Actor and Singer. He is probably best remembered for his role as 'Victor Moritz' in the 1931 original film "Frankenstein." His career spanned from 1924 to 1952, during which he appeared in over 50 films. Born John Love Boles to a middle-class family, his father was a banker. He studied medicine at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas where he graduated with honors in 1917. During World War I, he served as a US spy in Germany, Bulgaria, and Turkey. After the war, he relocated to New York City, New York to study music. He quickly became well known for his talents and was selected to replace the leading man in the 1923 Broadway musical "Little Jesse James" and soon became an established star on Broadway and attracted the attention of Hollywood producers. In 1924 he was hired by MGM Studios to appear in the silent film "The Sixth Commandment" and appeared in two more films for MGM before returning to New York City and the Broadway stage. In 1927 he returned to Hollywood to star in "The Love of Sunya" (with Gloria Swanson), which became a huge success for him. In 1929 the Warner Brothers Studios signed him to star in their lavish musical operetta "The Desert Song", which featured sequences in Technicolor and was a box-office success. Soon afterward, Radio Pictures (later known as RKO) selected him to play the leading man in their extravagant production (the last portion of the film was photographed in Technicolor) of "Rio Rita" (1929, with Bebe Daniels). Audiences were enthralled by his beautiful voice, and he suddenly found himself in huge demand and RCA Victor hired him to make phonograph records of songs that he had sung in his films. After completing "Rio Rita," he returned to Warner Brothers as the leading man in an even more extravagant musical entitled "Song of the West" (1930) that was filmed entirely in Technicolor. Shortly after this film, he accepted a contract with Universal Pictures and starred in a number of pictures for them, most notably the all-Technicolor musical revue entitled "The King of Jazz" (1930) and a historical operetta entitled "Captain of the Guard" (1930). This was followed by "One Heavenly Night" (1931), his last major musical. He then starred with Irene Dunne in the film adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1920 novel "The Age of Innocence" (1934) and also took the role of 'Edward Morgan' in "Curly Top" (1935) with Shirley Temple. In 1936 he became the first leading actor to command a $50,000 salary for his role in "Rose of the Rancho." The following year, he starred alongside Barbara Stanwyck in the successful King Vidor classic "Stella Dallas." His other films during this time include "Romance in the Dark" (1938), "Sinners in Paradise" (1938), "Road to Happiness" (1942), "Between Us Girls" (1942), and "Thousands Cheer" (1943). In 1943 he appeared in his biggest role on the Broadway stage, co-starring with Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in "One Touch of Venus." His last film was "Babes in Bagdad" (1952), after which he retired from acting.
Actor and Singer. He is probably best remembered for his role as 'Victor Moritz' in the 1931 original film "Frankenstein." His career spanned from 1924 to 1952, during which he appeared in over 50 films. Born John Love Boles to a middle-class family, his father was a banker. He studied medicine at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas where he graduated with honors in 1917. During World War I, he served as a US spy in Germany, Bulgaria, and Turkey. After the war, he relocated to New York City, New York to study music. He quickly became well known for his talents and was selected to replace the leading man in the 1923 Broadway musical "Little Jesse James" and soon became an established star on Broadway and attracted the attention of Hollywood producers. In 1924 he was hired by MGM Studios to appear in the silent film "The Sixth Commandment" and appeared in two more films for MGM before returning to New York City and the Broadway stage. In 1927 he returned to Hollywood to star in "The Love of Sunya" (with Gloria Swanson), which became a huge success for him. In 1929 the Warner Brothers Studios signed him to star in their lavish musical operetta "The Desert Song", which featured sequences in Technicolor and was a box-office success. Soon afterward, Radio Pictures (later known as RKO) selected him to play the leading man in their extravagant production (the last portion of the film was photographed in Technicolor) of "Rio Rita" (1929, with Bebe Daniels). Audiences were enthralled by his beautiful voice, and he suddenly found himself in huge demand and RCA Victor hired him to make phonograph records of songs that he had sung in his films. After completing "Rio Rita," he returned to Warner Brothers as the leading man in an even more extravagant musical entitled "Song of the West" (1930) that was filmed entirely in Technicolor. Shortly after this film, he accepted a contract with Universal Pictures and starred in a number of pictures for them, most notably the all-Technicolor musical revue entitled "The King of Jazz" (1930) and a historical operetta entitled "Captain of the Guard" (1930). This was followed by "One Heavenly Night" (1931), his last major musical. He then starred with Irene Dunne in the film adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1920 novel "The Age of Innocence" (1934) and also took the role of 'Edward Morgan' in "Curly Top" (1935) with Shirley Temple. In 1936 he became the first leading actor to command a $50,000 salary for his role in "Rose of the Rancho." The following year, he starred alongside Barbara Stanwyck in the successful King Vidor classic "Stella Dallas." His other films during this time include "Romance in the Dark" (1938), "Sinners in Paradise" (1938), "Road to Happiness" (1942), "Between Us Girls" (1942), and "Thousands Cheer" (1943). In 1943 he appeared in his biggest role on the Broadway stage, co-starring with Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in "One Touch of Venus." His last film was "Babes in Bagdad" (1952), after which he retired from acting.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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