Jeff Chandler (actor)

Jeff Chandler is honored with a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. See also:Other Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood. He was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. His body was returned to the west coast to be interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Shortly after completing his role in Merrill's Marauders (1962), Chandler died in Los Angeles, California at age of 42, from blood poisoning following disc herniation surgery. Berton Churchill died in New York City. His leading ladies would include June Allyson, Joan Crawford, Rhonda Fleming, Susan Hayward, Maureen O'Hara, Jane Russell and Esther Williams. In 1925, Berton Churchill helped found the Masquers club that led to him and five other actors creating the Screen Actors Guild in 1933.

Some of his pictures in this period include Away All Boats, Toy Tiger, Drango, The Tattered Dress, Man in the Shadow, Foxfire, A Stranger in My Arms, and Thunder in the Sun. One of Churchill's better known roles was with John Wayne in John Ford's highly acclaimed 1939 film, "Stagecoach.". His sex appeal, curiously heightened by his prematurely gray hair and tanned features, would put him into drama and costume movies. Robinson, and Will Rogers. The rest of the decade, Chandler turned in a top leading man. As well, he performed with many of the most famous stars of the day such as Bette Davis, Jeanette MacDonald, Tyrone Power, Edward G. He would be nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950), the first of three screen appearances as the legendary Apache chief, followed by The Battle of Apache Pass (1952) and Taza, Son of Cochise (1954). Much in demand, in more than 125 films Churchill worked for some of the great directors such as Otto Preminger, John Ford, and Frank Capra.

His first important role was in Sword in the Desert (1948), as an Israeli freedom fighter. There, his powerful stage voice and commanding presence landed him numerous supporting roles, usually as the stern or pompous character with such roles as a banker, a State Governor, or a land baron. In the 1950s, Chandler became a star in western and action movies. With the advent of filmmaking in New York Berton Churchill appeared in several motion pictures, and in the 1920s, following the use of sound in film, he moved to Hollywood, California. His first film appearance was in Johnny O'Clock (1947). In 1919 he was in charge of the New York headquarters during the Equity strike in which fellow Canadian and friend, actress Marie Dressler assumed a major part with him that led to her being blacklisted by the producers. After discharged, he was a busy radio actor both in drama and comedy. There, he was one of the earliest members of Actors Equity and sat on the Council.

Later, he took a drama course and spent two years in stock companies before serving in World War II. As a young man interested in the theater, he headed to New York City where he began an acting career that soon put him on the Broadway stage. Born Ira Grossel in Brooklyn, New York Chandler attended Erasmus Hall High School, the nucleus of many stage and film personalities. Born in Toronto, Ontario. Jeff Chandler (December 15, 1918 - June 17, 1961) was a popular American film actor in the 1950s. Berton Churchill (December 9, 1876 - October 10, 1940) was a Canadian actor.