Without a doubt, John Gilbert is one of Hollywood's legendary stars. By 1928, the end of the pioneering silent era, he was the highest paid actor under contract, receiving $250,000 per picture!
Gilbert was born John Cecil Pringle on July 10, 1895, in Logan, Utah. His mother Ida had run away from her Logan home with a burning desire to be an actress, joined a traveling stock company run by John Pringle and quickly became the company's leading lady - and Pringle's wife.She returned to Logan to give birth to John, and then went from relative to relative, hoping someone would take the baby in so she could travel with her husband's troupe unencumbered. Finding no takers, Ida rejoined the company in Montreal, and John spent his early years traveling from town to town and stage to stage, often appearing in child roles with the company.
Eventually, Ida left Pringle, remarried, divorced again, and in order to be more free, sent John to live with his grandparents in Logan.
In 1913, her health beginning to fail, Ida returned to play one last Salt Lake engagement, at the Garrick Theatre. She died of tuberculosis later that year.
About this time, John decided to strike out on his own and left for San Francisco. There, he went to a William S. Hart cowboy movie and recognized up on the screen a supporting player he knew from the stage. This inspired him to seek out a living in the movies, and through an uncle, he was introduced to film producer Thomas Ince.
In 1915, billed as Jack Gilbert (the last name coming from his wife's second marriage), the young man found himself playing small parts in films for Ince, but there would be many ups and downs over the next few years as he struggled to learn his craft.
Gilbert's big break came in 1921, when he landed a contract at Fox and was put into starring roles - now as John Gilbert. There, he made 19 pictures over a three-year period, though only two survive today - "Monte Cristo" (1922) and "Cameo Kirby" (1923), the latter directed by John Ford.
His popularity in the Fox films led to Gilbert's being one of the first actors signed to a contract when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was formed on April 10, 1924.
After appearing in some popular soap operas, he was assigned to work with the brilliant Swedish director Victor Seastrom in the Lon Chaney film "He Who Gets Slapped" (1924), which played to rave reviews. Gilbert followed this up with the lead in a major production of "The Merry Widow" (1925), directed by the eccentric genius Erich von Stroheim. With this performance, critics realized that Gilbert was an actor, not just a handsome face. And he became one of the most popular performers of the silent era, second only to Rudolph Valentino.
Next came a film that is considered his and director King Vidor's masterpeice, "The Big Parade" (1925). Gilbert's natural performance as a young man caught up in the trauma of World War I remains powerful and touching.
About this time, MGM brought Greta Garbo to the United States from Sweden. For her third silent film she was teamed with Gilbert. And in pairing them, "The Flesh and the Devil" (1927) made movie history.
Attracted to each other immediately, their off-screen romance was evident in their sizzling on-screen love scenes. Garbo and Gilbert were quickly reteamed for "Love" (1927) and "A Woman of Affairs" (1928).
Gilbert and Garbo were madly in love, and the whole world knew it. And though Garbo is famous for never having married, Gilbert came closest to getting her to the altar. They were to have a double wedding with director King Vidor and Eleanor Boardman - but Garbo never showed up. Gilbert was heartbroken, but they remained friends. (Gilbert later married four times.)
Tragically, the coming of sound in 1927 quickly destroyed Gilbert's image. It was not, however, that his voice recorded high as some have written. Rather it was the shock of hearing romantic dialogue spoken that worked better when left to the imagination of silence.
Gilbert made 10 talkies, including another teaming with Garbo - due to Garbo's own insistence. The film, "Queen Christina" (1933), was one of Gilbert's last and is often cited as one of the best films of both stars.
Gilbert thrived on acting and fame. When the reviews were good and parts challenging, he was the happiest man in the world. As his career declined, Gilbert's drinking increased, and he died of a heart attack at age 41.
But his legend lives on, and some of his best work can be seen on video.
Most readily available are "The Big Parade," "The Flesh and the Devil," "Love" and "A Woman of Affairs." Locally, the Avalon Video Store and Video Vern's are most likely to carry them for rent. Or, on the Internet, try Reel, which claims to have some 85,000 titles in stock (www.reel.com), or phone 1-888-707-7335.