Jack Carson, not (just) a lightweight

Posted by highhurdler on May 3, 2009

When you hear the name Jack Carson, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Hopefully it’s not The Tonight Show, which was hosted by Jack (Parr) and (Johnny) Carson before Jay Leno. If you’re like me, you might initially remember that he played sarcastic wise guys, bombastic buffoons, and overbearing salesmen in all those RKO and Warner Bros. comedies, some of which were B-movies. That like Ralph Bellamy, he seemed to play the third man out in a lot of love triangles or (like Edward Everett Horton, Donald MacBride, and others) that he was skilled in the fine art of the double-take, and could scrunch his face into various expressions to convey his character’s misbelief and emotion without words. However, to fail to credit this actor for the performances he gave in more demanding roles – particularly in dramas – would be to give short shrift to a career that spanned more than 90 films during his 20+ working years.

It seems that I had always underestimated Jack Carson; I will do so no longer. I think the first time that I recognized him as something other than an annoying jerk (or comic foil) that was getting way too much screen-time was when I saw him stand up to James Mason’s Norman Maine in the Judy Garland version of A Star is Born (1954). Carson’s character is aptly described (by Tim Dirks) as a “pushy, mean-spirited studio publicist”, but you feel his frustration after Vicki and Norman elope (effectively robbing him from doing his job) as well as his anger when drunken Norman finally gets his comeuppance at the racetrack. Later that same year, he was back to playing his more typical role as a womanizing bachelor that’s made the fool in a conflict between a friend (played by Jack Lemmon) and his estranged wife (Judy Holliday) in Phffft (1954).

But four years later, he demonstrated the range of his dramatic abilities in two different films: The Tarnished Angels (1958) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). In the former Carson plays Jiggs, the dimwitted longtime mechanic and ‘friend’ of Roger Shumann, a former World War I ace that’s now a barnstorming daredevil obsessed with flying. Roger’s beautiful blonde wife LaVerne (Dorothy Malone) is like a light that attracts the attention of too many moths wherever they go; the latest is headliner Rock Hudson (and later Robert Middleton), who plays a newspaper columnist in this Douglas Sirk black-and-white drama adapted from a William Faulkner novel. Jiggs, Roger, LaVerne have a complex relationship: the mechanic worships the pylon racing pilot while holding a candle for his friend’s wife and even plays a quasi-father role for the couple’s preteen son. Together they travel the country from air show to race, while barely surviving on Roger’s paltry winnings. Amongst these three heavyweights (Hudson, Stack & Malone), each of whom had received an Oscar or nomination within the prior two years, Carson created the film’s only credible character, enabling the audience to feel the depth of his life’s anguish and regret.

In screenwriter-director Richard Brooks’ adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Carson plays Gooper, the devoted eldest yet overlooked son of a wealthy plantation owner, Big Daddy Pollitt (Burl Ives). Again the actor found himself in a cast loaded with acting talent that had been (or soon would be) recognized by the Academy: besides Ives (The Big Country (1958)), there was Elizabeth Taylor (Raintree County (1957)) and Paul Newman – both of whom would receive nominations for their roles in the film drama – in addition to Judith Anderson (Rebecca (1940)), and future Emmy Award winner Larry Gates and previous nominee Vaughn Taylor. Madeleine Sherwood plays Gooper’s wife Mae Flynn. But Carson holds his own, giving a vivid characterization of a henpecked husband, father of five (soon to be six) and the unloved older brother of (Newman’s) Brick, who is Big Daddy’s favorite despite his son’s alcoholism and lack of interest in producing an heir with wife Maggie (Taylor). Given his acting resume, Carson could have very easily (if inadvertently) portrayed Gooper as an oafish caricature. Instead, he imbues the character with venerability, which makes us sympathetic to Gooper’s plight: his lifelong quest for love and recognition from a hardboiled father.

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While dramatic performances like these earned respect for the actor towards the end of his shortened career (he died of stomach cancer soon after his 52nd birthday in January, 1963), Carson never received – nor was he even nominated for – an Oscar or any movie award. He did, however, receive two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for radio and one for television. Among my favorite movies featuring Jack Carson from earlier years are:

As the conniving Hugo Barnstead in The Strawberry Blonde (1941), with James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth and later that same year losing his bride-to-be Bette Davis to Cagney in The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)

As the former football jock Joe Ferguson in The Male Animal (1942), with Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Leslie, and again with Leslie as her ill-fated husband and a not-as-good-as-he-thinks-he-is song & dance man with Dennis Morgan the following year in The Hard Way (1943), with Ida Lupino

Three with Jane Wyman: as her potential suitor in Larceny, Inc. (1942), providing the comic relief as her bickering husband in Princess O’Rourke (1943), and as her frustrated ‘husband’ in The Doughgirls (1944)

As poor Wally Fay, manipulated by Joan Crawford’s Mildred Pierce (1945)

With Doris Day in three consecutive movies, starting with her debut in Romance on the High Seas (1948) and as Liquapep salesman Windy Weebe with Esther Williams in Dangerous When Wet (1953)

For more about Jack Carson, I found a terrific, comprehensive fansite about the actor and his movies.

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19 Responses Jack Carson, not (just) a lightweight

Posted By moirafinnie : May 3, 2009 12:50 pm

How wonderful to see this affectionate and observant appreciation for character actor, Jack Carson. I remember the first time I realized he was a better actor than I knew. It was the scene at the racetrack in A Star is Born when he comments acidly about James Mason’s eschewing of the “hurly-burly of the silver screen”. Carson’s character blends bluff heartiness with such bitterness, he is unforgettable, as was his very different, guileless, and rather tragic character in The Hard Way. I’m also so glad that you mention how effective Carson was in a self-abnegating role as a guy laid low by his love for a woman who could never return his affection in The Tarnished Angels.

I am most fond of his role in the Rosalind Russell movie, Roughly Speaking (1945). From his first introduction in that movie as the guy at the New Year’s Party with the top hat lit with candles to the quiet marriage proposal scene in Russell’s kitchen to his trying to hide his hurt pride from his wife by his bluster when practicing his spiel as vacuum cleaner salesman on her, the character is a beautifully rendered portrait of lovable man overwhelmed by economic realities, but able and willing to endure, (with Russell’s help).

Thanks so much for reminding me of this essential actor.

Posted By Patricia : May 3, 2009 3:27 pm

“The Saint in New York” from 1938 (Louis Hayward as Templar) features Jack Carson and Paul Guilfoyle as a couple of more intriguing than the usual henchmen. I wondered as I watched if I noticed that fellow because I knew it was Jack Carson or if it was because he was Jack Carson that he always had something special. I decided he always had that spark. “Oh, Hugo! Hugo!”

Posted By john august smith : May 3, 2009 4:14 pm

I was always a fan of Jack Carson and when he came to the Warner Theatre in D. C.with his live show I sat thru the feature 3 times so that I could see his Radio Show that evenng. I got to shake his hand as he left the theatre that night.The movie was Flaxy Martin with Virginia Mayo and this must have been 50 years ago!

Posted By Suzi Doll : May 3, 2009 4:56 pm

Wonderful post on an underrated character actor. (I love how the Morlocks have been focusing on character actors of late.) I always thought he had such great chemistry with Doris Day. My favorite Day movies are the old ones with Carson.

Posted By medusamorlock : May 3, 2009 5:18 pm

Wow! Great article about an underappreciated actor — and thanks for the link to that lovely Carson tribute website. I really need to see “The Tarnished Angels” — and one of the Morlocks needs to write about that small subset of aviation movies about barnstormers!

I do especially love Carson’s comedy roles but we was also wonderful in everything. Dying so young took a great talent away from us.

Wonderful post, HH!

Posted By redrakel : May 4, 2009 11:53 pm

Great to learn more about Jack Carson. I always get a little smile on my face when I see him come on the screen in a movie that I didn’t know he was in. He was a prolific actor in his short tenure. My favourite Jack Carson movie is also my favourite Doris Day movie, Romance on the High Seas. They had such great chemistry together. Thanks for the tribute.

Posted By Rick : May 5, 2009 12:36 am

Good Post! Jack Carson was funny, but he could be any character that he wanted to be. In “A Star is Born”, he was more than equal to the task in playing the same role that Lionel Stander had his stamp.

If I am not mistakened, Jack had a role in John Wayne’s first lead role pic, “The Big Trail”, directed by Raoul Walsh.

Posted By Al Lowe : May 5, 2009 7:54 am

I’m always glad to see Jack Carson’s appearance in some old movie. Thanks for the post.

An interesting footnote:

Carson’s film “Good Humor Man” was playing prior to the preview of John Huston’s “Red Badge of Courage.” Fans who came to guffaw at Carson were not appreciative of the nuances of Huston’s filming of a literary classic and this resulted in a poor preview and the subsequent editing of the footage. This note is from the account of the filming published in the book “Picture.”

Also, according to the Carson web site featured in your article, the actor was not always happy about appearing in such broad comedy and wanted meatier roles. Oddly enough, the great dramatic actor Sydney Greenstreet longed for the reverse; he was tired of the dramatic niche he found himself in and longed to play comedy like he had on stage.
Actually I think both actors fared fairly well on the screen.

Posted By Jenni : May 5, 2009 6:47 pm

I always enjoyed his portrayal of a cop seeking to be a Broadway playwright in Arsenic and Old Lace. Delightful part he played, in a delightful, screwball comedy.

Posted By MDR : May 6, 2009 11:07 am

Glad to see that there is so much appreciation for Jack Carson!

Although I focused on his dramatic (meatier) roles, Carson appeared in so many classics that it’s impossible to do his work justice in such a short article (so definitely visit the linked-to website). Among those earlier films that I failed to mention (in which he plays smaller, character roles) are: Stage Door (1937), Carefree (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Destry Rides Again (1939), and several others.

When I mentioned above the actor’s three straight films with Doris Day, I failed to list My Dream is Yours (1949), which is perhaps the best of them; the selflessness and self-awareness (of his own limited talent) that Carson’s character shows while promoting Day’s is truly heart-breaking.

Posted By murf : May 7, 2009 3:05 pm

Jack’s partnering with Roz Russell in Roughly Speaking was truly magical. They balanced one another perfectly and made their incredibaly quick courtship believable

Posted By Richard Harland Smith : May 7, 2009 6:20 pm

Your timing with this post is uncanny, as I was sitting around with family that very day talking about Jack Carson. I can’t remember how Carson entered my radar but he’s been there a long time. Thanks for your affectionate post and the link to the fan site.

Posted By John Armstrong : May 8, 2009 8:42 am

Love the article…I’ve always admired Jack Carson for all the reasons you mention especially his dramatic efforts. His Libby in the ’55 Star is Born” was inspired casting and he pulls it together very well.The scene at the race track with James Mason
is a great example of him pulling out the stops. Maybe it’s because I wanted to be a character actor once but I have a great regard for the one’s that endure in the imagination like Jack Carson.

Posted By David Hargrove : May 8, 2009 3:37 pm

Only at TCM’s website could one find such a terrific tribute to a character actor. Thoughtful and beautifully composed, your post delivers information as well as conveying your admiration.

I particularly like Carson’s performance in “A Star is Born” as Libby, and his turn in “Mildred Pierce” showed depth and understanding. Aside from his comic skills, his ability to express the anger inherent in his characters is always a welcome surprise no matter how many times I view the films.

Thank you for this terrific piece.

Posted By Joe aka Mongo : May 8, 2009 9:17 pm

There’s a little B film titled “April Showers” (1948) with Jack Carson giving a wonderful performance as a song and dance man.
Along with his wife (Ann Sothern) and son Buster (Robert Ellis in a very good role) playing together in vaudeville.
Although it tugs at the heartstrings it is an enjoyable musical/drama.

Posted By CineMaven : May 13, 2009 8:50 pm

He did a great job with Rosalind Russell in [b]“ROUGHLY SPEAKING”.[/b]

Posted By Jason Proctor : May 27, 2009 4:28 am

For those who have a facebook account and are fans of Jack, I have recently started a Jack Carson group on there. Just run a search from within facebook and type in Jack Carson, and it should be the top result, the one with the B&W autographed photo of Jack for the group picture. Hope some of you will join so we can give Jack a nice representation on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=117523200728&ref=mf

Thanks!

Posted By OTR Fan : September 23, 2009 6:22 am

Jack also had his own radio series which is FUN to listen too.
He also guest starred on other radio shows: Burns & Allen, Command Performance, Screen Guild Theater, Harold Lloyd’s Old Gold Comedy Theater, Sealtest Village Store, and The Lux Radio Theater.

Posted By BRIAN : June 13, 2010 1:22 pm

Mildred Pierce.

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