Tyrone Power, Nancy Kelly on the set of Jesse James (top); Power and his mother (bottom)
Tyrone Power Interview – Intro
How would you describe Tyrone Power the actor? How would you describe Tyrone Power the man?
Tyrone Power the actor: very versatile, disciplined, hard-working, capable of doing much more than he was allowed to do throughout most of his career. Charismatic, exuded a great warmth and charm on the screen. Extremely committed to acting and mindful of his family dynasty.
As a man, he was extremely passionate, down to earth, funny, generous to a fault, loyal, and nonconfrontational. He was given to some dark moods; he was unhappy about his career after the war and bitter about being written off by the critics because of his good looks. He fell in love hard and fast, married in haste, repented at great leisure, and paid a fortune in alimony until the day he died. However, he was a great provider for his family, which included his mother, his sister, his own children, and his stepdaughter Anne. Humble, extremely gracious to fans. Anne Baxter said that he was Larry Darrell in The Razor's Edge in real life. Loved the good things in life.
Tyrone Power Sr, Tyrone Power ca. 1930. Power Sr. would die in 1931.
How did Tyrone Power become Fox's top male star?
He was initially offered a contract at Universal, but Katharine Cornell convinced him that he wasn't ready. By the time Fox made an offer, he was more prepared, so he took it. As the studios did in those days, future stars were brought along slowly — first in small parts and then the parts got gradually bigger.
He was in Girls Dormitory and made a splash when he appeared in two scenes at the end of the film; Hedda Hopper sat through the film again to make sure she got his name right.
He had a slightly larger role in Ladies in Love. Then he tested for Lloyds of London, which was scheduled to star Don Ameche. When he and Zanuck saw the test, Henry King voted for Power and told Darryl Zanuck that Power had the makings of a star. Power had fourth billing, but he literally walked out of the theater a movie star.
Sonja Henie, Tyrone Power, Don Ameche (top); Power, Alice Faye (bottom)
What about his off-screen relationship with his In Old Chicago and Alexander's Ragtime Band co-stars, Don Ameche and Alice Faye?
Tyrone was very close friends with both of his frequent co-stars; in fact, he developed friendships with many, many of the stars with whom he appeared: Gregory Ratoff, Loretta Young, Hildegarde Knef, Christopher Plummer, Terry Moore, Dorothy Lamour, Anne Baxter, Henry Fonda, John Carradine, and many others. He and Alice shared a birthday [May 5]. He knew Don Ameche before going to 20th, and as Hildegarde Knef reports in her book, The Gift Horse, Tyrone was a frequent visitor backstage at Silk Stockings in which she and Don starred on Broadway.
Don and Tyrone were notorious for playing tricks on Alice during filming, including sending her little dressing room, which was on wheels, careening through the studio. Tyrone also pressed back one of Alice's false nails during a love scene; and he had a Lauren Hutton type filler between two of his teeth — she got it into her mouth. They were silly kids, in their early twenties, working off steam.
Tyrone Power, Lana Turner
Did Tyrone Power generally get along with his co-stars and directors? Anyone he particularly liked working with? Anyone he particularly disliked working with? What was his relationship like with Henry King and Henry Hathaway, who directed him in, respectively, 11 and 5 films?
[Right: Agnes Moorehead and Tyrone Power.]
Power got along beautifully with everyone, and he was extremely close to both the Hathaways and the Kings. He did not like working with Kim Novak [in The Eddy Duchin Story], and initially he didn't like working with Linda Darnell, who started playing adult roles prematurely, though later on he certainly did like working with her.
He was completely entranced by Rita Hayworth and according to his stand-in, did nothing but stare at her during the entire production of Blood and Sand.
What was his relationship like with Darryl F. Zanuck?
Power was very close with Darryl Zanuck and his wife, Virginia; they were like surrogate parents to him, although Zanuck and all of the studio heads were business first. Power trusted Virginia and confided in her, even sending Lana Turner to her for advice when she became pregnant with his child. When Zanuck launched his own production company in the '50s, he got Power for The Sun Also Rises. Actress Mai Zetterling said Power was “Darryl Zanuck's favorite actor.”
I to thought it was a nice article and I also liked Tryone. I think you can see quite a change in his acting after his time as a Marine after WW2. It seems to have an rougher edge to it, I think you can see that in Jimmy Stewert also. One question that wasn't really answered in the article was who he did not like to work with that much.
One thing from my point of view Tyrone always gave a great performance if was bit part or the lead.
I enjoyed this article very much. He is one of the greatest actors of all time and should never be forgotten.
Thanks for the tribute,
Angela Garrett