James Lablache (Stewart) Granger (1913 - 1993)

Born 6 May 1913 in London, Middlesex, England, UK

Ancestors

Husband of Jean Elspeth (Mackenzie) March — married Jul 1938 (to 1948) in London, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Jean Merilyn Simmons OBE — married 20 Dec 1950 (to 1960) in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, United States

Died 16 Aug 1993 at age 80 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Donna Lancaster [send private message]

Biography

I haven't aged into a character actor. I'm an old leading man. -- Stewart Granger^[1]

The rule was "no autopsy, no foul." -- Stewart Granger^[2]

Stewart (Stewart) Granger is Notable.

Stewart Granger was an English and American film actor, primarily playing heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s through the early 1960s.^[3] He wrote an autobiography entitled "Sparks Fly Upwards" published by Putnam, New York, 1981.

He was born James Lablache Stewart 6 May 1913 in Kensington, London, England, the son of James Stewart and Frederica Lablache .^[4] He received his education at Epsom College and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. His ancestors included the opera singer Luigi Lablache and the actor Luigi Lablache.^[5]

He was married three times. His first wife was the actress Elspeth March, whom he married July 1938 in London;^[6] they divorced in 1948. His second wife was the actress Jean Simmons, whom he married 20 December 1950 in Tucson Arizona^[7] and divorced in 1960. His third wife was a Belgian beauty queen Caroline LeCerf, whom he married 8 June 1964 in Geneva, Switzerland.^{[8] [9]} and divorced in 1969.

He died 16 August 1993 in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 80.^[10]

Suave Star Granger Dies of Cancer^[11]

Santa Monica, Calif.--Stewart Granger, the tall, suave star of such adventure films as "King Solomon's Mines" and "The Last Safari," died Monday. He was 80.

"He died at Saint John's Hospital and Health Center after a lengthy battle with cancer, hospital spokesman Gary Miereanu said."

"The British-born Granger, whose give name was James Lablanche Stewart, starred in English theater revues in the 1930s and made his film debut in "So This Is London" in 1939. Toward the end of his career he returned to this stage roots, appearing with Rex Harrison in 1989 in a Broadway revival of "The Circle." It was his Broadway debut."

"Granger made more than 60 movies, and except for time out for military service during World War II he was one of England's most prominent actors in the 1940s. "His name, like Errol Flynn, was synonymous with 'swashbuckler,' said his agent, Sig Craig."

"Granger came to the United States in 1950 to star in "King Solomon's Mines," changing his name to avoid being confused with American actor James Stewart. He stayed in Hollywood, where he made a career of playing virile, leading men in such romantic swashbuckling films as the 1952 remake of "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "Salome" in 1953."

"Granger, who became a citizen in 1956,^[12] also continued to star in European films, including "Sodom and Gommorah" in 1961 and "Requiem for a Secret Agent" in 1966. In the 1970s he played Sherlock Holmes in the television movie, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and appeared in "The Wild Geese" about mercenaries in Africa."

"In 1991, he played an aging Hollywood actor in an episode of the CBS series "Gabriel's Fire." Also that year, he appeared on stage in "Don Juan in Hell" at the Henry Fonda Theater, along with Lynn Redgrave and David Carradine."

Sources

1. ↑ Stewart Granger AZ Quotes.
2. ↑ Stewart Granger AZ Quotes.
3. ↑ Stewart Granger on Wikipedia.
4. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2FP2-5TM : 1 October 2014), James L Stewart, 1913; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Kensington, London, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
5. ↑ Stewart Granger on Wikipedia.
6. ↑ England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1984-2005. James L Stewart, Registration Date, Jul 1938, Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep; Registration district: Kensington; Inferred County:London; Spouse: Jean E Mackenzie; Volume Number: 1a; Page number: 496.
7. ↑ "Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1X-6FCS : 29 November 2018), James Lablache Stewart and Jean Merilyn Simmons, 20 Dec 1950; citing Marriage, Tucson, Pima, Arizona, United States, Arizona Department of Libraries, Archives, and Public Records, Phoenix; FHL microfilm 007541682.
8. ↑ "The Sunday Express in London reported that British movie star Stewart Granger will marry 22-year-old former Belgian beauty queen Caroline Lecerf. Columnist Roderick Mann said Granger, 50, told him in London recently he and Miss Lecerf were 'finally going to do it' and the star's 19-year-old son Jamie by a former marriage would be best man." Knoxville News-Sentinel, Monday, April 6, 1964, Knoxville, TN, page 2.
9. ↑ Stewart Granger Weds a Belgian. Geneva--Actor Stewart Granger, 51, and former Belgian beauty queen Vivianne Lecerf, 22, were married here Monday. It was Granger's third marriage and MIss Lecerf's first. The bride wore a dark blue low-neck chiffon dress with bright red dots, matching dark blue handbag and shoes, for the ceremony in Geneva's City Hall." Omaha World Herald, Tuesday, June 9, 1964, Omaha, NE, page 28.
10. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #8122 Burial : Stewart Granger's remains are buried in Africa on the mountain of Kilimanjaro.
11. ↑ Obituary: Suave Star Granger Dies of Cancer. Times Picauyne, Tuesday, August 17, 1993, New Orleans, LA, page 9.
12. ↑ U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project), California, Naturalization Index Cards of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California; Lost Citizenship. No. 7638501; Granger, James Stewart, residing at 728 Linda Flora Drive, Los Angeles, California; date of birth 5/6/1913; date of order of admission: 6/8/1956; date certificate issued: 6/8/1956 by the U.S. District Court at Los Angeles, California, petition No. 191240; Alien Registration No 7 279 164.