ROBERT WALKER: OLD HOLLYWOOD'S TRAGIC BOY NEXT DOOR (Ep. 30)

No one played sensitive, lost souls quite like ROBERT WALKER. However, he is best known for playing one of the most complicated, psychopaths in film history, Bruno Antony in ALFRED HITCHCOCK’s masterpiece “Strangers On A Train” (1951). His journey from playing sensitive innocents to playing Bruno is reflective of his troubled, turbulent life, and the heartbreak from which he never recovered. This week, we’ll discuss the artistry and the tragedy of this incredible actor.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Star-Crossed: The Story of Robert Walker and Jennifer Jones (1986), by Beverly Linet;

Portrait of Jennifer (1995), by Edward Z. Epstein;

Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick (1992), by David Thomson;

Hollywood On The Couch: A Candid Look at the Overheated Love Affair Between Psychiatrists and Moviemakers (1993), by Marc Green and Stephen Farber;

“Biography of Robert Walker,” April 1951, Paramount Pictures;

“I Know Myself Now”, by Marva Anderson, July 1950, Movieland Magazine; 

“Actor Walker Dies After Drug Dosage,” August 3, 1951, by Gladwin Hill, New York Times;

“Robert Walker: A Great Star Lost,” August 15, 1999, by David Thomson, The Independent On Sunday (London);

“An Affair to Forget?” March 1998, by Nick Clooney, American Movie Classics Magazine;

“Utahn’s Rising Career in Films Came to a Sudden Tragic End,” July 23, 1999, by E. Hunter Hale, Deseret News;

“Robert Walker, Jr. ‘Star Trek’ Actor and Son of Superstars, Dies at 79,” December 6, 2019, The Hollywood Reporter;

Movies Mentioned:

Strangers On A Train (1951), starring Robert Walker, Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Pat Hitchcock, and Kasey Rogers;

New Frontier (1939), starring John Wayne and Phylis Isley (Jennifer Jones);

Dick Tracy’s G-Men (1939), starring Ralph Byrd and Phylis Isley (Jennifer Jones);

Winter Carnival (1939), starring Ann Sheridan, Richard Carlson, and Helen Parrish;

These Glamour Girls (1939), starring Lana Turner, Lew Ayres, Marsha Hunt, Ann Rutherford, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Carlson, and Jane Bryan;

Dancing Co-Eds (1939) staring Lana Turner, Richard Carlson, Ann Rutherford, Lee Bowman, and Artie Shaw;

The Song of Bernadette (1943), starring Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Vincent Price, Anne Revere, William Eythe, Lee J. Cobb, and Gladys Cooper;

Bataan (1943), Staring Robert Taylor, George Murphy, Thomas Mitchell, Desi Arnaz, and Robert Walker;

Madame Curie (1943), starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Henry Travers, and Robert Walker;

See Here Private Hargrove (1944), staring Robert Walker and Donna Reed;

Since You Went Away (1945), starring Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, and Robert Walker;

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), starring Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, and Robert Walker;

The Clock (1945), starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker;

Her Highness and the Bell Boy (1945), starring June Allyson, Hedy Lamarr, and Robert Walker;  

The Sailor Takes A Wife (1945), starring June Allyson and Robert Walker

Til The Clouds Roll By (1946); Robert Walker, June Allyson, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, Van Johnson, Lucille Bremer, Cyd Charisse, and Angela Lansbury;

One Touch of Venus (1948), starring Robert Walker, Ava Gardner, Tom Conway, and Eve Arden;

Please Believe Me (1950), starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, Peter Lawford, and Mark Stevens;

The Skipper Surprises His Wife (1950), starring Robert Walker and Joan Leslie;

Vengeance Valley (1951), starring Burt Lancaster, Joanne Dru, and Robert Walker;

My Son John (1952), staring Helen Hayes, Robert Walker, and Van Heflin;

[DavidN]

Marvelous entry about one of our very favorite actors -- have lost track of how many times we've seen "The Clock, " immortal, and, well, "Strangers on a Train, " iconic, what else is there to say? One of the greatest talents ever to go down the Tinseltown tragedy trail. Deep sigh. Thanks heaps, Steve and Nan.

[mandymaddison]

So sad, i feel he was murdered. I ve been a fan of Robert Walker since a little girl, he was a great actor. So tragic xxx

[tomjohnson]

Great episode. For some reason I always connect Robert Walker with John Garfield, perhaps because their careers and lives ended so prematurely.

[Nightgaunt-zrmj]

This episode was so good! What an immensely interesting story. I just love how much I learn from all of your episodes. Truly wonderful ❤

[LindaBlythe-qn]

Robert Walker’s death certificate listed him as being divorced from Barbara Ford. Hanna Hertelendy was not divorced from Earnest Ploutnik until May of 1951. These are public records. He was not married to her. The story of Robert Walker was tragic because he was so talented and loved his family so deeply.. but he suffered from a mental illness called schizophrenia. It is fair to say that it affected his behavior before he was divorced from Jennifer. In her divorce hearing the judge had to pull information about him from her, she did not want to say anything against Robert. She did say that he would stay out all night and she didn’t know where he was and that they disagreed on decisions about her career. Enter Selznick who had taken professional decision making away from her. In her interviews it sounded like she hero worshiped Selznick. Bob was described as being insecure about Jennifer and was jealous. Not a great combination of circumstances for marriage stability. It was tragic for both Jennifer and Bob. Jennifer seems to have had a wonderful relationship with her son Bobby and he took care of her at the end of her life. He described her as being a loving and caring person. Bob was a wonderful actor but a troubled soul. Thankfully we have the movies he made to see what a wonderful performer he was. I think he gave a very sensitive performance with Jennifer in Since You Went Away too…but Strangers On A Train, wow!

[okay]

Great episode.
Please do an episode titled " Before they were a virgin".
One of my favorite quotes about
Dorise Day and her image make over
"I knew her before she was a virgin".
You could include Nancy Davis and all the others it would be great.

[elenamena]

Loved this podcast! His role as Bruno was so unforgettable
Can you tell me the name of the Peter Lawford biography you referred to.

[SheilaRiley-ugpb]

First here. When I saw the content I clicked soo fast. I kived Mr. Walker aand so sad what happened to him. Jennifer killed him, butnit bygergand, by her hearrlessness

[agnesgooch]

It wouldn't surprise me if sleazy David O. Selznick and John Ford had Robert bumped off.

[RommelEarlDigo-qqbp]

he was definitely murdered by somebody powerful

[cocoaorange]

I did not know Jennifer Jones came from money.

[Bobbyboy-iz]

Amatol, Secondly, Tuanal, and alcohol are not a good combination, trust me.

[kleeamd]

Just a lot of tongue wagging, here. Nothng more. John Ford's going to wait 3+ years for revenge? Really??

As for Selznick, he already took everything he wanted from RW. Why bother?