John Hodiak

John Hodiak
in A Lady Without Passport (1950)
Born(1914-04-16)April 16, 1914
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedOctober 19, 1955(1955-10-19) (aged 41)
Tarzana, California, U.S.
Resting placeCalvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active1939–1955
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1946; div. 1953)​
Children1

John Hodiak (/ˈhoʊ.diː.æk/ HOH-dee-ak; April 16, 1914 – October 19, 1955) was an American actor who worked in radio, stage and film.

Early life

Hodiak was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Anna (Pogorzelec) and Walter Hodiak. He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent.[1] Hodiak grew up in Hamtramck, Michigan.[citation needed]

Acting career

Radio

When Hodiak first tried out for a radio acting job, he was turned down because of his accent. He became a caddie at a Detroit golf course, then worked at a Chevrolet automobile factory – and practised his diction. When he conquered the diction hurdle, he became a radio actor and moved to Chicago. There Hodiak created the role of the comic strip character Li'l Abner on radio.[2][3]

Hodiak also had the role of McCullough in the radio soap opera Girl Alone.[4][5]

Hollywood

Hodiak was cast in a few small parts at MGM, including A Stranger in Town (1943), I Dood It (1943) and Maisie Goes to Reno (1944).[6]

Stardom

L-R: Walter Slezak, John Hodiak, Tallulah Bankhead, Henry Hull, William Bendix, Heather Angel, Mary Anderson, Canada Lee, and Hume Cronyn in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944)

Hodiak then caught the eye of director Alfred Hitchcock, and on loan to 20th Century Fox, he was featured in Lifeboat (1944) opposite Tallulah Bankhead.[7]

MGM cast him in the third lead in Song of Russia (1944), supporting Robert Taylor and Susan Peters.[8] He was Ann Sothern's love interest in Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) and had a role in Marriage Is a Private Affair (1944).[9][10]

20th Century Fox borrowed Hodiak again to play the title role in Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944), with Anne Baxter, whom he married in real life.[11] Fox kept him on to play Maj. Joppolo in A Bell for Adano (1945) with Gene Tierney.[2]

At MGM, Hodiak had a role as Judy Garland's love interest in The Harvey Girls (1946).[12]

Fox gave him a starring role in Somewhere in the Night (1946), directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.[13] Hodiak acted with Lucille Ball in MGM's Two Smart People (1946), which lost money,[14] as did the film noir The Arnelo Affair (1947).[15]

Supporting actor

Hodiak went to Paramount for Desert Fury (1947), playing the lead with Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster. He starred in Love from a Stranger (1947) for Eagle Lion, then supported Lana Turner and Clark Gable in Homecoming (1948). He supported Gable again in Command Decision (1948). The two Gable films were hits but Hodiak was voted "box office poison" by exhibitors at the end of 1948.[16]

Hodiak was down the cast list for The Bribe (1949). He was second billed in MGM's war film Battleground (1949), a huge success. Also popular was Malaya (1949) where Hodiak supported James Stewart and Spencer Tracy.

Hodiak was a love rival for Robert Taylor in Ambush (1950), a popular Western. MGM gave him another lead role, co-starring with Hedy Lamarr in A Lady Without Passport (1950), but it lost money. He was third billed in The Miniver Story (1950), the flop sequel to Mrs. Miniver, and fourth lead in Night into Morning (1951), an unsuccessful drama.

Hodiak supported Spencer Tracy in The People Against O'Hara (1951) and Clark Gable in Across the Wide Missouri (1952). He was second billed to Walter Pidgeon in The Sellout (1953).

Broadway and B movies

In 1952, Hodiak went to New York City and made his Broadway debut in The Chase by Horton Foote and directed by José Ferrer.[17] The play was a failure, but its star received positive notices.[18]

Hodiak went to Allied Artists to star in the movie Battle Zone (1952).[19] He starred in two Westerns, Ambush at Tomahawk Gap (1953) and Conquest of Cochise (1953), and then the war movies Mission Over Korea (1953) and Dragonfly Squadron (1954).[20]

He originated the role of Lieutenant Maryk in Paul Gregory's production of the play The Caine Mutiny Court Martial (1954–1955) by Herman Wouk adapted from his novel The Caine Mutiny.[21] The play, starring Henry Fonda and Lloyd Nolan, ran for two years, and Hodiak's portrayal brought him acclaim.

When the show closed after its U.S. tour, Hodiak began work on Trial (1955) at MGM, billed fourth as the prosecuting attorney.[22] When it wrapped, he played Major Ward Thomas in On the Threshold of Space (1956) at 20th Century Fox.[23]

Personal life

Hodiak and actress Anne Baxter (whom he met while they were starring in Sunday Dinner for a Soldier) married on July 7, 1946, and divorced on January 27, 1953. They had one daughter, Katrina Hodiak, who became an actress.[2]

Death

At age 41, Hodiak suffered a fatal heart attack at his parents' home in Tarzana, California.[24] He was acting in On the Threshold of Space; it was decided that his performance was sufficient to release the movie.[25] He is interred in Block 303, Crypt D-1 of the main mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles. He left an estate of $25,000.[26]

Legacy

Hodiak has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Boulevard, for his work in radio.[27]

Filmography

Year Film Role Director Notes
1943 A Stranger in Town Hart Ridges John E. Burch (assistant)
I Dood It Roy Hartwood Vincente Minnelli
Swing Shift Maisie Clerk Norman Z. McLeod uncredited
1944 Lifeboat John Kovac Alfred Hitchcock
Song of Russia Boris Bulganov László Benedek (uncredited)
Maisie Goes to Reno Philip Francis "Flip" Hennahan Harry Beaumont
Marriage Is a Private Affair Lieutenant Tom Cochrane West Robert Z. Leonard
Sunday Dinner for a Soldier Sgt. Eric Moore Lloyd Bacon
1945 A Bell for Adano Maj. Victor P. Joppola Henry King
1946 The Harvey Girls Ned Trent Robert Alton
Somewhere in the Night George W. Taylor Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Two Smart People Ace Connors Jules Dassin
1947 The Arnelo Affair Tony Arnelo Arch Oboler
Desert Fury Eddie Bendix Lewis Allen
Love from a Stranger Manuel Cortez Richard Whorf
1948 Homecoming Dr. Robert Sunday Mervyn LeRoy
Command Decision Col. Edward Rayton "Ted" Martin Sam Wood
1949 The Bribe Tugwell 'Tug' Hintten Robert Z. Leonard
Battleground Pvt. Donald Jarvess William A. Wellman
Malaya Kellar Richard Thorpe
1950 Ambush Capt. Ben Lorrison Sam Wood
A Lady Without Passport Pete Karczag Joseph H. Lewis
The Miniver Story Spike Romway H.C. Potter
1951 Night into Morning Tom Lawry Fletcher Markle
The People Against O'Hara Louis Barra John Sturges
Across the Wide Missouri Brecan William A. Wellman
1952 The Sellout Chick Johnson Gerald Mayer
Battle Zone Danny Lesley Selander
1953 Ambush at Tomahawk Gap McCord Fred F. Sears
Mission Over Korea Capt. George Slocum Fred F. Sears
Conquest of Cochise Cochise William Castle
1954 Dragonfly Squadron Maj. Matthew Brady Lesley Selander
1955 Trial Dist. Atty. John J. Armstrong Mark Robson
1956 On the Threshold of Space Maj. Ward Thomas Robert D. Webb

Radio appearances

A few of Hodiak's many radio appearances:

Year Program Episode/source
1948 Hallmark Playhouse "The Desert Shall Rejoice"[28][29]
1952 Suspense "The Big Heist"[30]
1953 Suspense "Gold of the Adomar"[31]
1953 Suspense "The Mountain"[32]

References

  1. ^ "Successor to Gable?". Big Spring Daily Herald. Big Springs Daily Herald. September 30, 1943. p. 4. Retrieved June 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b c Maltin 1994, p. 491.
  3. ^ "From Radio To Screen". Voice. Vol. 20, no. 2. Tasmania, Australia. January 11, 1947. p. 4. Retrieved October 31, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Fairfax, Arthur (December 28, 1940). "Mr. Fairfax Replies" (PDF). Movie Radio Guide. 10 (12): 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  5. ^ "John Hodiak and his wife". Western Mail. Vol. 62, no. 3, 536. Western Australia. April 3, 1947. p. 22 (Women's Magazine). Retrieved October 31, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Introducing John Hodiak". The North Western Courier. Vol. XXVII, no. 57. New South Wales, Australia. July 26, 1945. p. 6. Retrieved October 31, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "John Hodiak | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  8. ^ "Song of Russia (1944)". BFI. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) – Harry Beaumont | Cast and Crew" – via www.allmovie.com.
  10. ^ "Marriage Is a Private Affair (1944) – Robert Z. Leonard | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related" – via www.allmovie.com.
  11. ^ "Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944) – Lloyd Bacon | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related" – via www.allmovie.com.
  12. ^ "The Harvey Girls (1946) – George Sidney | Cast and Crew" – via www.allmovie.com.
  13. ^ "Somewhere in the Night (1946) – Joseph L. Mankiewicz | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related" – via www.allmovie.com.
  14. ^ "Two Smart People (1946) – Jules Dassin | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related" – via www.allmovie.com.
  15. ^ "The Arnelo Affair (1947)". BFI. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "Mary Armitage's Film Close-ups." Sunday Mail (Adelaide) Sunday Magazine Supplement, January 29, 1949, p. 3. Retrieved: May 18, 2013.
  17. ^ "John Hodiak – Broadway Cast & Staff". www.ibdb.com.
  18. ^ "The Chase – Broadway Play – Original". www.ibdb.com.
  19. ^ "Battle Zone (1952) – Lesley Selander | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related" – via www.allmovie.com.
  20. ^ "John Hodiak | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  21. ^ "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB".
  22. ^ "Trial (1955)". BFI. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017.
  23. ^ "Hollywood Tragedies, 3 – John Hodiak". The Mirror. Vol. 36, no. 1811. Western Australia. February 11, 1956. p. 8. Retrieved October 31, 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "Actor John Hodiak Dies Of Heart Attack at 41". Schenectady Gazette. October 20, 1955. p. 29.
  25. ^ "John Hodiak Dies Suddenly of Heart Attack". Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1955. p. 1.
  26. ^ "John Hodiak Left No Will". New York Times. November 3, 1955. p. 37.
  27. ^ "John Hodiak". October 25, 2019.
  28. ^ Goldin, J. David. "Hallmark Playhouse". RadioGOLDINdex. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  29. ^ "Those Were the Days". Nostalgia Digest. 37 (4): 38–39. Autumn 2011.
  30. ^ Kirby, Walter (November 30, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 48. Retrieved June 14, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  31. ^ Kirby, Walter (January 18, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 40. Retrieved June 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  32. ^ Kirby, Walter (March 15, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 46. Retrieved June 25, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

Bibliography

  • Maltin, Leonard. "John Hodiak". Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia. New York: Dutton, 1994. ISBN 0-525-93635-1.
  • Tucker, David C. John Hodiak: The Life and Career on Film, Stage and Radio. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2024. ISBN 978-1-47669473-3.
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