We were leafing through our Donald Gordon collection of photos, and found the above snap of actor John Gavin, who died recently. He was in a few very successful films and wooden though his acting was he didn’t ruin any of them.
Anyone who has savored the opening scenes of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho — the illicit faire l’amour in a sweaty Phoenix hotel room pairing Janet Leigh and some handsome dude — will undoubtedly remember Gavin without seeing any of his other movies.
Yes, he was that handsome dude. (See studio still below.)
Born in Los Angles in 1931, he was once thought to be another Rock Hudson, or at least another James Bond.
Gavin was neither but he was a decent actor (43 movie and tv credits), the president of the Screen Actors Guild in the early Seventies, and — after his career ebbed — ambassador to Mexico appointed by another former actor, Ronald Reagan. (Gavin was born John Golenor, the son of a Mexican mother, and was a Stanford grad who spoke fluent Spanish.)
He died last Feb. 9 at the age of 86.
As mentioned, the first candid shot was taken from our Donald Gordon Collection, named for our late friend, who as a young actor who found himself under contract at Columbia Pictures during World War II. The collection was bequeathed to us after his death. Donald was an amiable fellow, and got unusual access to an impressive list of Hollywood personalities at the time.
Donald Gordon certainly did get around in old HOLLYWOOD…
And JOHN GAVIN certainly had quite a fast-tracked career with all the right doors opening up at the right time…
Having come from a distinguished Spanish land grant family, and being well educated at all the right schools, this lead to him serving with the ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) during Korea, which in turn saw he connected with the CIA.
I’ll get back to that…
My first studio in the US was MCA-Universal, but long before I got there JOHN GAVIN was signed by the previous owners of Universal, Milton Rackmil’s Decca Records.
Rackmil was responsible for turning Universal around in the 1950’s, slicker glossier pictures, he took a very keen interest in Gavin, which later lead to him appearing in SPARTACUS which he produced.
Now nothing happens by accident when someone is conveniently fast-tracked… And with that, comes very interesting inter-connections…
In 1962, the powerful octopus talent agency known as MCA (Music Corporation of America) buys Universal, they had already purchased the studio’s 400 acre facilities three years earlier. Rackmil is kept on as head of the film and record divisions.
MCA had also already been forced to divulge itself off it’s highly profitable talent business by the Kennedy Justice Department.
Still, MCA was still a powerhouse thanks to their ‘former’ client and “very good” friend Ronald Reagan.
As head of the Screen Actors Guild Reagan had already sold his membership out for a lot more than thirty-pieces-of-silver, dooming thousands of ageing actors to no residuals…
Gavin who’s acting career had really slumped after his PSYCHO/SPARTACUS high, was since the mid-1960’s already on the board of SAG, and later becomes the head of it.
Reagan, who always took direction well, becomes fast-tracked to become President, and in-turn makes Gavin US ambassador to Mexico.
If you’ll recall there was much talk at the time of “an actor becoming President” and how they were not suited. Well, politics is acting in it’s purest sense. Convincing you that they’re doing good, gaining your confidence, becoming your hero, and all the time it’s an act!
Another advantage of acting is that it well prepares you for spy work… Now there is no conclusive proof that JOHN GAVIN was one, but then you wouldn’t really expect there to be, would you?
Ironically speaking of spy’s, Gavin was signed to play James Bond in DIAMOND’S ARE FOREVER after George Lazenby had left the role. But United Artists insisted on Sean Connery, and met his high salary demands, and also paid-off Gavin his full promised salary.
JOHN GAVIN was always wealthy, even more so with his business interests in Mexico, which having been ambassador helped. He seemed to be on the boards of so many things, which left his actress wife CONSTANCE TOWERS strangely content to be on that certain TV soap opera for some 20 years.
Which leads me to think JOHN GAVIN’s best acting was NOT always on screen…