Born Today November 19: Clifton Webb

1889-1966

Born Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck in Indianapolis, IN he was well trained in dance and theater by the age of 13 when he quite school to study art (painting) and music.  By the time he was 19 he was a professional ballroom dancer; and was in this capicity that he made his first appearance in film in the year 1917 at the age of 28.  He went on to have roles in 4 films in the 1920's, with his first named character coming in the year 1925.  He was in only one film in 1930, which was a short actually a short.  He didn't show back up in film until 1944 appearing in the now well known film noir Laura, starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews; in fact, he was billed just above Vincent Price.  He also had a successful career on Broadway and is well remembered for his off-Broadway performances in run of Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit.  Plagued by health troubles for the last five years of his life, he passed away on 13 October and is interred next to his mother in a crypt in the very famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery.