Happy Birthday John Gilbert 121 Years Ago Today 🎂

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John Gilbert (Born John Cecil Pringle)1897-1936 was a popular actor of The Silent Screen he was known as “The Great Lover” he rivaled Rudolph Valentino as a sex symbol of the Silent Screen. 

His Career Started to decline near the end of the Silent Era, John had a problem with Alcohol and Interpersonal relationships throughout his short life. He also had a strained relationship with MGM Head Louis B. Meyer which lead Meyer to Sabotage Gilbert’s Speaking Voice (deliberately raising it octaves) making it sound effeminate so that he wouldn’t have a voice for sound. This stemmed from an argument when Greta Garbo stood Gilbert up at their double wedding with King Vidor and Eleanor Boardman Meyer made a crude joke about Garbo and Gilbert Punched Meyer. Boardman confirmed it happened. 


Gilbert was a Lover in real life being married 4 times and having steamy affairs with Barbara LaMarr, Lila Lee, Laurette Taylor, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich (who he was engaged to at the time of his death) and was accused of having an affair with Bebe Daniels by second wife Leatrice Joy. 


Gilbert and Garbo


Gilbert was Married 4 times First was Olivia Burwell 1918-1921 His Second Wife was Leatrice Joy 1922-1925 he and Leatrice had a very tumultuous marriage separating several times before finally divorcing for good. Third wife was Ina Claire 1929-1931 and last Wife was Virginia Bruce 1932-1934

Gilbert had two Daughters Leatrice with Second Wife Leatrice Joy in 1924 and Susan Ann with his Fourth Wife Virginia Bruce in 1933. Leatrice Joy Fountain Died In 2015. I couldn’t find any information on the wearabouts of Susan Ann. There was no information on her on Virginia Bruce’s Wikipedia Page and there is very little about Bruce’s relationship with Gilbert at all on her page. Upon doing a bit more digging I only found that Susan Ann is still living at age 85. She never knew her father she was an infant at the time of his death. 


Virginia Bruce and Susan Ann Gilbert

John Gilbert after years of damaging his body with Alcohol suffered his first Heart Attack in December of 1935. It disabled him greatly. His second Heart Attack on January 9,1936 killed him. He was only 38 years old. 

He was cremated and buried at Forest Lawn Glendale CA He left the bulk of his estate to Virginia Bruce and Daughter Susan Ann valued at approximately $6.41 Million Dollars in today’s money The actual amount was $363,494. He left $10,000 to his oldest daughter Leatrice. 

John Gilbert on Find A Grave

For his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry he has a Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Vine Street. 

John Gilbert on IMDB


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