Victor Jory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Victor Jory
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Jory in 1962
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| Born | November 23, 1902 Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
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| Died | February 12, 1982 (aged 79) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1930–1980 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jean Inness
(m. 1928; died 1978) |
| Children | 2 |
Victor Jory (born November 23, 1902 – died February 12, 1982) was a talented actor from Canada and the United States. He performed in plays, movies, and on television. At first, he often played charming heroes. But later, he became famous for playing villains or mysterious characters. Some of his most well-known roles include Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) and Jonas Wilkerson in Gone with the Wind (1939). He also starred in the TV police show Manhunt and narrated many stories for children's records.
About Victor Jory
Victor Jory was born in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. His parents were American. Before he became an actor, he was a boxing and wrestling champion in the U.S. Coast Guard. He stayed strong and fit throughout his life. He studied acting at the Martha Oatman School of the Theater in Los Angeles.
Victor Jory started his acting career touring with theater groups. He also performed on Broadway in New York City. He made his first movie in Hollywood in 1930. Early in his career, he played romantic lead characters. However, he soon became known for playing bad guys. This was partly because of his unique, very dark eyes, which could look quite intense or even scary. He acted in over 150 movies and many TV shows. He also wrote two plays.
People especially remember him for playing the mean character Injun Joe in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938). He was also Jonas Wilkerson, a tricky farm manager, in Gone with the Wind. Another famous role was Lamont Cranston, also known as 'The Shadow', in a 1940 movie series. He also played Oberon, the King of the Fairies, in Max Reinhardt's movie version of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this movie, he acted alongside famous stars like James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland.
Victor Jory also appeared in seven Hopalong Cassidy Western movies between 1941 and 1943. He usually played the villain in these films. However, in Riders of the Timberline (1941), he played a strong lumberjack.
In 1946, he narrated a children's story called "Tubby the Tuba." This recording was very popular and sold over a million copies. It was even added to the National Recording Registry in 2005 because of its importance. The story helps young listeners learn about the orchestra. He also narrated another children's story called "Bumpo the Ballerina," about an elephant.
From 1959 to 1961, Victor Jory starred in a TV police drama called Manhunt. He played the main character, Detective Lieutenant Howard Finucane. He appeared in all 78 episodes of the show.
In 1962, he played Helen Keller's father in the movie The Miracle Worker. His co-stars, Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, won Academy Awards for their roles in this film. That same year, he was a guest star in the Western TV series Empire.
In 1964, Victor Jory spoke to the United States Congress as part of "Project Prayer." He argued in favor of allowing school prayer to return to public schools.
He also taught acting at the University of Utah. He even created a scholarship for acting students there, which is still given out today.
Near the end of his career, in 1977, Victor Jory was a guest star in an episode of James Garner's TV show The Rockford Files. He played an older Federal Bureau of Investigation agent.
Victor Jory passed away on February 12, 1982, at the age of 79. He died from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California.
For his amazing work in movies, Victor Jory received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. His star is located at 6605 Hollywood Blvd.
Family Life
Victor Jory married actress Jean Inness in 1928. They had two children, a son named Jon and a daughter named Jean. Their son, Jon Jory, became very important in theater. He led the Actors Theater of Louisville, Kentucky, for 31 years. He helped make it one of America's most respected regional theater companies. Later, he became a drama professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. Their daughter, Jean Jory Anderson, worked in public relations for the theater department at Utah State University in Logan.
Images for kids
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Jory in 1962
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Jory's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6605 Hollywood Blvd
