14 by ex-boxer Tom Neal (an actor best remembered for "Detour" 1945), who claimed Payton was engaged to both of them. Extensive plastic surgery was required on Tone's face, but undaunted, he married her. They were divorced the following year."--James Robert Parish ("The MGM Stock Comapny")

Biography

Blue-blood, stage-trained actor who made his film debut in 1932. Owing to his upper-class poise and polish, Tone was pigeonholed as a tuxedoed, cafe society sophisticate in a host of mostly MGM comedies and dramas. By 1937 the tall, handsome and sensitive actor was one of Hollywood's most prominent leading men, receiving recognition for his roles in "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935) and "Three Comrades" (1938). Too often, though, he found himself stifled in standardized romantic leads, playing consort to dynamic star actresses, especially his then-wife Joan Crawford.

Save for an occasional success such as Billy Wilder's fascinating "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943) and Robert Siodmak's landmark early film noir, "Phantom Lady" (1944), Tone made few memorable films during the 1940s, and his screen career was all but washed up by the early part of the next decade. Tone was received unwanted publicity when he was assaulted by actor Tom Neal as the two men had an altercation over starlet Barbara Payton, whom Tone would later married. He did, though, successfully repair to the stage in the 50s and intermittently surfaced in character parts in films through the 1960s. He was especially fine as the President of the United States in Otto Preminger's fine political drama "Advise and Consent" (1962) and as the seedy, menacing nightclub owner in Arthur Penn's offbeat 1965 drama, "Mickey One." Tone was also featured in the popular TV series, "Ben Casey" (1965-66).

Filmography

Life Events

1928

Joined the New Playwrights Company in Greenwich Village, with whom he made NY stage debut in "The Belt"

1929

Became a member of the Theatre Guild, appearing in "Red Dust", "Meteor", "Hotel Universe" (1930) and "Green Grow the Lilacs" (1931)

1931

Founding member of the Group Theatre

1932

Film debut, "The Wiser Sex" (filmed at Paramount's Astoria Studio in NY while he was appearing on stage in the evenings)

1932

Signed a five-year contract with MGM

1939

Returned to stage in Group Theatre's production, "The Gentle People"

1951

Assaulted by actor Tom Neal over disagreement regarding actor Barbara Payton

1967

With Jean Dalrymple, purchased Theatre Four in NY to use for experimental play productions; appeared there as narrator in "Beyond Desire"

1968

Appeared in last film, "The High Commissioner"

Photo Collections

Phantom Lady - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Phantom Lady - Lobby Cards

Phantom Lady - Movie Posters

Five Graves to Cairo - Publicity Stills

The Bride Wore Red - Publicity Stills

Five Graves to Cairo - Lobby Cards

Here are some lobby cards from Five Graves to Cairo (1943), directed by Billy Wilder. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Five Graves to Cairo - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are some photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of Paramount's Five Graves to Cairo (1943), directed by Billy Wilder.

Five Graves to Cairo - Movie Posters

Here are a variety of American and International movie posters for Paramount's Five Graves to Cairo (1943), directed by Billy Wilder.

Quality Street - Movie Posters

Here are a few original-release American movie posters from Quality Street (1937), starring Katharine Hepburn and Franchot Tone.

Because of Him - Publicity Stills

Here are a number of publicity stills from Universal's Because of Him (1946), starring Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Because of Him - Scene Stills

Here are several scene stills from Universal Pictures' Because of Him (1946), starring Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone.

Because of Him - Movie Posters

Here are a few movie posters from Universal Pictures' Because of Him (1946), starring Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone.