John Howard (American actor)

For other people of the same name, see John Howard (disambiguation).

John Howard
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Born	John Richard Cox, Jr. (1913-04-14)April 14, 1913 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died	Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart failure
Alma mater	Case Western Reserve University
Years active	1934-1978
Spouse(s)	Eva Ralf (1926-1998)
Children	4 (Dale, Daniel, Deborah and Deirdre)

John Howard (April 14, 1913 – February 19, 1995) was an American actor noted for his work in both film and television.

Early life

Born John Richard Cox, Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio, he was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of what is now Case Western Reserve University. At college he discovered a love for the theater, and took part in student productions.

Career

File:Philadelphia Story 12.jpg

With Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story

Eventually, Howard became a contract player for Paramount, working in a dozen pictures before getting his first big role as Ronald Colman's younger brother in Lost Horizon. He soon took over for Colman in the Bulldog Drummond series of films, starring in seven of the features (1937–39), and maintaining the film version of the detective. Howard's next major assignment was as Katharine Hepburn's fiancé in The Philadelphia Story (1940), competing for her attention with both Cary Grant and James Stewart.

Military service

He served in the Navy during World War II, eventually as Executive Officer aboard a minesweeper USS YMS-24 where he participated in landing operations at Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and deception operations against Sardinia and Southern France. When his vessel struck a mine off the French coast in August, 1944, killing the captain and severely damaging the ship, Howard took over command and fought to save his ship and crew, even jumping into the sea to save several wounded sailors. For his actions he was awarded both the US Navy Cross and the French Croix de Guerre.

Return to acting

Upon his return to Hollywood, Howard was given the lead in smaller projects, but limited to supporting roles in feature pictures. Even his performance as Laraine Day's husband in The High and the Mighty (1954) did not generate any opportunities to break the pattern. Howard made his Broadway debut in Hazel Flagg in 1953, where he met his future wife, ballerina and actress Eva Ralf.

Howard then played the lead in two American television series Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal and later Adventures of the Sea Hawk in 1958. He found a friendship with Fred MacMurray, star of My Three Sons, and was a regular guest star on the show, playing Fred MacMurray's boss. Howard became one of the first screen actors to commit to working in the new field of television and continued to make occasional film appearances until the mid-1970s. Early in 1961, he guest starred as Captain Chilcoath in the episode "Rebellion at Blazing Rock" of the 17-week NBC series, The Americans.

Career change to education

In time, Howard moved into academia. He taught English at Highland Hall Waldorf School for more than twenty years and helped to start the high school program at the institution.

Death

He died in 1995 of heart failure, aged 81, in Santa Rosa, California, survived by his wife Eva and their four children, Daniel, Deborah, Dale, and Deirdre. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Partial filmography

Film	Year	Role	Notes
Millions in the Air	1935	Eddie Warren
Thirteen Hours by Air	1935	Freddie Scott
Valiant Is the Word for Carrie	1936	Paul Darnley
Lost Horizon	1937	George Conway
Hitting a New High	1937	Jimmy James
That Navy Spirit	1937	Chuck Baldwin
Penitentiary	1938	William Jordan
Arrest Bulldog Drummond Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police	1939 1939	Capt. Hugh Drummond Capt. Hugh Drummond	Lead Lead
Bulldog Drummond's Bride	1939	Capt. Hugh Drummond	Lead
The Man from Dakota	1940	Lt. Oliver Clark
Texas Rangers Ride Again	1940	James Kingston aka Pecos Kid	Lead
The Philadelphia Story	1940	George Kittredge
The Invisible Woman	1940	Richard Russell
The Mad Doctor	1941	Gil Sawyer
Tight Shoes	1941	Jimmy Rupert	Lead
Father Takes a Wife	1941	Frederic Osborne Junior
Three Girls About Town	1941	Tommy Hopkins
A Tragedy at Midnight	1942	Greg Sherman	Lead
The Man Who Returned to Life	1942	David Hampton Jameson/George Bishop	Lead
Submarine Commander	1942	Commander Chris Warren	Lead
Isle of Missing Men	1942	Merrill Hammond	Lead
The Undying Monster	1942	Oliver Hammond
Love from a Stranger	1947	Nigel Lawrence
I, Jane Doe	1948	William Hilton
The Fighting Kentuckian	1949	Blake Randolph
Make Haste to Live	1954	Josh Blake
The High and the Mighty	1954	Howard Rice
Capone	1975	Warden J. Johnston	last film

Television

TV series	Year	Role	Episode
Lawman	1960	Lance Creedy	episode: The Showdown
Wagon Train	1960	Colonel James Harris	episode: The Colonel Harris Story
Cheyenne	1960	John Thompson	episode: Home Is the Brave
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color	1962	Mayor Wood	episodes: Moochie of Pop Warner Football: Pee Wees Versus City Hall & Moochie of Pop Warner Football: From Ticonderoga to Disneyland
Rawhide	1962	James Carr	episode: The Captain's Wife
The Legend of Jesse James	1966	Dr. Samuel	episode: 1863
Family Affair	1967	Myron Fox	episode: Star Dust
Mannix	1969	Dr. Daniels	episode: A Question of Midnight
The Brady Bunch	1971-1972	Dr. Howard & Doctor	episodes: Coming Out Party & Today, I Am a Freshman
Mission: Impossible	1972	Foreman	episode: Committed
Mod Squad	1973	Dr. Brandson	episode: Put Out the Welcome Mat for Death
The New Perry Mason	1973-1974	Judge Channing & Judge	episodes: The Case of the Ominous Oath & The Case of the Tortured Titan
Police Woman	1974	Leland Perrier	episode: The End Game
Bronk	1976	Judge Sheehan	episode: Long Time Dying
Little House on the Prairie	1976	Hiram Potter	episode: The Pride of Walnut Grove
Wonder Woman	1977	Dr. Diderich	episode: Last of the $2 Bills
Police Woman	1977	David Earl	episode: Bondage
The Rockford Files	1978	Mort	episodes: Black Mirror: Parts 1 & 2

Bibliography

• Wise, James. Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 1557509379 OCLC 36824724

External links

• John Howard at the Internet Movie Database
• John Howard at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Howard at the TCM Movie Database
• John Howard at Find a Grave
• John Howard at Virtual History
• Navy Cross citation http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=19917