I don’t even recall now why I did a google search of John Gavin last summer. I’m sure I was watching Psycho for the 100th time ( I revisit the whole Hitchcock canon every summer, then again in October). If you’re not familiar with him, he’s best known as Marion Crane’s lover in Psycho. The first information that my eyes were drawn to was that he was a “Former United States Ambassador to Mexico”. What!?! I had no idea. But I quickly figured out it was during the Reagan administration and all the details. And for some reason, my mind was blown. I was fixated on how this Hollywood heartthrob had been given such an office within the federal government. Where did John Gavin come from, and how did he get from Hollywood to Washington? Here, we’ll look at some highlights of his film career, and background on how he was actually very qualified to be a U.S. ambassador. Hopefully you learn a little bit of information you didn’t know, and gain an appreciation for an actor who always seemed to be on the cusp of movie stardom. (Just so we’re clear from the start, I will not be talking much about his political career. This is a blog about classic movies after all)
The son of Chilean and Mexican immigrants, John Gavin was born in Los Angeles, CA on April 8th 1931. His birth name was Juan Vincent Apablasa, but it was later changed to John Anthony Golenor when he was adopted by his mother’s second husband. He attended the St. John’s Military academy in Los Angeles, and Villanova Prepartory, before heading to Stanford.
He attended Standford on a U.S. Navy Scholarship. While at Stanford, John Gavin played football and dabbled in acting. Gavin earned a B.A. in Economics and Latin American Affairs. After college he joined the Navy, and served during the Korean War from 1951-1955. During his time in the Navy, he served on the USS Princeton, and was an air intelligence officer form 1951-1953. He was also a Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Milton E. Miles until his service ended in 1955.
After his military service was completed, a movie was in the works about the USS Princeton. Family friend and movie producer Brian Foy was producing the project. Brian Foy directed shorts in the 20’s and early 30’s, and produced the films He Walked By Night, I Was a Communist for the F.B.I., The Winning Team, and House of Wax. Gavin offered to help Foy as a technical advisor. Given his time on the ship, he had a lot to offer on the project, but the offer turned into a bit more than he anticipated. Instead of accepting Gavin’s offer, Foy suggested Gavin go into Universal for a screen test. He felt like Gavin had what it took to be a star. And as it turned out, they loved him. He was offered a contract that he declined initially. Later after his father convinced him to give acting a try, he accepted. John Gavin had played down studying drama at Stanford. He told the Associated Press in 1958, “Probably, if I told the studio I had come out of Stanford drama school, done a little theater and TV, I wouldn’t have had a chance. But they seemed intrigued by my lack of credentials”.
Universal Studios thought they had their next leading man, someone to compete with the top box office star at the time, Rock Hudson. Except that type of fame never came for John Gavin. In fact, he garnered the title of the “poor man’s Rock Hudson” and the nickname “Little Rock”. Looking back at his string of classics, it feels very much like he was always on the cusp of stardom. But no matter how much Universal pushed him to be the next big box office star, the public and Gavin just never connected. Or maybe it was Gavin and the big screen that didn’t connect?
After appearing in 4 rather forgettable films between 1956 and 1957, he finally got this big break in Douglas Sirk’s A Time to Love and a Time to Die in 1958. His first starring role, he played a German soldier on the Russian front in 1944. The film follows Gavin’s character as he searches his bombed home town for his parents, and finds love along the way. It really was luck (or Universal trying to make John Gavin happen) that he got the starring role. Studio executives decided to cast Gavin because he was unknown, and wouldn’t have to overcome the public scrutiny of being a young Nazi officer. The public most likely wouldn’t have accepted an actor who was known and beloved starring as a Nazi officer, with whom we’re supposed to be sympathetic to. Gavin won a Golden Globe for his part in the film, for Most Promising Newcomer. I must admit, this role does make him look very promising. He holds his own among the many other seasoned actors in the film, and seems more easy going than in some of his other roles. It’s worth a watch if you haven’t seen it, but is hard to find.
Soon after his break out film, a string of roles came to him that would allow him to work with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. His next film is one that all classic movie lovers know and love, the remake of, Imitation of Life. Starring Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, Sandra Dee, and Susan Kohner, this was Douglas Sirk’s last Hollywood film. His role as Turner’s boyfriend isn’t the most memorable or important role of the film (a theme when you look at his roles), but he does a good job, and looks beautiful doing it. His portrayal of Steve Archer is good, he does a fine job. I think I associate this role as his best, and the one I remember most fondly.
John Gavin’s string of classics really hit a stride in 1960. Following Imitation of Life, he starred along side Sofia Loren in Michael Curtiz’s A Breath of Scandal. He starred as Julius Caesar in the Kirk Douglas led Spartacus. In the thriller Midnight Lace from 1960, he co-starred as a foreman on a construction site near Doris Day’s London home. Doris Day stars as an American newly-wed in London whose sanity comes into question by all those around her when she claims to have a stalker, but no proof of him is seen by anyone in her life. The film also starred Rex Harrison, and Myrna Loy. This Hitchcockian type thriller, like so many of the films John Gavin starred in, has a female lead, making his role again as second or third billed. Yet again, he is also one of the most forgettable characters in the film, and could have been played by almost anyone else. It would have been such fun to see him take on the role of Doris Day’s husband, and how he would have pulled off such a varied role.
The film John Gavin is most remembered for is the 1960’s classic, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Remember him as Marion Crane’s lover? You probably do if you’ve seen the film. How can you miss that stud with Janet Leigh in the opening bedroom scene? He was 3rd billed, behind Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, and starred as Sam Loomis, Janet Leigh’s boyfriend. While seen briefly in the beginning, he shows back up after the famous shower scene and is in the remainder of the film. With Psycho, Hitchcock was on a strict budget of around $807,000, as he was financing the film himself. When Universal offered John Gavin for the role of Janet Leigh’s lover, Hitchcock took him. Unhappy with his performance, Hitchcock later said it was “stiff and wooden”. This is a sentiment that was echoed by others on his performances as well, and I do find it hard to disagree. Yet, I don’t find his performances poor either. He always did, especially in Psycho, a fine job. But still, Psycho, like the majority of his other films, is not remembered because of his performance.
One of my favorite films starring John Gavin is 1961’s Back Street. This version is a remake of the 1932 classic that starred Irene Dunne and John Boles. Another version, made in 1941, starred Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullivan. In this version Susan Hayward plays Rae Smith, an aspiring designer who meets marine Paul Saxon (Gavin). It’s love at first sight, and they spend the night together. But the next day Paul has to return to Chicago and wants Rae to go with him. Except she misses the flight. Eventually serendipity happens, and they meet again and the love is rekindled. But a lot has happened, and Paul is married with children. It’s a good film that I recommend you seek out if you haven’t seen it. Rumor has it, there was a long list of famous actors who were considered for the lead. William Holden, Gregory Peck, and Peter Lawford just to name a few. It was the famous Hedda Hopper who suggested Gavin for the role in her column. I’m guessing it is she who pulled strings to get him the role too. I can fully see Holden or Peck bringing their seasoned acting chops to this role, and it would have been interesting to see their take on the role.
By 1962, John Gavin’s film career had ebbed, and he left Universal that year. From 1962-1967 he only had starring roles in television shows like Destry, where he was the star for 13 episodes. Other starring roles included The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Kraft Suspense Theatre, The Doris Day Show and The Love Boat. His final acting role was 2 episodes for the television show Fantasy Island.
After his return to Universal in 1964, he only had a few more movie roles. None were starring roles, and none remembered well today. He starred alongside Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing in Thoroughly Modern Millie in 1967. And does anyone remember his dalliance with a movie called OSS 117 Murder for Sale, where he tried his hand at a 007 Bondesque role? Anybody? This isn’t to say I feel he’s a bad actor or not worth your time (I wouldn’t be writing about him would I?), but to show how his career really didn’t continue on that wild trajectory to stardom it felt like it was going early on.
Rather shocking to find during my research was, John Gavin was actually tapped to play 007 in Diamonds are Forever and Live and Let Die. James Bond…… I mean, can you even imagine?!? I do slightly see why a casting director or producer would look at Gavin’s past performances, and see a possibility as a Bond type character. He’s brooding, dark, moody, stoic even. He has the look of a Bond character too; devilishly handsome. The studio went so far as to have him sign a contract in December 1970 to star in Diamonds are Forever. Even with a contract signed, the studio never fully believed in Gavin to play James Bond, or for an American to play him for that matter, and they eventually convinced Sean Connery to come back. Gavin’s name was thrown around once again when it came time to cast for Live and Let Die, but obviously it didn’t work out. Fun fact, Burt Reynolds interviewed and screen tested for the role of James Bond. That would have been an interesting turn of events for the franchise.
In 1971, John Gavin began his 2 terms as the Screen Actors Guild President. Prior to this honor, he served on the board in 1965, a term as 3rd Vice-President, and 2 terms as 1st Vice-President. He lost his bid for re-election to an independent challenger, Dennis Weaver.
During the 60’s Gavin began delving into politics. In 1961 he was appointed special adviser to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. He held this position until 1973. His assignment during this time was to promote JFK’s Alliance for Progress to help Latin American countries improve their economies. Later, he would go on to help friend and former actor Ronald Reagan campaign for President. After Reagan became president, he appointed Gavin as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in June of 1981. He served as Ambassador until June 1986. His degrees in economics and Latin American Affairs gave him a solid background for this role. Later, in 1991 he was approached by officials in President George H.W. Bush’s administration about running for U.S. Senate. He declined, citing business and family matters. By this point he was the President of Univisa Satellite Communications, and an established businessman.
John Gavin’s personal life was a relatively quiet one. He was married to actress Cecily Evans from 1957-1965. While the marriage ended in divorce, they did have two daughters, Christina and Maria. Later, in 1974, he married actress and singer Constance Towers. They had no children, and were married for 43 years until his death in 2018.
Typically always the second or third billed love interest, John Gavin’s leading man status simply never got off the ground. And just my humble opinion, but for someone who never really wanted to act, he was in his fair share of extraordinary classic films. But his star power never reached what a Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant’s did. He’s all but been forgotten today. I hope this small look into his life and the films he was a part of will have you give him a second look. Watch Psycho or Imitation of Life again (or for the first time) and look closer at his performances.
As always, slow down and enjoy a Tuesday Matinee.