| Birth: | Aug. 27, 1916 | | Death: | Dec. 12, 2000 | 
Actor, Director, Writer, and Artist. His decades long career started as a boxer to movie stunt performer, support roles in western movies..."The Cisco Kid and the Lady" "The Last of the Duanes" and "Riders of the Purple Sage" then leading roles in musicals and romantic comedies..."Coney Island" "Ten Gentlemen From West Point" "China Girl" and "Roxie Hart." His life in his post movie days were as an artist, sculptor and designing furniture and homes. He was born George Montgomery Letz in Brady, Montana, growing up a member of a large family on his parents homestead ranch. He learned to handle himself around horses but exhibited an extraordinary talent for the arts to the chagrin of his parents as his little drawings began appearing on the walls and window shades of the family residence. He became proficient as a carpenter-woodworker and metal-craftsman, all self learned, while doing the tasks and chores of a ranch-hand even constructing cabinets and furniture for the ranch house. Although George would enroll at the University of Montana to pursue a career in the arts, he would leave after only a year to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a movie star. He journeyed to Hollywood quickly finding work as a stunt man while doing set construction for Republic films. George made his movie debut with a small acting part in the 1935 western "The Singing Vagabond" with the credit George Letz. After signing with 20th Century Fox studio, he changed his screen name to George Montgomery and began making mainly romantic-comedy type films. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II but not before marriage to Dinah Shore only days before his departure. Montgomery left the Hollywood scene in 1972 after a career that included more than eighty feature films only to immerge but a few times for cameo movie roles but appeared many times on the Dinah Shore hosted television shows. He would immerse himself into the operation of his fully owned and staffed customized furniture and cabinet factory in Los Angeles where a number of his designed homes were built. He would expand after self learning the art of bronze casting and would sculpt busts of many Hollywood stars including Ronald Reagan destined for the presidency. His pieces from his collection were exhibited in galleries across the country. His most endearing work graces the entrance to the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage which is the home of the LPGA Dinah Shore founded Golf Tournament and depicts Dinah with their children. He would pass away at his residence in Rancho Mirage from simple complications of old age at 84. A private funeral was held attended only by his family and close friends and then cremated. A public memorial service was held at the Palm Springs Desert Museum's Annenberg Theatre. His ashes were divided...part interred near his home in Rancho Mirage and part in the family plot in Highland Cemetery in Great Falls, Montana. Click here to view the site. Legacy...A 1981 self published book: "The Years of George Montgomery" comprises his life, movie career, art and furniture. He designed the set for the 1941 movie "Ladies in Retirement" receiving a co-nomination for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction. Others...Ralph Morgan Award from the Screen Actor's Guild and The Hollywood Westerner's Hall of Fame, Ronald Reagan Award. For his contribution to the television industry, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rancho Mirage now has a namesake street. Montgomery Way is located off Dinah Shore Drive which also is a symbolic reunion of sorts for the couple who were married for many years. In a bit of trivia...In 1963, a private life episode would make headlines and stun the Hollywood movie community. His housekeeper attempted to kill him in a fit of jealousy over his womanizing but failed. Upon her arrest, police discovered a rambling suicide note in her pocket. (bio by: Donald Greyfield (inactive))
Cause of death: Heart failure
Search Amazon for George Montgomery | | | Burial:
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Cathedral City)
Cathedral City
Riverside County
California, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Graving Queen of the OC
Record added: May 22, 2003
Find A Grave Memorial# 7477970 |
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Cindy, US
Added: Apr. 17, 2013 |
I just watched you in Roxie Hart. What a talented & underrated actor you were.Thanks for your military service to our country in WWII. You are missed.
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Mike Lentz
Added: Apr. 11, 2013 |
IN LOVING MEMORY...
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AMELIA
Added: Dec. 15, 2012 |
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(4.3 after 101 votes)
