Larry Parks

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Larry Parks
Studio City, California
, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1941–1975
Spouse
​
(m. 1944)​
Children2, including Andrew Parks

Samuel Lawrence Klusman Parks (December 13, 1914 – April 13, 1975) was an American stage and film actor.

Hollywood studios.[2] His best known role was Al Jolson, whom he portrayed in two films: The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again
(1949).

Life and career

Parks was born in Olathe, Kansas, the son of Nellie (Klusman) and Frank H. Parks. He was raised in his mother's religion of Judaism.[3] He grew up in Joliet, Illinois, and graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1932.

He attended the

University of Illinois as a pre-med student,[4] and played in stock companies for some years.[5]

He traveled to Hollywood At John Garfield's suggestion, for a role in a Warner Bros. production of Mama Ravioli. Although the movie was cancelled, Parks did sign a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1941.[6]

Supporting player

As with most Columbia contract players, Parks received supporting roles in high-budget films and more substantial roles in B pictures.[7]

In suporting roles

1941:

1942:

1943:

1944:

Leading man

By 1944 Parks broke into lead and featured player roles:

When Columbia was preparing a screen biography of Al Jolson, many big-name stars were considered for the title role, including

Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.[9][10]

Stardom

Parks with Teresa Wright in The Happiest Day, a 1954 Ford Theatre presentation.

Now that Parks was a fully-fledged star, Columbia kept him busy in elaborate productions. He appeared opposite the studio's biggest star, Rita Hayworth, in Down to Earth (1947). That year, exhibitors voted him the 15th-biggest star in the US.[11]

Then, he made some swashbucklers, The Swordsman (1948) and The Gallant Blade (1948). Parks tried to break his contract with Columbia in 1948, but was unsuccessful.[12] That year he criticised the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).[13]

He made Jolson Sings Again (1949), which was another huge box-office hit.[14] His co-star in the film, Barbara Hale, teamed with him again in the comedy feature Emergency Wedding (1950). In 1950 he and his wife announced plans to make their own film Stakeout.[15] British exhibitors voted him the 9th-most popular star in the UK.

Blacklisting

In 1951, Parks was summoned to appear before the HUAC under threat of being blacklisted in the movie industry, but he begged not to be forced to testify. He eventually did so in tears,[16] only to be blacklisted anyway. Parks eventually gave up the names of his former colleagues to the committee.[17]

Following his admission before the committee, Columbia Pictures dropped him from his contract, although it had four years to run, and Parks had been set to star in the film Small Wonder (which later became The First Time). At the time, Parks' fee was $75,000 a film.[18][19] A romantic comedy he made for MGM, Love Is Better Than Ever, was shelved for a year.[20]

He made a TV film for

The Ford Television Theatre in 1953[21] and starred in the British film Tiger by the Tail
(1955) in England.

He continued to squeeze out a living acting on the stage and doing occasional television programs.[22] His last appearance in a major role was in the John Huston film, Freud (1962).[23]

Later career

Parks eventually left the film industry and formed a successful construction business. Eventually, he and his wife,

summer stock productions, and touring companies of Broadway shows.[24]

Personal life

Parks married actress

Laverne and Shirley. Her career also faced turmoil as a result of her marriage to Parks, and the two spent much of the 1950s doing theatre and musical variety shows. Together, they had two sons, actor Andrew Parks and composer Garrett Parks. Larry Parks was also godfather to actor Jeff Bridges.[25][26][27]

A Democrat, he supported Adlai Stevenson's campaign in the 1952 presidential election.[28]

Parks died of a heart attack in 1975 at the age of 60.

Filmography

Parks in 1947

Television

References

  1. ^ Died: April 13, 1975 (April 13, 1975). "Larry Parks". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ISBN 0810819651
    .
  3. ^ "FamilySearch.org". Familysearch.org. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "Illinois Alumni Magazine | UIAA | Illinois Alumni". UIAA. March 21, 1951. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  5. ^ "Right At His Peak". The Voice. Vol. 21, no. 20. Tasmania, Australia. May 15, 1948. p. 4. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Larry Parks' Rise to Fame". The Advocate. Tasmania, Australia. March 17, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "A Star is Born: Larry Parks as Al Jolson | A Tribute to Al Jolson". Jolsonville.com. February 13, 2011. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  8. ^ "Handsome Larry Parks Achieves Stardom". Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder. New South Wales, Australia. June 30, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Ebert, Roger (August 25, 1968). "Interview with Larry Parks | Interviews". Roger Ebert. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Jolson Story". Tcm.com. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  11. ^ "Bing's Lucky Number: Pa Crosby Dons 4th B.O. Crown" By Richard L. Coe. The Washington Post January 3, 1948: 12.
  12. ^ "Variety (March 1948)". New York, NY: Variety Publishing Company. January 23, 1948. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  13. Tribune
    . No. 401. New South Wales, Australia. March 17, 1948. p. 5. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ T. M. P. (August 18, 1949). "Movie Review – Jolson Sings Again – THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; ' Jolson Sings Again,' in Opening at Loew's State, Calls for Some Lusty Cheering". NYTimes.com. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  15. ^ "Larry Parks plans to finance his own movie". The Sun. No. 12, 534 (LATE FINAL EXTRA ed.). Sydney, Australia. March 30, 1950. p. 35. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
    . No. 23, 236. New South Wales. March 24, 1951. p. 3. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. Dancing on the Ceiling: Stanley Donen and his Movies. Alfred A. Knopf. 1996. p. 140.
  18. ^ "LARRY PARKS ON THE "OUTER"". The Northern Miner. Queensland. March 26, 1951. p. 3. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "LARRY PARKS QUITS STUDIO". The News. Vol. 56, no. 8, 657. Adelaide. May 8, 1951. p. 2. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ Love Is Better Than Ever at the American Film Institute Catalog
  21. ^ "Larry Parks on job again 'Paid for my mistakes'". Sunday Mail. Queensland, Australia. November 8, 1953. p. 25. Retrieved October 10, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ISBN 9780415938532
    – via Google Books.
  23. ^ "Freud". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  24. ISBN 1-56833-098-7
    .
  25. ^ "Biography for Larry Parks". Tcm.com. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  26. ^ "Betty Garrett". The Telegraph. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  27. ^ Rampell, Ed (April 18, 2011). "Bridges brothers honor Hollywood "Red" Betty Garrett". peoplesworld. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  28. ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 33, Ideal Publishers

External links

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