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Richard Dix

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This article is about the American actor. For the English footballer, see Richard Dix (footballer).

Richard Dix
Dix in 1923
Born
Ernst Carlton Brimmer

(1893-07-18)July 18, 1893
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 1949(1949-09-20) (aged 56)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
OccupationActor
Years active1914–1947
Spouses
Winifred Coe
​
​
(m. 1931; div. 1933)​
Virginia Webster
​
(m. 1934)​
Children4
AwardsHollywood Walk of Fame

Richard Dix (born Ernst Carlton Brimmer;[1] July 18, 1893 – September 20, 1949) was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film.[2] His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his lead role in the Best Picture-winning epic Cimarron (1931).[3]

Dix appeared in 101 film roles, credited from his first appearance. Plagued by alcoholism, he died at 56, just two years after his film career had ended.

Early life

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Dix was born Ernst Carlton Brimmer on July 18, 1893, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[4] He received his schooling there, intending to become a surgeon to please his father. Standing 6 feet and weighing 180 pounds, Dix excelled in sports, especially football and baseball. His obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club also led him to leading roles in most of the school plays. After a year at the University of Minnesota, he took a position at a bank, and trained for the stage in the evening. His professional start was with a local stock company, and this led to similar work in New York City. He then went to Los Angeles and became leading man for the Morosco Stock Company.[5] His success there earned him a contract with Paramount Pictures.

Career

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Gertrude Astor, Colleen Moore and Dix filming The Wall Flower in 1922

Upon arrival at Paramount studios Brimmer changed his name to Richard Dix. He began his Hollywood film career in dramas and romantic comedies. His first Western was in 1923, To the Last Man, his seventeenth picture, immediately followed by his best-remembered early role in Cecil B. Demille's silent version of The Ten Commandments.

Able to successfully bridge the transition from silent films to talkies and remain a leading man, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1931 for his performance as Yancey Cravat in RKO's Cimarron. Based on the popular novel by Edna Ferber, it took the Best Picture award. Another memorable starring role for Dix was in a followup RKO blockbuster, the adventure The Lost Squadron.

Redskin in 1929 was Dix's last silent film
Dix was deep into B films by 1943; the budget for The Ghost Ship was a mere $150,000.

Plagued by alcoholism, Dix was unable to maintain his A-list leading man status, and spiraled into B pictures. He starred in the 1935 British futuristic film The Tunnel, as well as The Great Jasper and Blind Alibi in the late 1930s. Dix also starred as the homicidal Captain Stone in the Val Lewton production of The Ghost Ship.

The Kansan in 1943 was another B picture, and Dix's last Western

In 1941, Dix played Wild Bill Hickok in Badlands of Dakota and portrayed Wyatt Earp the following year in Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die.

In 1944, he starred in The Whistler, a feature film produced by Columbia Pictures based on the popular radio program. The film adaptation was popular enough to become a series. In these offbeat, crime-related stories, Dix did not play "The Whistler" (who was an unseen narrator representing the central character's conscience). He appeared in a variety of characterizations, some sympathetic, others hard-boiled, but always victims of fate and circumstances conspiring against him. Dix retired from acting after the seventh of these films, The Thirteenth Hour. He suffered a heart attack in October 1948[6] and continued to have heart trouble until his death within the year.

Personal life

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According to the July 1934 Movies magazine, Dix raised thousands of chickens and turkeys each year on his ranch near Hollywood, the location of which he kept a close secret. He also had a collection of thousands of smoking pipes, and at one time had 36 Scotties and English setters. He also read at least five books a week.

Richard Dix married Winifred Coe on October 20, 1931. A daughter, Martha Mary Ellen, followed. They divorced in 1933. He married Virginia Webster, on June 29, 1934. They had twin boys, Richard Jr. and Robert Dix (1935–2018), and adopted a daughter, Sara Sue.

Dix supported Thomas Dewey in the 1944 United States presidential election.[7]

After years of fighting alcoholism, Dix suffered a serious heart attack at 56 on September 12, 1949, either on a train from New York to Los Angeles[8][4]) or while on board a ship returning from France.[9] He died eight days later at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital,[9] and is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.[10]

Legacy

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Dix has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Pictures section at 1610 Vine Street. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.[11]

Dix is mentioned in the film Blazing Saddles, when Olson Johnson tries to rouse the townspeople: "Our fathers came across the prairies, fought Indians, fought drought, fought locusts, fought Dix... Remember when Richard Dix came in here and tried to take over this town?"

Filmography

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Silent Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1917 One of Many James Lowery Lost film
1921 Not Guilty Paul Ellison / Arthur Ellison Lost film
All's Fair in Love Bobby Cameron Lost film
Dangerous Curve Ahead Harley Jones Lost film
The Poverty of Riches John Colby Lost film
1922 Yellow Men and Gold Parrish Lost film
Fools First Tommy Frazer Lost film
The Wall Flower Walt Breen Lost film
The Bonded Woman Lee Marvin A copy is held at Gosfilmofond
The Sin Flood Bill Bear Lost film
The Glorious Fool Billy Grant Lost film
1923 The Christian John Storm A copy is held at the George Eastman House
Quicksands Lieutenant Bill Lost film
Souls for Sale Frank Claymore
The Woman with Four Faces Richard Templar Lost film
Racing Hearts Robby Smith Lost film
To the Last Man Jean Isbel A copy is held at Gosfilmofond
The Ten Commandments John McTavish Copies are held at George Eastman and the Library of Congress
The Call of the Canyon Glenn Kilbourne Copies are held at Gosfilmofond and the Library of Congress
1924 The Stranger Larry Darrant Lost film
Icebound Ben Jordan Lost film
Unguarded Women Douglas Albright Lost film
Sinners In Heaven Alan Croft Lost film
Manhattan Peter Minuit
1925 Too Many Kisses Richard Gaylord Jr A copy is held at the Library of Congress
A Man Must Live Geoffrey Farnell Lost film
The Shock Punch Randall Lee Savage A copy is held at the Library of Congress
Men and Women Will Prescott Lost film
The Lucky Devil Randy Farnum A copy is held at the Library of Congress
The Vanishing American Nophaie A copy is held at the Library of Congress
Womanhandled Bill Dana A copy is held at the Library of Congress
1926 Let's Get Married Billy Dexter A copy is held at the Library of Congress
Fascinating Youth Himself (cameo) Lost film
Say It Again Bob Howard Lost film
The Quarterback Jack Stone A copy is held at the Library of Congress
1927 Paradise for Two Steve Porter Lost film
Knockout Reilly Dundee "Knockout" Reilly Lost film
Man Power Tom Roberts Lost film
Shanghai Bound Jim Bucklin Lost film
The Gay Defender Joaquin Murrieta Lost film
1928 Sporting Goods Richard Shelby Lost film
Easy Come, Easy Go Robert Parker Lost film
Warming Up Bert Tulliver Lost film
filmed in silent and Movietone sound version with music and sound effects only
Moran of the Marines Michael Moran Lost film
1929 Redskin Wingfoot A copy is held at the Library of Congress; partly filmed in Technicolor

Sound films

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Year Title Role Notes
1929 Nothing But the Truth Robert Bennett
The Wheel of Life Captain Leslie Yeullet
The Love Doctor Dr. Gerald Summer
Seven Keys to Baldpate William Halliwell Magee
1930 Lovin' the Ladies Peter Darby
Shooting Straight Larry Sheldon
1931 Cimarron Yancey Cravat Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor
Young Donovan's Kid Jim Donovan
The Public Defender Pike Winslow
Secret Service Captain Lewis Dumont
1932 The Lost Squadron Capt. "Gibby" Gibson
Roar of the Dragon Captain Chauncey Carson
Hell's Highway Frank 'Duke' Ellis
The Conquerors Roger Standish / Roger Standish Lennox
1933 The Great Jasper Jasper Horn
No Marriage Ties Bruce Foster
Ace of Aces 2nd Lt. Rex "Rocky" Thorne
Day of Reckoning John Day
1934 Stingaree Stingaree
His Greatest Gamble Phillip Eden
West of the Pecos Pecos Smith
1935 The Arizonian Clay Tallant
The Tunnel Richard 'Mack" McAllan
1936 Yellow Dust Bob Culpepper
Special Investigator William "Bill" Fenwick
Devil's Squadron Paul Redmond
1937 The Devil's Playground Jack Dorgan
The Devil is Driving Paul Driscoll
It Happened in Hollywood Tim Bart
1938 Blind Alibi Paul Dover
Sky Giant Capt. W.R. "Stag" Cahill
1939 Twelve Crowded Hours Nick Green
Man of Conquest Sam Houston
Here I Am a Stranger Duke Allen
Reno William Shayne aka Bill Shear
1940 The Marines Fly High Lt. Danny Darrick
Men Against the Sky Phil Mercedes
Cherokee Strip Marshal Dave Lovell
1941 The Round Up Steve Payson
Badlands of Dakota Wild Bill Hickok
1942 Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die Wyatt Earp
Eyes of the Underworld Police Chief Richard Bryan
American Empire Dan Taylor
1943 Buckskin Frontier Stephen Bent
The Kansan John Bonniwell
Top Man Tom Warren
The Ghost Ship Captain Will Stone
1944 The Whistler Earl C. Conrad
The Mark of the Whistler Lee Selfridge Nugent
1945 The Power of the Whistler William Everest
Voice of the Whistler John Sinclair (John Carter)
1946 Mysterious Intruder Don Gale
The Secret of the Whistler Ralph Harrison
1947 The Thirteenth Hour Steve Reynolds

References

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  1. ^ Stephens, E. J.; Wanamaker, Marc (2014). Early Poverty Row Studios. Arcadia Publishing. p. 88. ISBN 9781439648292. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  2. ^ Obituary Variety, September 21, 1949.
  3. ^ "("Richard Dix" search results)". Academy Awards Database. Retrieved May 28, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b Slide, Anthony (2010). Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813127088. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  5. ^ Marsh, Molly (December 16, 1934). "Richard Dix---A Gentleman of the Soil". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. p. 62. Retrieved May 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Motion Picture Daily, "Richard Dix Is Ill," October 27, 1948, p. 2.
  7. ^ Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107650282.
  8. ^ The Advertiser (Adelaide), "Richard Dix Ill", September 14, 1949, pg. 1.
  9. ^ a b Katchmer, George A. (2009). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 96. ISBN 9781476609058. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  10. ^ Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476625997 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Richard Dix". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on May 28, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.

Bibliography

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  • Dix, Robert. Out of Hollywood: Two Generations of Actors. Ernest Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-9822436-0-2
  • Van Neste, Dan. "The Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows". Albany, GA: BearManor Media, 2011. ISBN 978-1-59393-402-6
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