Cary Grant
born: 18-01-1904
birth place: Bristol, England
died: 29-11-1986
Born Archibald Alexander Leach to a poor family, his mother was institutionalised when he was nine years old.
Yound Archie soon discovered a love for the theatre and had odd jobs at the Hippodrome and the Empire. Aged fourteen, he joined the Bob Pender comedy troupe where he dance, performed as an acrobat and a stilt-walker, and acted in pantomime. The troupe toured small towns in England, before embarking on a successful tour of America. At the end of the two-year tour, Archibald Leach decided to stay behind in the US and try his hand at acting.
He spent five years doing odd jobs, including acting as a society escort, before he got his first break in a stage production of the musical 'Golden Dawn'. This was followed by other theatre roles.
In 1931 Archibald successfully auditioned for Paramount studios and was signed to a five-year contract. He was also advised to change his name, and it was at this point that Archie became Cary Grant.
Cary’s first feature film, 'This Is The Night', was released in 1932, and the actor went on to perform with leading ladies such as Mae West and Marlene Dietrich.
Cary Grant found his form in 1935, when he was loaned out to RKO to perform in 'Sylvia Scarlett', opposite Katharine Hepburn. In this, he played a Cockney entertainer in a travelling troupe.
When his contract with Paramount ended in 1937, Grant decided to go it alone, choosing his own scripts and producers.
His first hit film was 'The Awful Truth' in 1937, and he went on to have great success with films such as 'Bringing Up Baby', 'Holiday' and 'His Girl Friday'.
Arguably the most memorable films were those produced by Alfred Hitchcock in the latter days of the actor’s career: 'To Catch A Thief' and 'North By North-West'.
Cary Grant retired from the screen in 1966, and died in 1986.
