Franchot's Leading Ladies

Throughout his career, Franchot starred with some of the most talented and beautiful actresses in Hollywood (and even married a few!). Today, I thought it would be fun to highlight and share some stats on the ladies who shared the screen with Franchot.

Joan costarred with Franchot in 7 films

Joan Crawford (b. 1905 d. 1977)
Between 1933 and 1937, Joan Crawford and Franchot made 7 films together. Franchot and Joan were married from 1935 to 1939. Although their divorce was somewhat bitter, the two rekindled a close friendship that would last until Franchot's death in 1968.
Notable Films: Our Dancing Daughters,  Dancing Lady, Grand Hotel, The Women, Humoresque, Mildred Pierce, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
Films with Franchot: Today We Live, Dancing Lady, Sadie McKee, No More Ladies, The Gorgeous Hussy, Love on the Run, The Bride Wore Red
My personal favorite FT-JC film: The Bride Wore Red

Jean costarred with Franchot in 4 films

Jean Harlow (b. 1911 d. 1937)
Jean Harlow and Franchot Tone costarred together in 4 films between 1933 and 1936. The platinum blonde and amazing comedienne tragically died of uremic poisoning in 1937.
Notable Films: Hell's Angels, Platinum Blonde, Bombshell, Red Dust, Dinner at Eight, The Public Enemy, Libeled Lady
Films with Franchot: Bombshell, The Girl from Missouri, Reckless, Suzy
My personal favorite FT-JH film: The Girl from Missouri

Deanna and Franchot costarred in 3 films.

Deanna Durbin (b. 1921 d. 2013)
Noted for her skills as a lyric soprano who could deliver both hit ballads and complicated arias, Deanna Durbin was paired with Franchot in three romantic comedies in the 1940s. Deanna retired from the screen while still in her late 20s in 1949.
Notable Films: One Hundred Men and a Girl, Three Smart Girls, Mad About Music, It's a Date, It Started with Eve
Films with Franchot: Nice Girl?, His Butler's Sister, Because of Him
My personal favorite FT-DD film: His Butler's Sister

Gladys played Franchot's love interest in 3 films.

Gladys George (b. 1904 d. 1954)
An Oscar-nominated actress yet often overlooked today, Gladys George costarred with Franchot in 3 films between 1934 and 1938. Before pursuing a career in Hollywood, Gladys performed across the country with her parents' stage act.
Notable Films:Valiant is the Word for Carrie, Madame X, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Maltese Falcon, Marie Antoinette
Films with Franchot: They Gave Him a Gun, Love is a Headache, Straight is the Way
My personal favorite FT-GG film: They Gave Him a Gun

Loretta and Franchot made two films together.

Loretta Young (b. 1913 d. 2000)
20-year-old Loretta Young was already a film veteran when she costarred with Franchot in the 1933 film Midnight Mary. The two would costar again in 1936, were spotted out on the town in the late 1930s, and starred in several radio productions in the 1940s.
Notable Films: Laugh Clown Laugh, Midnight Mary, Taxi!, The Call of the Wild, The Farmer's Daughter, The Bishop's Wife
Films with Franchot: Midnight Mary, The Unguarded Hour
My personal favorite FT-LY film: Midnight Mary

Karen Morley was Franchot's leading lady twice in the 1930s.

Karen Morley (b. 1909 d. 2003)
Another classic film actress whose contributions are often neglected, Karen Morley acted with Franchot in two films in the early 30s and was married to director Charles Vidor. In the the late 1940s, she refused to answer questions for the House Un-American Activities Committee and was blacklisted.
Notable Films:Mata Hari, Scarface, Dinner at Eight, The Littlest Rebel, Arsene Lupin, Pride and Prejudice
Films with Franchot: Gabriel Over the White House, Straight is the Way
My personal favorite FT-KM film: Straight is the Way

Maureen O'Sullivan was a 2-time costar of Franchot's.

Maureen O'Sullivan (b. 1911 d. 1998)
Awarded the George Eastman Award for her film contributions, Maureen O'Sullivan was Jane to Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan, but made time to play Franchot's leading lady in 1933 and 1937. With writer-director John Farrow, Maureen had seven children, including actress Mia Farrow.
Notable Films: Tarzan the Ape Man, The Thin Man, Anna Karenina, A Day at the Races, Maisie Was a Lady, Pride and Prejudice
Films with Franchot: Stage Mother, Between Two Women
My personal favorite FT-MO film: Between Two Women

Joan Bennett played Franchot's other half in 2 early 1940s films.

Joan Bennett (b. 1910 d. 1990)
Best remembered as a mid-to-late 1940s femme fatale, Joan Bennett performed on stage before seeking work in films. Sister of Constance Bennett, Joan appeared as a blonde in her 1930s films, before switching to the dark hair and sultry look that became her trademark in film noirs.
Notable Films: Bulldog Drummond, Little Women, The House Across the Bay, The Man I Married, Man Hunt, The Woman in the Window, Father of the Bride
Films with Franchot: The Wife Takes a Flyer, She Knew All the Answers
My personal favorite FT-JB film: Unfortunately, I've not seen either of their films! I'll update this after I have watched them.

Jean Wallace married and costarred with Franchot in the 1940s.

Jean Wallace (b. 1923 d. 1990)
Married to him for the majority of the 1940s, Jean Wallace starred in two films with Franchot, but found greater success in her films with third husband Cornel Wilde. Before she entered films, Jean worked as an Earl Carroll showgirl. Jean and Franchot had two sons during their union.
Notable Films: Jigsaw, The Man on the Eiffel Tower, The Good Humor Man, The Big Combo, Lancelot and Guinevere
Films with Franchot: Jigsaw, The Man on the Eiffel Tower
My personal favorite FT-JW film: Jigsaw

Actresses who were one-film costars of Franchot include:
Miriam Hopkins | Constance Bennett | Madeleine Carroll
Margaret Lindsay | Bette Davis | Madge Evans |Grace Moore
Katharine Hepburn | Virginia Bruce | Myrna Loy |Margaret Sullavan
Franciska Gaal | Janet Gaynor | Ann Sothern | Carol Bruce
Peggy Moran | Anne Baxter | Marsha Hunt | Mary Martin
Ella Raines | Veronica Lake | Merle Oberon | Susanna Foster
Ann Richards | Shirley Temple | Lucille Ball | Janet Blair
Betsy Drake | Laraine Day | Jane Wyman | Dolores Dorn
Una Merkel (Una costarred in two films, but only one as a leading lady.)

They Gave Him a Gun (1937)

They Gave Him a Gun is a 1937 crime drama that was based on William J. Cowen’s 1936 novel of the same name. Admittedly, I have many favorite Franchot films, but this is one of his early dramas that I particularly enjoy. Warning: this post contains spoilers.

As Jimmy, Franchot Tone gives a convincing, sensitive portrayal of a timid World War I soldier dreading active duty who transforms into a merciless militant who confidently shoots and kills the opposing army. Fred Willis (Spencer Tracy) is Jimmy’s friend and supporter, and although he’s an obedient solider, Fred is much more interested in the kind, lovely nurse Rose Duffy (Gladys George) than in the deadly battles.

When Jimmy is critically wounded, he falls for nurse Rose himself. Jimmy has no idea that Rose is in love with Fred and Rose never divulges this secret. After Fred goes missing in action and is presumed dead, Rose marries Jimmy. Following the end of the war, we see Jimmy, in full uniform covered in medals, proudly posing for photographs and sharing stories from the battlefield. In this scene, it is clear that Jimmy may have a difficult time adjusting to quiet, civilian life. Jimmy is thrilled to discover that Fred was only captured, not killed. He is excited to have his best friend and wife both back in his life, but doesn’t notice that the reunion is painful for Rose and Fred, who are still in love with one another but loyal to Jimmy.  

A good-natured carnival barker, Fred senses a change in his buddy and soon realizes that Jimmy is making his living as a murderous gangster. Rose then makes the difficult decision to turn Jimmy into the police so that he can pay his debts and return to an honest, humble life.

While he’s incarcerated, Jimmy must decide if he’s willing to swallow his pride and pay the price for his crimes in order to return to a humble, happy life with the woman he loves. The scenes of Jimmy’s incarceration and waiting to see what choice he will ultimately make kept me enthralled. Although some of the melodramas filmed in the 30s tend to have predictable endings, I had no idea how this one was going to end. Franchot perfectly plays the part of the conflicted gangster. His face masterfully shows the conflict between his inherent vulnerability and acquired need for power. Spencer Tracy and Gladys George turn in stirring performances as a couple that places their devotion to Jimmy ahead of their own undeniable love. Tone and Tracy only acted in this single feature film together, but Gladys George costarred with Franchot in 1934’s Straight is the Way and 1938’s Love is a Headache.

You can find They Gave Him a Gun on DVD through Amazon. If you enjoy They Gave Him a Gun, I also suggest you check out Pilot No. 5 and Three Comrades.