Grant Withers
Date of birth:	January 17, 1905
Birth location:	Pueblo, Colorado
Date of death:	March 27, 1959
Height:	6-Feet, 3-Inches
Birth name:	Granville G. Withers
Notable role(s):	'Jungle Jim' Bradley in Jungle Jim - Serial Captain "Bill" Street in Mr. Wong Series January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Pueblo is a city located in Pueblo County in southern Colorado. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jungle Jim was created in January 7, 1934 by writer Don Moore and artist Alex Raymond, who had been known for aiding the production of comics such as Tim Tylers Luck, Tillie the Toiler, Blondie, Secret Agent X-9, and Rip Kirby. ...

Grant Withers, (January 17, 1905, Pueblo, Colorado – March 27, 1959, North Hollywood, California), born Granville G. Withers, was a prolific American film actor with a sizeable body of work. January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Pueblo is a city located in Pueblo County in southern Colorado. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... North Hollywood is a district in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles, California. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ...

With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into talkies establishing himself with an impressive list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead.

As his career progressed, his importance diminished, but he did manage a 10-year contract at Republic Pictures. His friendships with both John Ford and John Wayne secured him a spot in 9 of Wayne's films, but later roles dwindled to supporting parts, mainly as villains in B-movies, serials and finally TV. Republic Pictures Corporation (aka Republic Entertainment) is an independent film, television, and video distribution company that was originally a movie production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, best known for its specialization in quality B pictures, westerns and movie serials. ... John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was one of the most accomplished American film directors of the 1930s to 1960s, known particularly as a director of the Westerns, although his tributes to the veterans of World War II and Americana are also equally effective. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), popularly known as The Duke, [1] was an Academy Award winning, American film actor whose career began in silent movies in the 1920s. ... The term B-movie originally referred to a film designed to be distributed as the lower half of a double feature, often a genre film featuring cowboys, gangsters or vampires. ...

His life in film, 5 unsuccessful marriages and a tragic end had all the makings of its own Hollywood drama.

Biography

Grant Withers was a major Hollywood leading man at the advent of the talkies.

Early beginnings

He had worked as an oil company salesman and newspaper reporter before breaking into movies near the end of the silent era. His more than 30-year acting career took off in the late 1920s, while in his 20s, when his hairy-chested rugged good looks made him the leading man over such rising talent as James Cagney, who made his film debut in the Withers feature Sinners' Holiday (1930). Taller (6'3") than John Wayne and just as tough, yet capable of sensitivity, it was his early roles for Warner Bros. Pictures/The Vitaphone Corporation that brought him his highest accolades. Withers' early work had him opposite such major talent as W. C. Fields, Buster Keaton, Mae West and Shirley Temple. James Cagney was part of the Legends of Hollywood USPS stamp series. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), popularly known as The Duke, [1] was an Academy Award winning, American film actor whose career began in silent movies in the 1920s. ... Warner Bros. ... Vitaphone was a sound film process used on several features and shorts produced by Warner Brothers in the late 1920s and early 1930s. ... W.C. Fields in a scene from The Bank Dick W. C. Fields W. C. Fields (April 9, 1879 – December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ... Joseph Frank Keaton Jr. ... MAE-West is a major Internet peering point located in San Jose, California. ... Shirley Temple in Glad Rags to Riches Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928), later known as Shirley Temple Black, is an American diplomat and former film child actress. ...

Career

Starring roles in major pictures later dwindled to supporting parts, mainly as villains in B-movies and serials. Notable exceptions included a 12-part Jungle Jim movie serial by Universal Pictures, starring Grant Withers, in 1937 and the recurring role of the brash police Captain Bill Street in Monogram's Mr. Wong series beginning in 1938. The term B-movie originally referred to a film designed to be distributed as the lower half of a double feature, often a genre film featuring cowboys, gangsters or vampires. ... Jungle Jim was created in January 7, 1934 by writer Don Moore and artist Alex Raymond, who had been known for aiding the production of comics such as Tim Tylers Luck, Tillie the Toiler, Blondie, Secret Agent X-9, and Rip Kirby. ... Universal Studios Theme Parks. ... The Chi-Rho, a monogram of the first two letters in the Greek word for Christ Haddot Ardalone lili The New York Yankees team monogram Ecstacy commonly appears in a tablet form, usually imprinted with a monogram. ...

He was under a Republic Term Contract from February, 1944 through April, 1954. Withers' film credits at Republic number about 60 from 1937 - 1957. From 1940 on he was pretty much a character actor as a popular Western tough guy taking numerous supporting roles in television as his demand in film work waned. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... A character actor is an actor who predominantly performs supporting parts, often in similar roles throughout the course of a career. ... The Western is an American genre in literature and film. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

All told he appeared in over 200 films.

Personal life

In 1930, at 26, his elopement to Yuma, Arizona, with a 17-year-old Loretta Young was widely reported and ended in annulment in 1931, just as their second movie together, (ironically titled Too Young to Marry), was released. He was also married to Gladys Joyce Walsh. Yuma Crossing and RR bridge in 1886. ... Loretta Young in 1935 Loretta Young (January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. ...

Some of Withers' later screen appearances were arranged through the auspices of his friends John Ford and John Wayne He appeared in nine movies with John Wayne, including Fort Apache (1948) and Rio Grande (1950). On Sunday evenings Withers and the "good ol' boys club" met at the John Ford Ranch in the San Fernando Valley. John Ford and John Wayne would be at the Ranch, and some others; Ben Johnson, Chill Wills, Ward Bond, Harry Carey, Jr. and many of the other supporting actors that were usually in all of Wayne's pictures. Sometimes, Lee Marvin would show up. They were sometimes known as The John Ford Stock Company. John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was one of the most accomplished American film directors of the 1930s to 1960s, known particularly as a director of the Westerns, although his tributes to the veterans of World War II and Americana are also equally effective. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), popularly known as The Duke, [1] was an Academy Award winning, American film actor whose career began in silent movies in the 1920s. ... Fort Apache is a 1948 western film starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda and directed by John Ford. ... Rio Grande (1950) is the third installment of John Fords cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). ... San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley in southern California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles. ... Ben Johnson Jr. ... Chill Wills (July 18, 1903 in Seagoville, Texas – December 15, 1978) was an actor and singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet. ... Ward Bond (April 9, 1903 - November 5, 1960) was an American film actor. ... Harry Carey, Jr. ... Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine in a climactic scene from the 1973 film Emperor of the North Pole. ...

Wayne was best man at Withers' fifth marriage; it was to Cuban-born actress Estelita Rodriguez (24) (Rio Bravo), at age 49, in January, 1953, in Reno, Nevada. They too resided in the San Fernando Valley on Woodcliff Avenue in Sherman Oaks, California. Estelita began a night club singing career at the end of her Republic contract. The marriage was not a happy one. They divorced in 1955.^[1] Rio Bravo (1959) is a western movie, directed by Howard Hawks. ... City nickname: The Biggest Little City in the World Downtown Reno at night Founded May 13, 1868 County Washoe County Mayor Bob Cashell Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 179. ... San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley in southern California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles. ... Sherman Oaks is a district of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. ...

A noticeable weight gain is apparent in his films as his career progresses. In later years, back problems were one of his health issues.

Death

With failing health Withers worked up until his suicide in 1959, at the age of 54, when he died from an overdose of barbiturates, leaving behind a note in which he apologized to all the people he'd let down during his Hollywood days.

Please forgive me, my family. I was so unhappy. It's better this way.^[2]

— Grant Withers

Trivia

• Note that most biographies have Withers' birth year as 1904, but his burial marker shows 1905.
• Grant Withers headlined over supporting actor James Cagney's first film, Sinner's Holiday (1930), and his third, Other Men's Women (1931). In the 1955 western Run For Cover, the billing would be reversed.
• Although John Wayne's height is listed at 6'4", Withers height, at 6'3", shows him the taller in their films together.

Select filmography on DVD

• Having worked with Buster Keaton and W. C. Fields in silent films and with over 200 known titles to his name, Grant Withers filmography surpasses that of many more well-known stars, making him almost a daily regular on cable movie channels like Turner Classic Movies. These are among his films known to be released on DVD:

Grant Withers starring in the DVD release of 1937's Bill Cracks Down.

See complete Grant Withers filmography at IMDB

Joseph Frank Keaton Jr. ... W.C. Fields in a scene from The Bank Dick W. C. Fields W. C. Fields (April 9, 1879 – December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ... Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... See also: 1934 in film 1935 1936 in film 1930s in film years in film film Events Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). ... See also: 1935 in film 1936 1937 in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events January 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon September 28 - The Marx Brothers Harpo Marx marries actress Susan Fleming Top grossing films in North America Red River Valley Academy Awards Best Picture: The Great... See also: 1936 in film 1937 category:1937 films 1938 in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US. May 7 - Shall We Dance premieres in the US. Top grossing films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Conquest Damaged Lives... Jungle Jim was created in January 7, 1934 by writer Don Moore and artist Alex Raymond, who had been known for aiding the production of comics such as Tim Tylers Luck, Tillie the Toiler, Blondie, Secret Agent X-9, and Rip Kirby. ... See also: 1936 in film 1937 category:1937 films 1938 in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US. May 7 - Shall We Dance premieres in the US. Top grossing films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Conquest Damaged Lives... See also: 1937 in film 1937 1939 in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events January — MGM announces that Judy Garland would be cast in the role of Dorothy in the upcoming Wizard of Oz motion picture. ... See also: 1938 in film 1939 1940 in film 1930s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Movie historians and film buffs often look back on the year 1939 as the greatest year in film history. ... See also: 1938 in film 1939 1940 in film 1930s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Movie historians and film buffs often look back on the year 1939 as the greatest year in film history. ... See also: 1938 in film 1939 1940 in film 1930s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Movie historians and film buffs often look back on the year 1939 as the greatest year in film history. ... See also: 1939 in film 1940 1941 in film 1940s in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Walt Disneys animated film Pinocchio is released. ... See also: 1939 in film 1940 1941 in film 1940s in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Walt Disneys animated film Pinocchio is released. ... See also: 1939 in film 1940 1941 in film 1940s in film 1930s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Walt Disneys animated film Pinocchio is released. ... See also: 1943 in film 1944 1945 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events July 20 - Since You Went Away is released. ... The Fighting Seabees is a 1944 film starring John Wayne and Susan Hayward. ... See also: 1945 in film 1946 1947 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Bells of St. ... My Darling Clementine is a 1946 western film which tells the story of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral between the Earp brothers and the Clanton gang. ... See also: 1947 in film 1948 1949 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Red Shoes, (55th in year of release, lifetime box office would place it in first) The Road to Rio Easter Parade Red River The Three Musketeers, Johnny... Fort Apache is a 1948 western film starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda and directed by John Ford. ... See also: 1947 in film 1948 1949 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Red Shoes, (55th in year of release, lifetime box office would place it in first) The Road to Rio Easter Parade Red River The Three Musketeers, Johnny... See also: 1949 in film 1950 1951 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events February 15 - Walt Disney Studios animated film Cinderella debuts. ... See also: 1949 in film 1950 1951 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events February 15 - Walt Disney Studios animated film Cinderella debuts. ... Rio Grande (1950) is the third installment of John Fords cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). ...

References

External links

• Grant Withers at the Internet Movie Database
• The New York Times / Grant Withers
• Republic Bad Guys and Action Heavies / Grant Withers
• A Macro Bio
• Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen / Estelita Rodriguez
• Find A Grave / Grant Withers