Holding his own with the indomitable Tallulah Bankhead was not the least of his accomplishments, but his career and his life, sadly, were cut short when he died of a heart attack in October 1955 at the age of forty-one.
He had come a long way from his impoverished boyhood in Hamtramck, Michigan, the son of immigrant parents. The book details his experiences in childhood, his launch into an acting career through radio, and his ultimate arrival in Hollywood, where during World War II, due to being 4-F because of hypertension, found promising roles as one of the new young actors filling the void for established male stars serving in the military. A Bell for Adano (1945) was one of his favorites, and of course, film fans remember his appearance opposite Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls (1946).
Unfortunately, the early 1950s brought challenges that kept him from reaching the stardom he probably deserved. In those years, he also enjoyed a short-lived marriage to Anne Baxter, the birth of his daughter, and a great Broadway opportunity playing in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
I did not know much about Hodiak's life or career and found the book both interesting and well-written. As with his other books, Mr. Tucker divides the story into a biography, followed by a detailed filmography. In the case of this book, there is also a section on Hodiak's stage work and his brief television career. What I especially liked was a section devoted to the many roles John Hodiak played on radio. Radio was a major career move in that era, as well as bread-and-butter work, and it unfortunately receives short shrift in most Hollywood biographies. Being a fan of old-time radio, I really enjoyed this inclusion.
Get your copy of John Hodiak - The Life and Career on Film, Stage, and Radio by David C. Tucker at McFarland here.
Have a look below for my posts on David C. Tucker’s previous books on Rochelle Hudson, Gale Storm, and S. Sylvan Simon. Also below is a list of links where you can purchase Mr. Tucker’s other books.
Another Old Movie Blog: Review of Gale Storm: A Biography and Career Record by David C. Tucker
Another Old Movie Blog: Review: S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker - David C. Tucker's new book
Gale Storm: A Biography and Career Record
Martha Raye: Film and Television Clown
Eve Arden: A Chronicle of All Film, Television, Radio and Stage, Performances
Shirley Booth: A Biography and Career Record
Joan Davis: America’s Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy
Lost Laughs of ‘50s and ‘60s Television
Pine-Thomas Productions: A History and Filmography
Have a look here at David C. Tucker’s blog
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