John Agar

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John Agar

circa 1960
Born (1921-01-31)January 31, 1921
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died April 7, 2002(2002-04-07) (aged 81)
Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting place
 Riverside National Cemetery
Occupation Actor
Years active 1948–2001
Spouse(s) Shirley Temple (m.1945–1950; divorced)
Loretta Combs (m.1951–2000)
Children Linda Susan Agar (Susan Black)
Martin Agar & John G. Agar III

John George Agar, Jr. (January 31, 1921 – April 7, 2002) was an American actor. He is best known for starring alongside John Wayne in the films Sands of Iwo Jima, Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and his later career as the star of B movies, such as Tarantula, The Mole People, The Brain from Planet Arous, Revenge of the Creature, Flesh and the Spur, and Hand of Death. He was the first husband of Shirley Temple.

Early Life

Agar was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Lillian (née Rogers) and John Agar, Sr., a meat packer.[1]

He was educated at the Harvard School for Boys in Chicago and Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois and graduated from Trinity-Pawling Preparatory School in Pawling, New York, but did not attend college. He and his family moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in 1942, following his father’s death.

During World War II he served in the Army Air Corps, mostly in the March Field Army Post in Riverside, California, serving as a physical fitness instructor. He was a sergeant at the time he left the army in 1946.[2]

Shirley Temple

Agar's sister was a school mate of Shirley Temple and in 1944 he escorted Temple to a party held by her then-boss David O. Selznick. The two of them fell in love and were married in 1945. Selznick signed Agar to a five year acting contract starting at $150 a week, including acting lessons.[3]

Agar and Temple worked together in Fort Apache and Adventure in Baltimore. The first of these, where they supported John Wayne, was particularly successful and Agar was reunited with Wayne in two more hits, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and The Sands of Iwo Jima.[2]

Agar and Temple had a daughter together, Linda Susan Agar (who was later known as Susan Black, taking the surname of her stepfather Charles Alden Black). However the marriage foundered, in part because of Agar's drinking (he had been arrested for drunk driving), in part because of pressures of their high profile, and Temple sued for divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty in 1949.[3][4]

B Movie Star

Agar's career suffered in the wake of his divorce, however he developed a niche playing the leads in low budget science fiction, Western and horror movies in the 1950s and 1960s. John Wayne also gave him several support parts in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During later years he worked extensively in television.

"I don't resent being identified with B science fiction movies at all," said Agar later. "Why should I? Even though they were not considered top of the line, for those people that like sci-fi, I guess they were fun. My whole feeling about working as an actor is, if I give anybody any enjoyment, I'm doing my job, and that's what counts."[2]

Following his divorce from Temple, Agar was married in 1951 to model Loretta Barnett Combs (1922–2000). They remained married until her death in 2000. They had two sons, Martin Agar and John G. Agar III.[5]

Death

Agar died on April 7, 2002 at Burbank, California of complications from emphysema. He was buried beside his wife at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Agar made six movies with John Wayne: Fort Apache, Sands of Iwo Jima, Big Jake, Chisum, The Undefeated and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

He is mentioned in the Frank Zappa song "The Radio is Broken" from the album The Man From Utopia (1983).

The Seattle band The Young Fresh Fellows recorded the song "The New John Agar" on the album "Topsy Turvy" (1985)

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ John Agar Biography (1921-2002)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 John Agar Biography at Monster Shack accessed 19 January 2014
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 John Agar obituary in The Guardian 13 April 2002 accessed 19 January 2014
  4. ↑ Kristin McMurran, "Shirley Temple Black Taps Out a Telling Memoir of Child Stardom", People Magazine 28 November 1988 accessed 19 January 2014
  5. ↑ Obituary at Los Angeles Times 9 April 2002 accessed 19 January 2014

External links

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