[6][7] "From that time on", he said later, "all I've ever wanted to do is go on stage. I first saw Mr. Cregar in HEAVEN CAN WAIT and I was hooked for life. But his plans to become the leading man went astray. Samuel Laird Cregar was born in Philadelphia on July 28, 1913. Cregar performed Oscar Wilde in San Francisco then eventually signed with 20th Century Fox. The author hints at a sexual relationship with actor Van Johnson, a highly successful matinee idol at MGM studios. Several character parts followed for the massive 300lb. Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2018. [18] Cregar began crash dieting to lose weight, desiring to give the character a "romantic veneer".[19]. One is left sad regarding Cregar's final days of personal anguish and despair, so much of it due to exposure to the falsely glamorous world around him. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? You can still file a request but no one will be notified. GREAT NEWS! His mother was at his bedside. Cregar had become one of filmdom's top "heavies"—both figuratively and literally. Samuel Laird Cregar (July 28, 1913 – December 9, 1944) was an American stage and film actor. His father was a cricketer and member of a team called the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, which toured internationally in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Try again later. Even after the Internet came along, all I ever saw about him were short biographies that were always a little vague, or scandalous stories of the Hollywood Babylon variety. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Edward Matthews Cregar, Jr (8 Sep 1904–30 Sep 1961), Find a Grave Memorial no. We have 2 volunteers within fifty miles of your requested photo location. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, See all details for Laird Cregar: A Hollywood Tragedy, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Cregar quickly rose to stardom, appearing in a variety of genres from screwball comedy to horror. "[9] John Barrymore saw him and said he was one of the most gifted young stage actors in the past ten years. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. 85862798, citing Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Carolyn (Schmidt) Alves (contributor 47198156) . To suggest a correction or addition, visit the memorial page and click Suggest Edits. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. There is a problem with your email/password. Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2018. A system error has occurred. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. [6] He also acted with other stock companies in Philadelphia and wrote some plays that were performed by amateur groups. Finally, Manks takes off, charging into the short, sadly brief life of the gentle giant. Cregar's screen career began in 1940 working as an extra in films. They announced him for The Californian,[12] which was not made, but Cregar was then cast in the big-budget historical movie Hudson's Bay (1941), opposite Paul Muni. 1920 U.S. Census, State of Pennsylvania, County of Philadelphia, enumeration district 621, p. 5-B, family 115. your own Pins on Pinterest He was 31 years old. Laird Cregar was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of six sons of Elizabeth (née Smith) and Edward Matthews Cregar. It was the climax of a strange celebrity that saw the young American actor--who stood 6' 3" and weighed more than 300 pounds--earn distinction as a portrayer of psychopaths and villains. [13] He followed this up supporting Tyrone Power in Blood and Sand (also 1941), although he came down with measles during production, forcing filming to shut down for a week. Laird Cregar was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of six sons of Elizabeth (née Smith) and Edward Matthews Cregar. The strain on his system resulted in severe abdominal problems; a few days after undergoing stomach surgery, Cregar died of a heart attack. In 1944, Laird Cregar played Jack the Ripper in The Lodger, giving one of the most haunting performances in Hollywood history.It was the climax of a strange celebrity that saw the young American actor--who stood 6' 3" and weighed more than 300 pounds--earn … The strain on his system resulted in severe abdominal problems; a few days after undergoing stomach surgery, Cregar died of a heart attack. Cregar quickly rose to stardom, appearing in a variety of genres from screwball comedy to horror. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. As a seven-year-old he caught a glimpse of the actor from a TV broadcast of THE LODGER, and the image hit home. You need a Find a Grave account to add things to this site. He performed as a page boy with the Stratford-upon-Avon theatrical troupe, and continued to act in several other productions at Stratford. To add a flower, click the “Leave a Flower” button. And finally came "Hangover Square(1945)", Laird Cregar's only leading movie role. Please reset your password. or don't show this again—I am good at figuring things out. This account has been disabled. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. When that ended he was unable to find a job for six months, and was forced to sleep in a friend's car in their garden. "This Gun For Hire(1942)", with Cregar as a demented killer. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Years ago, Hollywood used to be one of the most evil places on Earth....", Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2018. He was 31 years old. "Sammy" Laird Cregar wanted so much to be an actor. Laird Cregar wanted to avoid being the type-cast movie heavy in Hollywood movies. [18] Cregar began crash dieting to lose weight, desiring to give the character a "romantic veneer".[19]. Putting great stress on his system, Cregar underwent surgery for a severe stomach disorder. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. But thanks to the wonderfully talented Mr. Mank, my average for this year just went up. I use WIKI 2 every day and almost forgot how the original Wikipedia looks like. Cregar refused the role, was put on suspension, then changed his mind. Greg Mank does it again! He spent two years there, acting and studying; he said Thomas Browne Henry of the Playhouse gave him the worst advice he possibly could, telling him "not to lose a pound of weight, but instead to develop a thin man's personality. In a wild death scene, Cregar pounds out a beautiful piano concerto, as the room around him collapses in fire. Fondly remembered for his roles in movies such as "The Lodger" (1944) and "Heaven Can Wait" (1943). Failed to delete memorial. 1930 U.S. Census, State of Pennsylvania, County of Philadelphia, enumeration district 636, p. 1-A, family 9. Laird's real break came with the title role in the theater production of "Oscar Wilde". Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The youngest of six sons sired by a professional cricket player, Cregar was sent to England at an early age to be educated at Winchester College, and it was there that he became involved with the theater, although he harbored a strong desire to act from early childhood. based on information from your browser. You could also do it yourself at any point in time. Samuel Laird Cregar was the youngest of six sons of Edward Matthews Cregar, a cricketer and member of a team called the Gentlemen of Philadelphia. He went back to the Pasadena Playhouse for several months, then made his professional debut with the West Coast production of The Great American Family. Mr. Manks is a writer, historian, actor, and a DVD Commentary author. There's a problem loading this menu right now. When assigned the role of demented pianist George Bone in Hangover Square (1945), Cregar decided to give the character a "romantic" veneer, and, to that end, lost more than a hundred pounds on a crash diet which included prescribed amphetamines. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to feedback@findagrave.com and include a link to the page and details about the problem. [5] Laird, at the age of eight, was sent to England to be educated at Winchester College, where he developed his abilities with British accents. Failed to report flower. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. For Edits select Suggest Edits on the memorial page. That's it. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. It will enhance any encyclopedic page you visit with the magic of the WIKI 2 technology. [27], On February 8, 1960, Cregar received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion pictures industry, at 1716 Vine Street. Laird Cregar: A Huge Talent Cregar in THE LODGER The one-of-a-kind actor is often forgotten for his brief run in the 1940's as one of the screen's premiere character leads and supporting players, cut short by his untimely death at his peak on December 9th, 1944. I just couldn’t put it down. Laird was signed to a movie contract at 20th Century Fox. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Sadly, Hollywood didn't care. He wanted to act but he was too young to go to college, so he convinced the Hedgerow Players, an amateur company in Germantown, Pennsylvania, that he was an actor, and he spent several years with them. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Robert Phillips Cregar II (6 Apr 1906–24 Jun 1981), Find a Grave Memorial no. [25] Vincent Price, Cregar's co-star in Hudson's Bay (1941), delivered the eulogy. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Seldom weighing less than 300 pounds (136 kg) throughout his adult life, Cregar became obsessed with his weight. After his sinister portrayal of the obsessed detective in I Wake Up Screaming (also 1941), he was borrowed for RKO to make Joan of Paris (1942). It usually takes me 3-4 weeks to get through a book, mainly because I have to steal away time to read. 1930 U.S. Census, State of Pennsylvania, County of Philadelphia, enumeration district 636, p. 1-A, family 9. [5], In 1936, Cregar won a scholarship to California's Pasadena Playhouse. Fame soon brought radio roles on Lux Radio Theater in 1943 and a guest spot on The Eddie Cantor Show in April 1944. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. to two hundred lbs.). Would you like Wikipedia to always look as professional and up-to-date? × [10] He was then tested by 20th Century Fox, who considered him as a replacement for Tyrone Power in a film called The Great Commandment (1939).[11]. [13] He followed this up supporting Tyrone Power in Blood and Sand (also 1941), although he came down with measles during production, forcing filming to shut down for a week.

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