
Jack Carson
Known for department: Acting
Birthday: 1910-10-27 – 1963-01-02
Place of birth: Carman, Manitoba, Canada
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Elmer "Jack" Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born, 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 know-it-all, 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 mock-drunk undercover G-Man opposite Richard Cromwell in Universal Pictures's anti-Nazi action drama entitled Enemy Agent. This led to contract-player status with Warner Brothers shortly thereafter. While there, he was teamed with Dennis Morgan in a number of films, supposedly to compete with Paramount's 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 Carson's 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, Ep.9: "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.
Known for

Arsenic and Old Lace
1944Officer Patrick O'Hara
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1958Gooper
Bringing Up Baby
1938Circus Roustabout (uncredited)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939Sweeney Farrell (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
1954Matt Libby
Mildred Pierce
1945Wally Fay
Love Crazy
1941Ward Willoughby
My Dream Is Yours
1949Doug Blake
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
1941Chuck
Princess O'Rourke
1943Dave Campbell
It's a Great Feeling
1949Jack Carson
Blues in the Night
1941Leo Powell
The Hard Way
1943Albert Runkel
Carefree
1938Connors
The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941Allen Brice
A Rented Riot
1937
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
1961Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien
Dangerous When Wet
1953Windy Webbe
Romance on the High Seas
1948Peter Virgil