Larry Parks

Larry Parks

Born: December 13, 1914
Died: April 13, 1975
in Olathe, Kansas, USA
Samuel Klausman Lawrence Parks was born in Olathe, Kansas, on December 13, 1914, of German and Irish descent. As a child growing up in Joliet, Illinois, he was plagued by a variety of illnesses, including rheumatic fever, but persevered with physical exercise and sheer strength of will. Majoring in science at the University of Illinois, his plans to become a doctor dissolved when, to the dismay of his parents, he found a passionate sideline in college dramatics. He began appearing in touring shows, then made the big move to New York, finding initial employment as an usher at Carnegie Hall and a tour guide at Radio City. Following a number of summer stock shows, he made an inauspicious 1937 Broadway debut with a minor role in the Group Theatre's presentation of "Golden Boy". Developing a close-knit relationship with the Group, he was just beginning to build up his resumé in such Broadway outings as "All the Living", "My Heart's in the Highlands" and "Pure in Heart" when he had to return to his Illinois home following the death of his father.

He toiled for a time in Chicago as a Pullman inspector on the New York Central Railroad until the possibility of a film role had him re-setting his acting sights on Los Angeles. Although the film deal fell through, Larry stayed in L.A. and somehow made ends meet working construction. Columbia expressed interest in the fledgling actor and signed him up in 1941 after a favorable screen test. He stayed for nine years. His buildup was slow-moving, taking his first small step with a minor role in Mystery Ship (1941). Time, however, did not increase the tempo or quality of his movies. Either he was oddly cast, such as his role as an Indian opposite exotic Yvonne De Carlo in The Deerslayer (1943), or completely dismissed, as co-star of such obscurities as The Black Parachute (1944), Sergeant Mike (1944) or She's a Sweetheart (1944). His association with the Group Theatre back in New York led to a chance introduction to musical actress Betty Garrett and the couple married in 1944. Larry had settled by this time in Hollywood but Betty was a hot item on Broadway. MGM finally offered her a contract and she relocated to Los Angeles to join her husband. The couple eventually had two children, one of whom, Andrew Parks, became a fine actor in his own right. Their other son, Garrett Parks, served as composer for the film Diamond Men (2000). Larry scored an Oscar nomination playing Jolson (which was originally offered to both James Cagney and Danny Thomas), and hoped for equally challenging roles. His hopes were dashed as the studio instead continued casting him haphazardly in mild-mannered comedies and swashbuckling adventures. Other than the box-office sequel Jolson Sings Again (1949), most of Larry's films were hardly worthy of his obvious talent. To compensate somewhat, he managed to find a creative outlet in summer stock, and both he and Betty put together a successful vaudeville act with one tour ending up playing London's Palladium.

Following the completion of Love Is Better Than Ever (1952) with Elizabeth Taylor, the political scandal erupted and erased all of his chances to do film. One of many casualties of Hollywood "blacklisting", he was forced to end his association with Columbia, and he and Betty, whose own career was damaged, traveled to Europe to find work

Movies for Larry Parks...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
Title: The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
Character: Charles McArthur
Released: October 27, 1999
Type: Movie
In the twentieth film in the series, in 1950's Wyoming, middle-aged Indiana Jones and his friend Grey Cloud have obtained a sacred ceremonial pipe and end up in a snow-logged cabin. When Jones uncovers a soprano sax, he is reminded of his college days in 1920's Chicago, waiting tables at Colosimo's restaurant and becoming obsessed with Jazz music. When Colosimo was murdered, young Indy got caught up in the investigation together with his roommate Eliot Ness and young reporter Ernest Hemingway.
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Freud: The Secret Passion
Title: Freud: The Secret Passion
Character: Dr. Joseph Breuer
Released: December 12, 1962
Type: Movie
An examination of Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud's career when he began to treat patients diagnosed with hysteria, using the radical technique of hypnosis.
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Title: Dr. Kildare
Character: Dr. Steven Waller
Released: September 27, 1961
Type: TV
The story of a young intern in a large metropolitan hospital trying to learn his profession, deal with the problems of his patients, and win the respect of the senior doctor in his specialty, internal medicine.
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Title: Suspicion
Character: Dr. Milt Krop
Released: September 30, 1957
Type: TV
Suspicion is the title of an American television mystery drama series which aired on the NBC from 1957 through 1959. The executive producer of Suspicion was film director Alfred Hitchcock.
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Tiger by the Tail
Title: Tiger by the Tail
Character: John Desmond
Released: September 19, 1955
Type: Movie
On the first night of his London assignment, newsagency reporter John Desmonmd becomes heavily involved with enigmatic Anna Ray. The affair ends when she is shot struggling for a gun she has pulled on him. This is only the start of his troubles, as Anna worked for a criminal organisation who know Desmond has now got her valuable contacts list.
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Love Is Better Than Ever
Title: Love Is Better Than Ever
Character: Jud Parker
Released: February 23, 1952
Type: Movie
The dancing teacher Anastasia falls in love with the smart theatre agent Jud. He likes her, too, but does not want to give up his solo life at all. Thus she plans a trap for him...
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Emergency Wedding
Title: Emergency Wedding
Character: Peter Judson Kirk Jr.
Released: November 15, 1950
Type: Movie
Dr. Helen Hunt is a physician married to millionaire Peter Judson Kirk Jr., who is jealous his wife is spending too much time with her male patients. He makes a fool of himself trying to prove her guilt.
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Jolson Sings Again
Title: Jolson Sings Again
Character: Al Jolson / Himself
Released: August 17, 1949
Type: Movie
In this sequel to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has left him and the appeal of the spotlight isn't what it used to be. This time Jolson trades in the stage for life in the fast lane: women, horses, travel. It takes the death of Moma Yoelson and World War II to bring Jolson back to earth - and to the stage. Once again teamed with manager Steve Martin, Jolson travels the world entertaining troops everywhere from Alaska to Africa. When he finally collapses from exhaustion it takes young, pretty nurse Ellen Clark to show him there's more to life than "just rushing around".
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The Gallant Blade
Title: The Gallant Blade
Character: Lt. David Picard
Released: October 12, 1948
Type: Movie
Larry Parks in a Cinecolor swashbuckler.
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The Swordsman
Title: The Swordsman
Character: Alexander MacArden
Released: January 2, 1948
Type: Movie
Young lovers brings two fighting clans together.
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Down to Earth
Title: Down to Earth
Character: Danny Miller
Released: August 21, 1947
Type: Movie
Upset about a new Broadway musical's mockery of Greek mythology, the goddess Terpsichore comes down to earth and lands a part in the show. She works her charms on the show's producer and he incorporates her changes into the show. Unfortunately, her changes also produce a major flop.
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The Jolson Story
Title: The Jolson Story
Character: Al Jolson
Released: October 10, 1946
Type: Movie
At the turn of the 20th century, young Asa Yoelson decides to go against the wishes of his cantor father and pursue a career in show business. Gradually working his way up through the vaudeville ranks, Asa — now calling himself Al Jolson — joins a blackface minstrel troupe and soon builds a reputation as a consummate performer. But as his career grows in size, so does his ego, resulting in battles in business as well as in his personal life.
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Renegades
Title: Renegades
Character: Ben Dembrow / Ben Taylor
Released: June 13, 1946
Type: Movie
The daughter of a prominent citizen marries an outlaw's son.
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Counter-Attack
Title: Counter-Attack
Character: Kirichenko
Released: April 26, 1945
Type: Movie
Two Russians fight to escape the seven Nazi soldiers trapped with them in a bombed building.
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She's a Sweetheart
Title: She's a Sweetheart
Character: Rocky Hill
Released: December 7, 1944
Type: Movie
In this musical drama, a woman turns her mansion into a boarding house for soldiers on furlough, providing them with room, board, and musical entertainment.
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Sergeant Mike
Title: Sergeant Mike
Character: Pvt. Tom Allen
Released: November 9, 1944
Type: Movie
A soldier becomes quite upset when he is transferred from the highly coveted machine-gun unit to the canine corps. He begins to change his opinion when he learns that his army dog Mike was a gift from an eight-year-old whose father was killed in the war. Now the soldier becomes committed to training Mike into the best army dog there ever was.
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Stars on Parade
Title: Stars on Parade
Character: Danny Davis
Released: May 25, 1944
Type: Movie
In this musical showcase, two aspiring stars attempt to wow a pair of talent scouts with their stellar abilities. Songs include "My Heart Isn't in It" (Jack Lawrence), "It's Love, Love, Love" (Mack David, Joan Whitney, Alex Kramer), "When They Ask about You" (Sammy Stept), "Jumpin' at the Jubilee" (Ben Carter, Mayes Marshall), "Taking Care of You" (Lou Brown, Harry Akst), "Where Am I Without You?" (Don Raye, Gene De Paul), "Two Hearts in the Dark" (Dave Franklin), "Somewhere This Side of Heaven," "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel."
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The Black Parachute
Title: The Black Parachute
Character: Michael Lindley
Released: May 4, 1944
Type: Movie
A paratrooper drops behind enemy lines to rescue the deposed king of a mythical Balkan nation.
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Hey, Rookie
Title: Hey, Rookie
Character: Jim Leighter
Released: April 6, 1944
Type: Movie
Musical comedy star Jimmy Leighter wants to get away from show biz and his leading lady Winnie Clark, so he joins the Army. There he gets the order to put on a show, Winnie Clark appears in a camp show, hears about his task and offers him his help. He thinks, she does it for her publicity only, so he doesn't want to know anything about this, till he finds out, that she has no such intentions.
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The Racket Man
Title: The Racket Man
Character: Larry Lake
Released: January 18, 1944
Type: Movie
A gangster is drafted into the Army and, soon realizing how wrong his life of crime has been, agrees to help the FBI break up a black market ring by pretending to have been kicked out of service and to have resumed his old life of crime.
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The Deerslayer
Title: The Deerslayer
Character: Jingo-Good
Released: November 22, 1943
Type: Movie
Deerslayer, a white man who was brought up by the Mohicans, helps his old tribe when the Hurons steal Princess Wah Tah, the betrothed of his friend Jingo-Good. His friends, the Hutters, are a white family living on an ark in the middle of a lake. The Hurons attack them and Deerslayer enlists the aid of scout Harry March, who is escorting sixty-five brides to the near-by settlement. Deerslayer and Harry are both in love with Judith Hutter, who is secretly in love with Harry. The Hurons succeed in capturing her father and Harry, where-upon Judith's sister Hetty, playing on an Indian superstition never to harm an insane person, feigns madness and makes an escape. Hutter, Judith, Hetty and Princess Wah-Tah return to the ark, where they ate attacked by the waiting Hurons and Hetty is killed. Deerslayer, Harry and the settlement men arrive to time to drive the Hurons away.
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Is Everybody Happy?
Title: Is Everybody Happy?
Character: Jerry Stewart
Released: October 28, 1943
Type: Movie
This is the story of Ted Lewis, popular band leader and clarinettist.
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Destroyer
Title: Destroyer
Character: Ens. Johnson (uncredited)
Released: August 19, 1943
Type: Movie
Flagwaving story of a new American destroyer, the JOHN PAUL JONES, from the day her keel is laid, to what was very nearly her last voyage. Among the crew, is Steve Boleslavski, a shipyard welder that helped build her, who reenlists, with his old rank of Chief bosuns mate. After failing her sea trials, she is assigned to the mail run, until caught up in a disparate battle with a Japanese sub. After getting torpedoed, and on the verge of sinking, the Captain, and crew hatch a plan to try and save the ship, and destroy the sub.
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Reveille with Beverly
Title: Reveille with Beverly
Character: Eddie Ross
Released: February 4, 1943
Type: Movie
Beverly Ross, the switchboard operator at a local radio station, jumps at the chance to be the DJ for an early morning show before the soldiers at a nearby army camp assemble for reveille. Beverly, with her modern music, camp bulletins and chatter, is a hit with the soldiers. Beverly's younger brother and his two buddies are soldiers at the camp. The buddies vie for Beverly's attentions.
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Power of the Press
Title: Power of the Press
Character: Jerry Purvis (uncredited)
Released: January 29, 1943
Type: Movie
During WWII, the publisher of the isolationist New York Gazette is murdered just as he was about to change the paper's policy and support the US war effort. His friend, a small town patriotic editor, is brought in to find the culprits.
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You Were Never Lovelier
Title: You Were Never Lovelier
Character: Tony - Lita's Boyfriend (uncredited)
Released: November 19, 1942
Type: Movie
An Argentine heiress thinks a penniless American dancer is her secret admirer.
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The Boogie Man Will Get You
Title: The Boogie Man Will Get You
Character: Bill Layden
Released: October 22, 1942
Type: Movie
A young divorcee tries to convert a historic house into a hotel despite its oddball inhabitants and dead bodies in the cellar.
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A Man's World
Title: A Man's World
Character: Chick O'Driscoll
Released: September 17, 1942
Type: Movie
Somewhere beyond the shores of the United States on a small island, where men ask no questions, women reveal no past and spies neither receive nor expect any mercy, a giant Chromite plant is working full blast to supply the United Nations with the precious war-metal. This is the story of that mine and the people working it in a land the law forget, but the evil and devious Nazis remembered.
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Atlantic Convoy
Title: Atlantic Convoy
Character: Gregory
Released: July 2, 1942
Type: Movie
American naval forces are using a port in Iceland as a base for anti-submarine patrols to protect North Atlantic convoys from Nazi subs. The Nazis send undercover agents into the port in a scheme to blow up the entrance to the harbor and keep the patrols blocked in. The officers in charge of the patrols have to find the spies and stop them before they achieve their objective.
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They All Kissed the Bride
Title: They All Kissed the Bride
Character: Joe Krim
Released: June 11, 1942
Type: Movie
Margaret Drew runs her trucking company single-mindedly, if not ruthlessly. The only thorn in her side is writer Michael Holmes who is writing a book on some of her tough ways. With no time for men, the effect an attractive stranger has on her at her sister's wedding is unnerving. When it turns out this is the hated writer, she starts seriously to lose her bearings. Surely it can't become Maggie and Mike?
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Submarine Raider
Title: Submarine Raider
Character: Sparksie
Released: June 4, 1942
Type: Movie
On December 6, 1941, Captain Yamanada of the Japanese aircraft carrier "Hiranamu", orders full steam ahead for Pearl Harbor. His ship encounters and sinks an American yacht and the single survivor, Sue Curry, is rescued by an American submarine, the "Sea Serpent", commanded by Commander Chris Warren. He hears her story and attempts to radio a warning to Pearl Harbor. Yamanada, hearing the signals, orders the airlines jammed, and then sends his son into the air to sink the sub. The attack fails, after the sub makes a crash dive, but they fail in their warning attempts. The next morning, December 7th, the men on the sub hear the story of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and devise a desperate plan to sink the Japanese carrier by letting the carrier know their position. The carrier comes in search of the submarine.
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Hello, Annapolis
Title: Hello, Annapolis
Character: Paul Herbert
Released: April 23, 1942
Type: Movie
Rivals Bill Arden and Paul Herbert enter the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in order to impress a girl.
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Alias Boston Blackie
Title: Alias Boston Blackie
Character: Joe Trilby
Released: April 2, 1942
Type: Movie
It is the Christmas Holidays and reformed thief, Boston Blackie goes to Castle Theater to pick up players who will perform for prisoners that are still in prison. He takes a girl with him who has a brother already in prison. She has visited the prison twice in the month, so is not suppose to visit again. However when the group is completed the girl is included as well as Inspector Farrady. One of the clowns in the show is kidnapped and replaced by a con who wants to get even with two ex-partners. Boston Blackie figures out that a con has replaced one of his clowns but is unable to stop him. Blackie's clothes are stolen and a murder is committed. Of course, the Inspector immediately suspects Blackie of being involved. Now it is Blackie's job to find the killer, exonerate himself and help the girl free her brother.
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North of the Rockies
Title: North of the Rockies
Character: Jim Bailey
Released: April 2, 1942
Type: Movie
Morgan and his gang are smuggling furs across the border. Both the Mounties on the Canadian side and Tex Martin on the American side are after them. When Morgan sets up Tex to be found with furs, Mountie Bill arrests him. But he lets him go hoping he will lead him to the gang and eventually the two join forces.
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Blondie Goes to College
Title: Blondie Goes to College
Character: Rusty Bryant
Released: January 15, 1942
Type: Movie
Dagwood Bumstead must receive a college diploma or lose his job with the Dithers Construction Company. Not wishing to be separated from her husband, Blondie enrolls in college as well. But Leighton College rules stipulate "No Married Couples", forcing Blondie and Dagwood to pretend that they're not married. This causes quite a dilemma when coed Laura Wadsworth begins flirting with Dagwood and Rusty Bryant does the same with Blondie. And Blondie's discovery of a very pleasant secret threatens to expose her and Dagwood's marital status too.
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Harvard Here I Come
Title: Harvard Here I Come
Character: Eddie Spellman
Released: December 18, 1941
Type: Movie
Slapsie Rosenbloom receives an award from the satirical Harvard Lampoon for his well-known stupidity. Instead of being enraged, Slapsie Maxie is delighted by the "honor", and promptly tries to enroll at the ivy-league university. Upon arriving on campus, he is pounced upon by a group of eccentric scientists led by Professor Alvin, who is convinced that Rosenbloom is the "missing link" that science has long been searching for.
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Honolulu Lu
Title: Honolulu Lu
Character: Sailor
Released: December 11, 1941
Type: Movie
While in Hawaii, Velez begins the film as a risque nightclub act and due to her involvement with a group of sailors becomes a beauty queen.
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Three Girls About Town
Title: Three Girls About Town
Character: Reporter
Released: October 23, 1941
Type: Movie
Faith and Hope Banner, sisters, are "convention hostesses" in a hotel. A body is discovered next door as the magician's convention is leaving and the mortician's convention is arriving, and the sisters, with help from manager Wilburforce Puddle, try to hide it. Complicating matters, Hope's boyfriend, Tommy, is a newspaper reporter in the hotel covering some labor negotiations.
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Harmon of Michigan
Title: Harmon of Michigan
Character: Harvey
Released: September 11, 1941
Type: Movie
A former University of Michigan football star (Tom Harmon) rejects an opportunity to play professional football. Instead, he marries his college sweetheart (Anita Louise) and begins a career as a college football coach.
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Mystery Ship
Title: Mystery Ship
Character: Tommy Baker
Released: September 3, 1941
Type: Movie
FBI agents Allan Harper and Tommy Baker are in charge of a group of subversives, spies and saboteurs that the US government is deporting to foreign countries aboard a ship. The deportees attempt to take over the ship.