Jack Carson

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia John Elmer Jack Carson October 27 1910 January 2 1963 was a Canadianborn American film actor with a film career spanning the 1930s 1940s and 1950s Though he was primarily used in supporting roles for comic relief his work in films such as Mildred Pierce 1945 and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 displayed his mastery of straight dramatic actor roles as well He worked for RKO and MGM cast opposite Myrna Loy and William Powell in Love Crazy but most of his memorable work was for Warner Bros His trademark character was the wisecracking knowitall typically and inevitably undone by his own smug cockiness Carson initially landed bit roles at RKO Radio Pictures in films such as Bringing Up Baby 1938 starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn An early standout role for Carson was as a mockdrunk undercover GMan opposite Richard Cromwell in Universal Picturess antiNazi action drama entitled Enemy Agent This led to contractplayer status with Warner Brothers shortly thereafter While there he was teamed with Dennis Morgan in a number of films supposedly to compete with Paramounts popular Bing Crosby Bob Hope Road to pictures Most of his work at Warner Brothers was limited to light comedy work with Morgan and later Doris Day who in her autobiography would credit Carson as one of her early Hollywood mentors Critics generally agree that Carsons best work was in Mildred Pierce 1945 where he played the perpetually scheming Wally Fay opposite Joan Crawford in the title role Also in 1945 he played the role of Harold Pierson the second husband of Louise Randall played by Rosalind Russell in Roughly Speaking Another role which won accolades for him was as publicist Matt Libby in A Star is Born 1954 One of his last film roles was as the older brother Gooper in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 His TV appearances extending into the early 1960s included The Martha Raye Show The Guy Mitchell Show and The Polly Bergen Show in 1957 Alcoa Theatre and Bonanza Season 1 Ep9 Mr Henry Comstock in 1959 Thriller The Big Blackout in 1960 and The Twilight Zone Season 2 Ep 14 The Whole Truth in 1961 On February 8 1960 Carson received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television and radio industry The television star is located at 1560 Vine Street the radio star is at 6361 Hollywood Boulevard In 1983 after his death Jack Carson was inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Artists Hall of Fame along with his film pal Dennis Morgan who was also from Wisconsin