Hollywood Profile…Tyrone Power, Sr.
HOLLYWOOD PROFILES
Tyrone Power, Sr.
By Allan R. Ellenberger
Tyrone Power Sr., the father of popular matinee idol, Tyrone Power, was a member of one of England’s most famous stage families and was widely known on the American stage and screen.
The actor was born Frederick Tyrone Power in London, England on May 2, 1869 to Harold Power and Ethel Lavenue, a popular dramatic team of the English stage. Power, the namesake of his grandfather, the legendary Irish actor, Tyrone Power (1795-1841), began his stage career touring Europe with his parents. Later he came to America and started an orange grove in Florida. When that venue failed, he returned to the theatre where he rose to fame on the Broadway stage, using the name, Tyrone Power II. For more than two decades he gained widespread attention in Shakespearean plays and in such productions as The Wandering Jew and The Servant in the House.
Walter Hampden, Arthur Lewis and Tyrone Power in The Servant in the House
Most of his life had been devoted to the stage although he appeared in silent films during the pioneer days of motion pictures. His last film role was as the villain in The Big Trail (1931), an early talkie western.
Power had just completed an eastern tour with the Chicago Shakespeare Company when he returned to Hollywood in early December 1931 to appear in the title role of The Miracle Man (1932), at Paramount. The film, a remake of the 1919 Lon Chaney classic, was directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starred Sylvia Sidney and Chester Morris.
At about 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening, December 29, Power finished filming for the day and retired to his room at the Hollywood Athletic Club. With him were his son, Tyrone, Jr. and his attorney, Francis D. Adams. They talked until 11 p.m. when Adams left. At around midnight, Power suffered a heart attack and a physician was summoned, but emergency treatment was to no avail. Power died in the arms of his son, early on the morning of December 30, 1931 (not December 23 as reported on imdb.com).
The Hollywood Athletic Club where Tyrone Power, Sr. died.
Power’s simple funeral rites were held the following Saturday from the A. E. Maynes Chapel, 1201 South Flower Street. The pallbearers were H. B. Warner, Rupert Julian, Arno Lucy, Sidney Olcott, Edmund Breese, Lawrence Grant, and Claude Gillingwater.
Actor and friend, Ian Keith delivered the eulogy, saying:
“The curtain is rung down. The prompter has left his box. You have played your last great role on your mortal stage, Tyrone. But you know that the Great Dramatist has prepared a finer role for you than any you played here.”
Tyrone Power, Sr. and his son, Tyrone Power
(CREDIT: Tyrone-Power.com)
Besides his son, Tyrone, Power was survived by an ex-wife, Patia and his daughter Anne.
After the services, Power’s body was cremated at the Los Angeles Crematory. A few months later, Tyrone and his mother scattered the ashes up the Richelieu River at Isle Aux Noix, Quebec, Canada, near the actor’s home, Two Pines.
Power was replaced in The Miracle Man by his close friend, Hobart Bosworth, who closely resembled the actor. “It does seem odd that I should be the one to replace him in this role after all these years,” Bosworth said. “We were warm friends and I only hope that I can do justice to the role in his stead.”
When Tyrone Power placed his hands and footprints in cement at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, he wrote: “To Sid, following in my father’s footsteps.”
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November 14th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Nicely done Allan!
You always seem to know what I am interested in reading before I know myself. Love that you always have such great photos to go along.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
How inspired! Thanks so much for profiling the father of one of my all time favorites. Loved it!
November 15th, 2008 at 1:50 am
Love it — and great photos! Makes me wanna look to do the Dinner at Hollywood Athletic Club again
November 15th, 2008 at 9:35 am
You continue to amaze and delight me. Thank you!
June 17th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Fatal attraction for Paul Bern predicted early by palmist cheiro
Paul Bern (December 3, 1889 – September 5, 1932) was a German-American film director, screenwriter and producer for MGM
Bern married film star Jean Harlow on July 2, 1932. Just two months later, on September 5, he was found naked, shot in the head, in their home on Easton Drive, off Benedict Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, California. The coroner’s jury came to the conclusion that his death was a suicide. To avoid scandal, the MGM management had fabricated an explanation, and evidence for it, that Bern had shot himself in the head because he was impotent. A strange note was left near his body that raised more questions than it answered, stating that “last night was only a comedy.” All America, it seemed, wanted to know what Bern meant. Harlow never spoke of the matter. To the police and before a grand jury she stated only that she knew nothing. Harlow died five years later.
In 1960, it was suggested by screenwriter Ben Hecht that Bern was murdered by his mentally deranged common-law wife, Dorothy Millette. The investigation into Paul Bern’s death was reopened by the Los Angeles District Attorney. However, the verdict of suicide was not changed. Many people were questioned, including two gardeners. One claimed he heard a car driving away in the early morning. There was no conclusive evidence that Bern argued with his wife before his death and handwriting analysts claimed the suicide note was not in his handwriting. Eddie Mannix, MGM’s studio manager, was believed to be the prime suspect, but he was never charged with the crime.
Cheiro when fisrt read his hands in the spring of 1927.From the line of marriage cutting the fate line with stoppage as long island ,he warned him of peculiarly sensitive disposition, that marriage would be fatal to him and he had better leave it alone.He laughed at his suggestion saying “It is the last thing that would enter my mind”Yet five years later his marraiage with Jean harlow was one of sensational of Hollywood.He met Jean harlow and after rapid courtship they married in September 1932 ,but weeks later for some unknown reason ,he committed suicide.
Dec 3 born people must have genetic fortune reversal and they are advised to put aside some money for their future.
S.Nandakumar ,astro geneticist.,Anna-oxford-cambridge –hubble-space science coordinator.
Different profiles of marriage lines-corrections reg
When the marriage line curves up thre will not be amrraige materilistaion at all.
Starting with island some scandal connected with seduction before marriage is indicated
Marriage line with a branch ending at the head line divorce indicated due to religious differences such as Hindu-Muslim ,protestant Roman catholic problems.
Marriage line ending at the sun mount brilliant marriage with popular partner.
Marriage line ending with a cros at the saturm mount scaffolding death is indiacted by the selfish nature of removal of his partner.
Man with out heart line inherit sexual abuser.
Sankara Velayudhan Nandakumar special officer on behalf of Loyola college nano technology dept Cape Institute of Technology,Nagercoil formerly with ,KNSK Engineering college ,Nagercoil as research scholar,Anna University with Hubble space research committee of Hon.Roger Davies,Hon.Collin Webbs FRS of Laser dn of Oxford uk,Hon.Marteen Rees ,Emeritus Professor of cosmology Cambridge ,former president of Royal society, London. Sankara Velayudhan Nandakumar member PNSA,American ,member JILA Group on behalf of Loyola college of Enigineering Aand technology ,Member American committee for the Weizman institute of science ,Energy renovation committee cape Institute of Technology,Nagercoil formerly with ,KNSK Engineering college ,Nagercoil as research scholar,Anna University with Hubble space research committee of Hon.Roger Davies,Hon.Collin Webbs FRS of Laser dn of Oxford uk,Hon.Marteen Rees ,Emeritus Professor of cosmology Cambridge .
October 10th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Thanks Allan, very well done. You really brought that old nostalgia back once more!