Cary Grant Was Hollywood’s Top Leading Man – But He Had His Secrets
Widely regarded as one of classic Hollywood’s greatest leading men, Cary Grant appeared in more than 70 films over the course of his career. While he worked across a range of genres, he became best known for his effortless charm and carefully curated screen persona, famously refusing roles that might tarnish his image.
Offscreen, Grant proved just as savvy, becoming one of the first actors to break free from the studio system and negotiate groundbreaking deals that tied his earnings to a film’s box office success, earning him a remarkable fortune in the process.
His Real Name Wasn't Cary Grant
While we know him as "Cary Grant,: the actor known by that name was actually born Alec Archibald Leach. Upon making his way to Hollywood, Paramount executives didn't think "Archie Leach" was a good enough name for a leading man.
When it came time to give himself a new name, they landed on "Cary Lockwood." While the execs liked the name Cary, they were still unsure about Lockwood and came up with Grant when reading down a list of last names. The actor legally changed his name in 1941.
He Had a Deep Family Secret
When a young Grant was just nine years old, his father had his mother committed to a mental institution. It was there that his dad claimed she'd died not long after being admitted.
It wasn't until Grant was 31 that he learned the truth that his mother was still alive. His father had suffered from alcoholism and admitted to the secret to his son on his deathbed.
He Was Quite the Performer Before Arriving in Hollywood
Long before arriving in Hollywood, and before becoming Cary Grant, the soon-to-be-actor left home at 13 to join the Bob Pender Troupe, a group of boy comedians with whom he specialized in acrobatics, tumbling and vaudeville.
In 1920, Pender brought the troupe to the US, where they toured for two years before he decided not to return to England. For the next several years, Grant demonstrated his unique skills until meeting producer Arthur Hammerstein while performing on Broadway in 1927, introducing him to film.
He Made Large Contributions to the War Effort
In the 1940s, Grant became involved with the war effort. At the time, many major Hollywood stars put aside their acting careers to serve their country. While he was unable to join up with the armed forces and physically fight, he certainly did contribute a lot of money.
Grant's first contribution was his $137,000 salary from The Philadelphia Story to the British Relief Fund. Later, he donated $100,000 from his salary from Old Lance to the US War Relief Fund.
His Image Was Never Tarnished
Featured in more than 70 starring roles throughout his career, Grant was never allowed to play the villain. This was to ensure his nice-guy image was upheld and to keep him as profitable of an actor as possible.
At one point, Alfred Hitchcock was forced to change the ending of his 1941 film Superstition, which eventually revealed Grant's character to be the killer. This went against the actor's hero image and the director was begrudgingly made to rewrite the end to portray Grant's character in a more positive light.
He Was One of the Few Actors Alfred Hitchcock Liked
Despite Hitchcock insisting that his films be made in his vision, there were few actors he got along with. The director was notorious for having unfriendly relationships with most of those who starred in his films.
Cary Grant ended up starring in four of Hitchcock's films, including Suspicion, Notorious, To Catch a Thief and North by Northwest. Hitchcock went so far one time as to state that Grant was "the only actor I ever loved in my whole life."
Grant Was Almost James Bond
The author of the James Bond series, Ian Fleming, went on record to state that he partially based Bond's cool and calm demeanor with Grant's impressive Hollywood image.
He was so much like a real James Bond that he was offered the first film in the series, Dr. No. However, at 58 years old, Grant figured that he was too old for the role. Furthermore, the producers needed an actor that would commit to more than just one film. This was a lucky break for the future Bond actor Sean Connery.
He Was Good Friends with Howard Hughes
Cary Grant was close friends with billionaire, pilot and director, Howard Hughes. The actor even married his fourth wife, Ryan Cannon, at Hughes' Desert Inn in Las Vegas! His friendship with Hughes in the 1930s saw Grant being invited into many close-knit Hollywood circles and parties.
However, their friendship also greatly benefited Grant's wealth, leading Grant to become interested in business, so that, by 1939, he was "already an astute operator with various commercial interests."
Turned Down By Sophia Loren
Over the course of his life, Grant married five times - four of them ending in divorce. That being said, he was no stranger to affairs. While filming The Pride and the Passion, he began one with a much younger Sophia Loren.
At the time, Grant was married and three decades Loren's senior. When he proposed, she declined. The next year, the two starred together once more, this time in Houseboat, but having ended their affair, the production proved to be difficult.
A Version of Superman Was Based on Him
Christopher Reeves, who portrayed Superman, revealed he'd based the character's alter-ego, Clark Kent, in the 1978 Superman movie on Grant's character in the 1938 comedy, Bringing Up the Baby.
In the film, Grant plays a palaeontologist alongside Katherine Hepburn's character, who, together, raise a leopard named Baby. Christopher Reeves' inspiration for Clark Kent through Grant was later adopted by several other Superman actors.
He Was Frugal With His Money
Grant was well known for his style, suave and wit, but the actor was also rather cheap. He was the first to break out of the studio system and negotiate a percentage of his film's box office takes, making him incredibly wealthy. However, he wasn't known to waste his money.
Rumors began to circulate that Grant was so cheap with his money that he was known to take the buttons off of his shirts before disposing of them. It was also said that he kept a string in his pocket. Why? His father was a tailor and Grant didn't want to forget his humble beginnings.
He Enjoyed Altering His Mind
While Grant prided himself in always doing things in moderation, he particularly enjoyed altering his mind with illegal substances. While at the top of his career, he was introduced to one psychoactive substance by his third wife and later claimed that the compound saved him.
It's estimated he ingested the narcotic over 100 times between 1958 and '61, even contacting Good Housekeeping to spread the word about his experiences.
His First Crack at Retirement Didn't Exactly Stick
Grant retired early, at the age of 48. He made the decision to leave the industry after figuring that upcoming stars like Marlon Brando would run him out of business - he thought he'd just quit while he was ahead.
Despite not working for three years, Hitchcock eventually convinced Grant to star in his film To Catch a Thief, alongside Grace Kelly. While Grant made $700,000 from the film, Hitchcock made a mere $50,000.
No Intention of Coming Out of Retirement a Second Time
Cary Grant retired from the silver screen once more in 1962 after his daughter was born, intending to be a present father. After retiring, he had no intention of making a career comeback. However, he was offered several roles, claiming that "I could have gone on acting playing a grandfather or a bum, but I discovered more important things in life."
In his final years, however, he embarked on a one-man show, titled A Conversation with Cary Grant, in which he would show clips from his films and answer the audiences' questions.
He Never Received Any Major Awards
Despite being one of the most successful actors ever, Grant never earned any major awards for his work. He was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Actor for Penny Serenade and None But the Lonely Heart, and a whopping five times for the Golden Globe for Best Actor.
However, he never had any of these awards placed in his hands. In 1970, he received an honorary Oscar for his "unique mastery of the art of screen acting with the respect and affection of his colleagues."
He Never Said 'Judy, Judy, Judy'
A long time phrase that's been closely associated with Cary Grant is "Judy, Judy, Judy." However, as it turns out, he never said these famous words.
In fact, he once said this saying is actually the work of impersonator Larry Storch, who played Cpl. Randolph Agarn on F Troop. Supposedly, Storch was impersonating Grant in a nightclub when he saw Judy Garland enter the room, leading him to welcome her with the phrase.
Grant Was in a Major Car Crash
Just days after his divorce to Dyan Cannon, a 64-year-old Grant was in a life-threatening car accident. While riding in a limousine to JFK airport with 23-year-old Baroness Gratia von Furstenberg, the vehicle was struck by a truck while driving on the Long Island Expressway.
They both thankfully survived, but the two spent days in the hospital recovering from their injuries. On top of that, they were awarded $70,000 in a settlement with the truck's owner.
He Had a Number of Close Male Friends
Grant's preferences were consistently questioned, regardless that he was married five times and had numerous affairs with women. Before becoming a Hollywood icon, he lived with costume designer Orry-Kerry on and off for nine years, and with his friend Randolph Scott for 12.
Furthermore, a manuscript by Orry-Kelly was discovered, which suggested the two had been lovers, and after Grant's popularity began to grow, he began to keep his personal life more of a secret.
A Lawsuit Against Chevy Chase
When Chevy Chase first started to make a name for himself in Hollywood, it wasn't uncommon for him to be compared to a younger Cary Grant. Regarding the comparison, in a 1980 interview, Chase commented, "He was brilliant. What a gal!"
Grant was infuriated by this comment, as rumors had been circulating that he was bisexual. The next day, he sued Chase for $10 million, although the two eventually settled out of court. Grant was 76 at the time and noted, "True or untrue, I am old enough not to play."
He Saved Every Memory From His Daughter's Childhood
Grant's daughter, Jennifer, recalls having a magical childhood, growing up around famous stars. Her mother is Dyan Cannon, Grant's fourth wife.
As Jennifer grew up, Grant saved toys, clothes and moments from her childhood. She recalls her belongings carefully stored and preserved in her childhood room in a "bank vault" fashion. She believed her father held onto the memories from her childhood partially due to all of his belongings from early life being destroyed during the explosive attack of Bristol during World War II.
His Daughter Jennifer Grant Is An Actress
Not only was her father an incredible actor, but Jennifer Grant's mother Dyan Cannon was an actress, too, and was nominated for three Academy Awards. Their marriage only lasted for three years, from 1965 to 1968, but Jennifer maintained a close relationship with both parents.
It wasn't until after her father's death that Jennifer took up acting herself, however. Best known for her role in Beverly Hills, 90210, Jennifer graduated from Stanford University first! As Grant's only child, she inherited $30 million of his estate when he passed in 1986.
Jackson Sawa
