Behind the Thin Man: William Powell Biography

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Who was debonair actor William Powell (1892-1984)? Born in Pittsburgh, the baritone voiced actor starred in 200 plays before moving to the silent screen and then Golden Hollywood films. Married to a fellow actress in 1925, Powell had one son who sadly committed suicide in 1968. Powell also married slapstick queen Carole Lombard and romanced sex icon Jean Harlow. Living with the tragedy of the deaths of the women he loved, Powell experimented with radiology successfully in the late 1930s. Settling in Palm Springs, California with third wife Diana "Mousie" Powell, he found himself in the throne of desert royalty.
Sources:
Cazbar Pintar, "Bill and Carole", That William Powell Site, thatwilliampowellsite.wordpre... (2017)
A William Powell and Carole Lombard signed set of divorce papers, Bonham's, www.bonhams.com/auction/24838...
Tracy Conrad, "History: Palm Springs life was plenty fun and glamorous for Mousie and William Powell" Desert Sun, www.desertsun.com/story/life/...)
Imagine MDD, "William Powell and Carole Lombard True Blue" imaginemdd.blogspot.com/2014/... (2014)
Find a Grave, Eileen Wilson, www.findagrave.com/memorial/6...
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1 авг 2023

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Комментарии : 48

@voyaristika5673 10 месяцев назад

Thank you for this well researched and well presented bio. Powell was a captivating actor and made it look so easy. I never knew of his son's tragic death. I can't imagine how he got through that. Also, thanks for mentioning Diana's interview. I'm off to watch that now!

@RadioWhoPoo 10 месяцев назад

You are welcome. Yes it is great we can still enjoy Powell onscreen today in both silent and talkie film! You can also check out the video about Powell's only son on this channel.

@chattyroz2934 3 месяца назад

William Powell was my late mother's favourite actor. She loved his wry humour and sarcastic wit. And, of course, his charm. As did I.

@RadioWhoPoo 3 месяца назад

He was a great actor and really helped define a genre!

@user-mr6vo8ks9q Месяц назад

@RadioWhoPoo Месяц назад

Wow thank you so much! Thanks for watching :)

@user-mr6vo8ks9q Месяц назад

It’s my pleasure!

@kenkahre9262 3 месяца назад

I think one way to describe William Powell's characters' is that they were all relaxed and amused. I have loved him and all of his films ever since I was a teenager. They are extraordinary. Thank you for this, I learned a few things that I didn't know. And you're right about that radiation treatment - in the thirties that was still experimental. He was taking a chance.

@RadioWhoPoo 3 месяца назад

You are so welcome. What a lovely comment, thank you!

@cassandrawright-mq5kp 11 месяцев назад

Don't know what you're reading, but it's a well-known fact William Powell was a far bigger star than Carole in 1935 when, "My Man Godfrey" was being cast. He was very sought after for the title role of Godfrey. When he suggested Carole Lombard for "Irene," and was told 'no', Powell held up production demanding Lombard get the role or he wouldn't sign. (From a Indiana native, born on October 6, too just like Carole Lombard😉)

@RadioWhoPoo 11 месяцев назад

Hmm interesting. There are accounts that it was Lombard who made the demands for My Man Godfrey, you can check out the sources linked in the video description 📚

@cassandrawright-mq5kp 11 месяцев назад

Hi, the source was originally from director, Gregory LaCava, documented by AFI (American Film Institute) Archive Catalogue, and states, "Modern Sources note that LaCava agreed to work with Constance Bennett the studios first choice for "Irene," only if Powell was loaned from MGM for the male lead. Powell, however stipulated in his contract that he would play "Godfrey," ONLY if Carole Lombard played, "Irene." At this time Powell and Lombard had already been divorced." Film citations were taken from 'Daily Variety,' 'Film Variety,' (1936), 'Hollywood Reporter,' (1936-1937), 'Motion Picture Herald,' (1936), 'MPSI,' 1936, 'and New York Times, 1936.) Lombard's career took off after being nominated for an Academy Award for this movie, but before that William Powell's career rocketed from floundering, being uncertainly cast as 'bad guys,' until he was cast in a 'thrown together, quick paced, little movie shot in 3 weeks, titled, "The Thin Man." Suddenly William Powell was earning far more and in demand. He was first choice for Godfrey and knew he had the clout to get his ex-wife hired as his co-star. After 'Godfrey,' Lombard became an Academy Award nominated actress and the film offers came rolling her way. With her gorgeous looks, smart brains and hard work, Carole Lombard rose to become the highest paid actress in Hollywood when she died so horribly in the plane crash in January, 1942. President Roosevelt designated her as, "The First Woman To Die In The Service Of Her Country In WW II," since she was on a War Bond Drive in Indy. The source is found at catalog.afi.com/Film/5200-MY-MANGODFREY.

@RadioWhoPoo 11 месяцев назад

Thanks for the info!

@cassandrawright-mq5kp 11 месяцев назад

@@RadioWhoPoo You're so very welcome!

@songwritertravislee524 3 месяца назад

Lovely thank you for all the added information that I did not know. Great job.

@RadioWhoPoo 3 месяца назад

You're so welcome. Thank you for watching!

@user-mr6vo8ks9q Месяц назад

High praise for WHP!!! This is the only history of early star that has no mispronunciations; none, zip, zero! And with lucid narrative evenly delivered with respect and an appropriate distance from subject matter. I’ve just listened to it twice as I am devoted Powell fan. Have subscribed and stand by for more. Would have welcomed a bit about working with Myrna Loy as they were so superb. Heard old interview where she was asked how she developed the Nora character. “I was just being myself..” she said with detached humility and ready to move on to next topic.

@RadioWhoPoo Месяц назад

Wow thank you so much! Thanks for watching :)

@robinrubendunst869 10 месяцев назад

In a book called The Debonairs, published in the 1970s, there was a transcript of an interview him in retirement, and he was living a quiet life with his then wife, watching tv, retiring early…. I read also that he had colon cancer in midlife, which may have slowed his career.

@RadioWhoPoo 10 месяцев назад

Yes as discussed in the video he engaged in radiation for treatment, which was very experimental at the time.

@brigidconroy2111 3 месяца назад

Apparently he had a colostomy which also may have made work a little more challenging

@paulakpacente 10 месяцев назад

I saw William Powell for the first time in movies on TV when I was about 12 years old. I developed a crush on him even though he was the same age as my grandfather. I have LOVED Powell as an actor ever since. Even though I was born in 1954, I am sure that I don't belong in the 21st century. My husband has always told me that I was born an adult... Powell was very sophisticated and exuded class. I think we've lost those traits in today's society. For what it's worth, I've sworn like a truck driver ALL of my adult life.

@RadioWhoPoo 10 месяцев назад

Agreed. Lots of old souls around! Powell is so dashing, so well-spoken....he doesn't seem to have had a "Hollywood heir" so to speak until maybe Benedict Cumberbatch?

@kimberleyblair3392 Год назад

As usual, thank you!❤😊

@RadioWhoPoo Год назад

You are so welcome!

@robertlipscomb3040 Год назад

William Powell and Warren William shared similar but different male lead spaces in the early 1930s. Both were handsome in a 1920s sort of way with pencil mustaches, slender build, and curly wavy hair. Both were the same age and were approaching their forties by the end of Pre-Code. Warren William was the king of Pre-Code and not fully appreciated today. Because he usually played a type of wolf in Pre-Code, he found himself transitioning to B-roles as he moved into his 40s and 50s. He maintained steady employment as that type. William Powell initially had a certain kind of sex appeal that was magnified by his real-life relationships, such as Jean Harlow. But during the emergence of talkies, he used his comedic timing to effectuate a casual, appealing, self-deprecating humor that allowed him to maintain leading man status into the 50s.

@RadioWhoPoo Год назад

Very well said. Film critic Ebert said "William Powell is to dialogue as Fred Astaire is to dance." Powell actually stayed with MGM so long, he was the only star actor to qualify for a pension when he retired.

@robertlipscomb3040 Год назад

@@RadioWhoPoo apparently, he was a smart business man who did a masterful job of managing his career. Babylon is a severely underrated movie which presents a counter-narrative about a star leading man who could not manage his career into middle age.

@robinrubendunst869 10 месяцев назад

“GADS!!!” Life with Father, he was born to play that role. Clifton Webb tried a similar role in Cheaper By the Dozen, and Leon Ames, in Meet Me in St Louis. But William Powell’s “Clare” epitomizes the turn-of-the-century perpetually exasperated husband and father….

@robertlipscomb3040 10 месяцев назад

@@robinrubendunst869 You had me at GADS. Debonairs is the perfect word for him and William Warren. Warren was never given the chance to lead in a screwball comedy playing off his image. Too bad.

@lindadeal3344 3 месяца назад

William Powell and Myrna Loy were the best couple playing off each other's tempo for a perfect combination of wit and and dry humor that was sophisticated and easy. Thanks for this!!

@Zarina1634 2 месяца назад

Love William Powell. ❤

@user-yc3fx9rw1u 18 дней назад

Great job!

@RadioWhoPoo 18 дней назад

Thanks so much!

@charleslechesnier3931 11 месяцев назад

Yes the tragedy about Jean Harlow with whom he was engaged. Tragedy also about his son. I saw a few detective movies where he portrayed Philo Vance. A brilliant detective before the thin man's movies.

@RadioWhoPoo 11 месяцев назад

Oui. Son équivalent moderne serait Benedict Cumberbatch comme le plus proche, mais il ne semble pas avoir d'équivalent moderne

@charleslechesnier3931 11 месяцев назад

pas vraiment d'équivalent car William Powell avait un flegme assez rare @@RadioWhoPoo

@RadioWhoPoo 11 месяцев назад

@@charleslechesnier3931 oui

@timothysullivan6790 Год назад

So interesting. BTW- Cary Grant was OFTEN doing a William Powell impersonation.

@RadioWhoPoo Год назад

Fascinating! One of Powell's early roles was in the Great Gatsby (1926), which was actually viewed by F. Scott Fitzgerald and his family. They found it terrible (!)

@user-dr4mv9wm9r 2 месяца назад

Only one William Powell……..👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷

@reniemasi5683 2 месяца назад

💖

@claranajera9356 7 месяцев назад

I like all the movies that William Powell dead. He was a very good actor.

@RadioWhoPoo 7 месяцев назад

Powell was a great actor

@JOHN----DOE 6 месяцев назад

Why would Lombard say William Powell did something wrong to Jean Harlow? Jean died of kidney failure due to childhood scarlet fever, and nothing could be done for her in the 30s.

@RadioWhoPoo 6 месяцев назад

Because Powell wouldn't marry Harlow. Did you watch the video?

@cococherie5066 2 месяца назад

I read she had a no marriage clause in the contract with her studio. So, what was he to do about that???!!

@johnlang1933 2 месяца назад

Lots of good information! My only advice would be to double check your script before you start recording your narration…especially when pronouncing people’s names..well done!!!