The Resume

(January 28, 1914-August 7, 1972)
Born in Evanston, Illinois
Best known for his starring role in the film noir 'Detour' (1945)
Also appeared in the films 'Out West with the Hardys' (1938), 'Another Thin Man' (1939), 'Jungle Girl' (1941), 'The Bowery at Midnight' (1942), 'Behind the Rising Sun' (1943), 'Crime, Inc.' (1945), 'Bruce Gentry' (1949), 'I Shot Billy the Kid' (1950) and 'The Great Jesse James Raid' (1953)

Why he might be annoying:

He called off his engagement to former Follies girl (and ex-mistress of gangster Arnold Rothstein) Inez Martin when his dad threatened to disinherit him.
He fought Franchot Tone over the affections of Barbara Payton and left Tone with a broken nose, a shattered cheekbone and a concussion.
He fatally shot his third wife, Gale Bennett, and told two friends he had killed her while she was napping.
On the stand, he changed his story to claim Gale had threatened him with a gun and it went off when he tried to wrestle it away.
Although the coroner testified that the location and angle of the wound made the story 'unlikely,' the jury bought it, finding him guilty of the lesser charge of 'involuntary manslaughter' for which he served six years.
He complained, 'Women in my life brought me nothing but unhappiness.'

Why he might not be annoying:

As an amateur boxer at Northwestern and Harvard, he had a record of 44-3 (with 41 wins by knockout).
When he first arrived in Hollywood, his looks were compared to Clark Gable.
When acting roles dried up, he started a successful landscaping business.
Hollywood figures who contributed to his legal defense fund included Mickey Rooney, Blake Edwards, and, ironically, Franchot Tone.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Andy Hardy [Film Series]
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 39]
• Celebrity Boxers
• Criminals
• I Attended Harvard
• I Attended Northwestern
• I Died in 1972 (Ranked: 58)
• I Murdered My Spouse
• I Named My Kid After Myself
• I Was Buried at Sea
• I was Cremated
• I Was Cremated at Chapel of the Pines [Los Angeles]
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing Boxing Gloves
• People with Tom, Dick or Harry in their Names
• Profiles 32001-32250 (Ranked: 32033)
• Stars on Trial for Murder

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 51 Votes: 49.02% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 21 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 51 Votes: 82.35% Annoying