John Davis Lodge

John Davis Lodge (October 20, 1903 – October 29, 1985), was an American politician, and 79th Governor of Connecticut from 1951 to 1955. He was also an actor and U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Argentina and Switzerland.

Early life

Lodge was born in Washington, D.C.. His father was George Cabot Lodge, a poet, through whom he was a grandson of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and great-great-great-grandson of Senator George Cabot. His mother was Mathilda Elizabeth Frelinghuysen (Davis) Lodge. He had two sibling: Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., also a politician, and Helena Lodge de Streel, a baroness.^[1][2]

Lodge attended the Evans School for Boys in Mesa, Arizona, the Middlesex School, Concord, Massachusetts, Ecole de Droit, Paris, France, and St. Albans School, Washington, D.C. In 1925, he graduated from Harvard University, where he was a member of the Fox Club. In 1929, he graduated from Harvard Law School. In 1932, he was admitted to the New York bar and commenced practice in New York City.

Career

He served with the United States Navy as a lieutenant and lieutenant commander August 1942 to January 1946 and was a liaison officer between the French and American fleets. He was decorated with the rank of Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor and with the Croix de Guerre with palm by General Charles de Gaulle. After the war he engaged in research work in economics.

Political

He was elected as a Republican from Connecticut's 4th congressional district to the 80th and 81st Congresses, serving from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1951. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1950. He was elected Governor of Connecticut, serving from January 1951 to January 1955 and was unsuccessful for reelection in 1954. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1952 and 1960.

Local legend is that the proximate cause of Lodge's defeat in 1954 to Abraham Ribicoff was disenchantment on the part of Fairfield County Republicans with the disruption caused by the construction of the Connecticut Turnpike. Ironically, the highway is now named after the former Governor.^[3]

Lodge then served as United States Ambassador to Spain from January 1955 until January 1961. He was National president, Junior Achievement, Inc., 1963-1964. He was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senator from Connecticut in 1964. He was chairman, Committee Foreign Policy Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, 1964–1969; delegate and assistant floor leader, Connecticut Constitutional Convention, in 1965; United States Ambassador to Argentina, 1969 to 1974; United States Ambassador to Switzerland, 1983.

Acting

He became affiliated with the motion-picture industry and the theater 1933-1942, appearing in movies such as Little Women, The Scarlet Empress, and The Little Colonel.

Selected filmography

• The Woman Accused (1933)
• Little Women (1933)
• The Scarlet Empress (1934)
• The Little Colonel (1935)
• Koenigsmark (1935)
• The Tenth Man (1936)
• Ourselves Alone (1936)
• Sensation (1936)
• Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937)
• Premiere (1938)
• Bank Holiday (1938)
• Lightning Conductor (1938)

Personal life

He was married July 6, 1929, to actress and ballet dancer, Francesca Braggiotti. He was a resident of Westport, Connecticut until his death in New York City. He was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.^[4]

References

External links

• John Lodge at the Internet Movie Database
• John Lodge at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Davis Lodge at Find a Grave