Larry Parks
Samuel Klausman Lawrence Parks was born in Olathe, Kansas, on December 13, 1914, of German and Irish descent. As a child growing up in Joliet, Illinois, he was plagued by a variety of illnesses, including rheumatic fever, but persevered with physical exercise and sheer strength of will. Majoring in science at the University of Illinois, his plans to become a doctor dissolved when, to the dismay of his parents, he found a passionate sideline in college dramatics. He began appearing in touring shows, then made the big move to New York, finding initial employment as an usher at Carnegie Hall and a tour guide at Radio City. Following a number of summer stock shows, he made an inauspicious 1937 Broadway debut with a minor role in the Group Theatre's presentation of "Golden Boy". Developing a close-knit relationship with the Group, he was just beginning to build up his resumé in such Broadway outings as "All the Living", "My Heart's in the Highlands" and "Pure in Heart" when he had to return to his Illinois home following the death of his father.
He toiled for a time in Chicago as a Pullman inspector on the New York Central Railroad until the possibility of a film role had him re-setting his acting sights on Los Angeles. Although the film deal fell through, Larry stayed in L.A. and somehow made ends meet working construction. Columbia expressed interest in the fledgling actor and signed him up in 1941 after a favorable screen test. He stayed for nine years. His buildup was slow-moving, taking his first small step with a minor role in Mystery Ship (1941). Time, however, did not increase the tempo or quality of his movies. Either he was oddly cast, such as his role as an Indian opposite exotic Yvonne De Carlo in The Deerslayer (1943), or completely dismissed, as co-star of such obscurities as The Black Parachute (1944), Sergeant Mike (1944) or She's a Sweetheart (1944). His association with the Group Theatre back in New York led to a chance introduction to musical actress Betty Garrett and the couple married in 1944. Larry had settled by this time in Hollywood but Betty was a hot item on Broadway. MGM finally offered her a contract and she relocated to Los Angeles to join her husband. The couple eventually had two children, one of whom, Andrew Parks, became a fine actor in his own right. Their other son, Garrett Parks, served as composer for the film Diamond Men (2000). Larry scored an Oscar nomination playing Jolson (which was originally offered to both James Cagney and Danny Thomas), and hoped for equally challenging roles. His hopes were dashed as the studio instead continued casting him haphazardly in mild-mannered comedies and swashbuckling adventures. Other than the box-office sequel Jolson Sings Again (1949), most of Larry's films were hardly worthy of his obvious talent. To compensate somewhat, he managed to find a creative outlet in summer stock, and both he and Betty put together a successful vaudeville act with one tour ending up playing London's Palladium.
Following the completion of Love Is Better Than Ever (1952) with Elizabeth Taylor, the political scandal erupted and erased all of his chances to do film. One of many casualties of Hollywood "blacklisting", he was forced to end his association with Columbia, and he and Betty, whose own career was damaged, traveled to Europe to find work
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 1.967 |
Birthday | 1914-12-13 |
Place of Birth | Olathe, Kansas, USA |
Also Known As | Samuel Klusman Lawrence Parks, Samuel Klausman Lawrence Parks, |
1942
Blondie Goes to College
6.4/6
Dagwood Bumstead must receive a college diploma or lose his job with the Dithers Construction Company. Not wishing to be separated from her husband, B...
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Blondie Goes to College
1942
The Boogie Man Will Get You
6.3/27
A young divorcee tries to convert a historic house into a hotel despite its oddball inhabitants and dead bodies in the cellar.
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The Boogie Man Will Get You
1946
The Jolson Story
6.7/16
At the turn of the 20th century, young Asa Yoelson decides to go against the wishes of his cantor father and pursue a career in show business. Gradual...
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The Jolson Story
1962
Freud: The Secret Passion
6.5/70
An examination of Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud's career when he began to treat patients diagnosed with hysteria, using the radical technique of...
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Freud: The Secret Passion
1952
Love Is Better Than Ever
6.1/7
The dancing teacher Anastasia falls in love with the smart theatre agent Jud. He likes her, too, but does not want to give up his solo life at all. Th...
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Love Is Better Than Ever
1949
Jolson Sings Again
6/10
In this sequel to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has...
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Jolson Sings Again
1947
Down to Earth
6/22
Upset at a new Broadway musical mocking The Nine Muses, Greek goddess Terpsichore comes down to earth to land a part in the show and change it.
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Down to Earth
1942
Alias Boston Blackie
5.5/10
It is the Christmas Holidays and reformed thief, Boston Blackie goes to Castle Theater to pick up players who will perform for prisoners that are stil...
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Alias Boston Blackie
1945
Counter-Attack
6/11
Two Russians fight to escape the seven Nazi soldiers trapped with them in a bombed building.
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Counter-Attack
1946
Renegades
5.8/4
The daughter of a prominent citizen marries an outlaw's son.
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Renegades
1944
The Black Parachute
5.5/2
A paratrooper drops behind enemy lines to rescue the deposed king of a mythical Balkan nation.
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The Black Parachute
1950
Emergency Wedding
5.5/2
Dr. Helen Hunt is a physician married to millionaire Peter Judson Kirk Jr., who is jealous his wife is spending too much time with her male patients....
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Emergency Wedding
1943
Reveille with Beverly
7/5
Beverly Ross, the switchboard operator at a local radio station, jumps at the chance to be the DJ for an early morning show before the soldiers at a n...
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Reveille with Beverly
1948
The Gallant Blade
6/2
Larry Parks in a Cinecolor swashbuckler.
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The Gallant Blade
1948
The Swordsman
0/0
Young lovers brings two fighting clans together.
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The Swordsman
1941
Mystery Ship
0/0
FBI agents Allan Harper and Tommy Baker are in charge of a group of subversives, spies and saboteurs that the US government is deporting to foreign co...
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Mystery Ship
1943
Destroyer
6.6/15
Flagwaving story of a new American destroyer, the JOHN PAUL JONES, from the day her keel is laid, to what was very nearly her last voyage. Among the c...
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Destroyer
1943
Power of the Press
6.2/10
During WWII, the publisher of the isolationist New York Gazette is murdered just as he was about to change the paper's policy and support the US war e...
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Power of the Press
1942
Atlantic Convoy
5.3/3
American naval forces are using a port in Iceland as a base for anti-submarine patrols to protect North Atlantic convoys from Nazi subs. The Nazis sen...
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Atlantic Convoy
1944
The Racket Man
6/1
A gangster is drafted into the Army and, soon realizing how wrong his life of crime has been, agrees to help the FBI break up a black market ring by p...
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The Racket Man
1944
She's a Sweetheart
0/0
In this musical drama, a woman turns her mansion into a boarding house for soldiers on furlough, providing them with room, board, and musical entertai...
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She's a Sweetheart
1944
Sergeant Mike
5/1
A soldier becomes quite upset when he is transferred from the highly coveted machine-gun unit to the canine corps. He begins to change his opinion whe...
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Sergeant Mike
1943
Is Everybody Happy?
0/0
This is the story of Ted Lewis, popular band leader and clarinettist.
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Is Everybody Happy?
1943
The Deerslayer
7/2
Deerslayer, a white man who was brought up by the Mohicans, helps his old tribe when the Hurons steal Princess Wah Tah, the betrothed of his friend Ji...
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The Deerslayer
1955
Tiger by the Tail
5.6/5
On the first night of his London assignment, newsagency reporter John Desmonmd becomes heavily involved with enigmatic Anna Ray. The affair ends when...
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Tiger by the Tail
1942
Canal Zone
5.5/2
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Canal Zone
1944
Stars on Parade
0/0
In this musical showcase, two aspiring stars attempt to wow a pair of talent scouts with their stellar abilities. Songs include "My Heart Isn't in It"...
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Stars on Parade
1942
You Were Never Lovelier
7.1/50
An Argentine heiress thinks a penniless American dancer is her secret admirer.
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You Were Never Lovelier
1941
Honolulu Lu
4.2/2
While in Hawaii, Velez begins the film as a risque nightclub act and due to her involvement with a group of sailors becomes a beauty queen.
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Honolulu Lu
1942
Hello, Annapolis
10/1
Rivals Bill Arden and Paul Herbert enter the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in order to impress a girl.
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Hello, Annapolis
1942
North of the Rockies
0/0
Morgan and his gang are smuggling furs across the border. Both the Mounties on the Canadian side and Tex Martin on the American side are after them. W...
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North of the Rockies
1941
Three Girls About Town
5.3/3
Faith and Hope Banner, sisters, are "convention hostesses" in a hotel. A body is discovered next door as the magician's convention is leaving and the...
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Three Girls About Town
1942
Submarine Raider
5/6
On December 6, 1941, Captain Yamanada of the Japanese aircraft carrier "Hiranamu", orders full steam ahead for Pearl Harbor. His ship encounters and s...
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Submarine Raider
1941
Harvard Here I Come
5/3
Slapsie Rosenbloom receives an award from the satirical Harvard Lampoon for his well-known stupidity. Instead of being enraged, Slapsie Maxie is delig...
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Harvard Here I Come
1944
Hey, Rookie
0/0
Musical comedy star Jimmy Leighter wants to get away from show biz and his leading lady Winnie Clark, so he joins the Army. There he gets the order to...
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Hey, Rookie
1941
Harmon of Michigan
0/0
A former University of Michigan football star (Tom Harmon) rejects an opportunity to play professional football. Instead, he marries his college sweet...
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Harmon of Michigan
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
5.5/21
Going to college and working in a seedy speakeasy bring Indy into contact with jazz great Sidney Bechet, who teaches him how to play the blues. Unfort...
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The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
1942
They All Kissed the Bride
5.8/8
Margaret Drew runs her trucking company single-mindedly, if not ruthlessly. The only thorn in her side is writer Michael Holmes who is writing a book...
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They All Kissed the Bride
1942
A Man's World
6/1
Somewhere beyond the shores of the United States on a small island, where men ask no questions, women reveal no past and spies neither receive nor exp...
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