Victor McLaglen, a British leading man and later character actor, was a prominent figure in numerous motion pictures, particularly those directed by John Ford. Born to a Protestant clergyman, McLaglen was the eldest of eight brothers, and his adventurous nature led him to try his hand at farming, prizefighting, and circus work.
McLaglen's early life was marked by a series of escapades, including his attempt to join the Boer War and his later tours of the US, Australia, and South Africa. He even challenged the newly-crowned heavyweight champion Jack Johnson to a six-round exhibition match in Vancouver.
When World War I broke out, McLaglen joined the Irish Fusiliers and served in the Middle East, eventually becoming the Provost Marshal for the city of Baghdad. After the war, he attempted to resume his boxing career, but was instead offered a role in the film "The Call of the Road" (1920),which marked the beginning of his acting career.
McLaglen quickly became a popular leading man in British silent films, and later transitioned to American films, playing both tough and suave characters with ease. However, with the advent of sound, his ability to convincingly portray debonair characters diminished due to his native speech patterns.
Despite this, McLaglen's popularity continued to grow, particularly when he was cast by Ford in films such as "The Informer" (1935),for which he won the Best Actor Oscar. He continued to play a wide range of roles, including heroes, villains, and simple-minded thugs, into the 1940s.
Ford gave McLaglen's career a new boost with a series of lovably roguish Irish roles in films such as "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) and "The Quiet Man" (1952),the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination. McLaglen formed a riding and polo club, as well as a precision motorcycle team, which led to rumors that he had fascist sympathies and was forming his own private army. However, he denied these allegations.
McLaglen continued to act in films into his 70s and died shortly after appearing in a film directed by his son, Andrew V. McLaglen.
