John Howard
Biography
John Howard was an American actor born in Cleveland in 1913, who came to Hollywood after a Paramount talent scout spotted him in a student production at the university that later became Case Western Reserve. Signed as a contract player under the name Jon Cox, he took small parts before changing his name and winning a larger role in Annapolis Farewell. Paramount made him a leading man, and he played Ronald Colman's younger brother in Frank Capra's Lost Horizon (1937). He then played the adventurer Bulldog Drummond in seven Paramount films, beginning with Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937) opposite John Barrymore. In The Philadelphia Story (1940) he was Katharine Hepburn's fiancé. In The High and the Mighty (1954) he played Laraine Day's husband, and he had a role in The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) with John Wayne. He worked in television, starred in the series Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal, and was given a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
81years old at death
- Born Cleveland
- Died Santa Rosa
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- John Richard Cox, Jr. (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 13
- Career span
- 29 years1937 to 1966
Genres
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A role that slipped away
The studio gave John Howard the part of British hero Captain Hugh Drummond in the Bulldog Drummond series after Ray Milland, who played the role first, was moved to bigger pictures. Howard was not British, so he used diction rather than a British accent.
Big break
Howard was discovered when a Paramount talent scout, unable to see the local stock company, attended a university production of John Brown's Body and arranged a screen test after being impressed by him.
About the name
Under the name Jon Cox, Howard signed as a contract player for Paramount. He was uncredited in One Hour Late (1934).
A first
Howard had the lead in Public Prosecutor, a dramatic TV drama series and the first of its kind shot on film. Filmed in 1947, it was not shown until 1951, when it aired as part of Crawford Mystery Theatre.
John Howard movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Louis King directed three of these films, James P. Hogan three. Two actors appear in six of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Reginald Denny's page
E.E. Clive's page
Matthew Boulton's page
John Barrymore's page
H.B. Warner's page
Heather Angel's page
Louis KingDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1938
All films by Louis King
James P. HoganDirector, 3 films, 1938 to 1939
All films by James P. Hogan
Also four films together1 more actor
- Louise CampbellBulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938), Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937) and Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
Three awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Croix de guerre 1939–1945 | Won | ||
| Navy Cross | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.