Gonna Make You a StarLists of fun facts, fascinating trivia, and wild, charming, and even heartbreaking stories about some of the most famous actors of classic film you feel like you already know.
Cary Grant's public persona was that of a charming, sophisticated, and just plain cool leading man. But in reality, "Cary Grant" was just another character he played on film. Even Cary Grant's name was a part of his well-crafted and carefully maintained image; fans who know about his personal life will tell you he was born Archibald Alexander Leach. A look at any Cary Grant biography reveals a troubled and conflicted man underneath that polished exterior.
Grant was British by birth and became an American citizen in 1942. He propelled himself to stardom by using his comedic skills, eventually transforming himself into a romantic lead who starred opposite screen beauties like Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly. Cary Grant movies are often remembered for the actor's easygoing charm and tendency to allow the woman to be the sexual aggressor. This unique quality made him appealing to all audiences.
Who was the real Cary Grant, and what kind of facts and trivia surround a man who was known to the world by a stage name? Sometimes, the star himself became lost in his public versus private persona, saying, "I've often been accused by the critics of being myself on the screen. But being oneself is more difficult than you'd suppose."
At the height of his career, Grant was introduced to LSD by his third wife, and claimed he was saved by the substance. Perhaps the psychedelics gave the actor a little more insight into his conflicted sense of self, or maybe tripping on acid just made him feel good. Either way, he once commented, "During my LSD sessions, I would learn a great deal, and the result was a rebirth. I finally got where I wanted to go."
Grant took an estimated 100 acid trips between 1958 and 1961. He was so dedicated to the therapy that he supposedly contacted Good Housekeeping magazine in order to spread the word about the benefits of LSD.
He Was Fond Of Dirty Jokes
Photo: Columbia Pictures
According to Prince Albert of Monaco - the son of Grant's costar and friend Grace Kelly - Grant liked to tell dirty jokes, "but he was always a gentleman." Gregory Peck said, "Cary told the funniest stories, with southern accents, ethnic accents - any kind of accent. Dirty ones, too. You’d never think those things would come out of him."
Supposedly, Grant's favorite poem was: "They bought me a box of tin soldiers / I threw all the Generals away / I smashed up the Sergeants and Majors / Now I play with my Privates all day."
He Flunked His First Hollywood Screen Test
Photo: RKO Radio Pictures
Grant wasn't always considered so handsome.
In 1928, the Fox Film Corporation gave Grant a screen test to appear in one of their movies. Grant was told he was bowlegged and had too thick of a neck, and he was turned down for the role.
He Was Almost James Bond
Photo: RKO Radio Pictures
Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond series, claimed to have modeled his character partially on the suave, sophisticated Grant.
When Bond was brought to the screen in Dr. No, Grant was offered the part, and producer Albert Broccoli urged him to accept. But he turned it down, as he considered himself too old at age 58. The part eventually went to Sean Connery.
He Had Several Special Male Friends
Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Grant's sexuality was often questioned throughout his life. Before his film career took off, Grant lived with costume designer Orry-Kelly off and on for nine years, and later with friend Randolph Scott for 12. A manuscript written by Orry-Kelly alluded to the fact that he and Grant had been lovers. But after Grant's popularity in Hollywood began to grow, he became more guarded about his personal life.
In a book written about her father, Grant's daughter said, "Dad somewhat enjoyed being called gay. He said it made women want to prove the assertion wrong."
He Got Married Five Times And Divorced Four Times
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Grant's love life was at odds with the charming leading man image he maintained on screen. He was married five times (three times to actors), and four of his marriages ended in divorce.
Several of Grant's wives accused him of being too controlling. Dyan Cannon, his fourth wife, claimed Grant forced her to take acid with him and told her what to wear. She reasoned that his troubles with relationships and fear of intimacy came from the disappearance of his mother and his childhood struggles to feel loved.
