Paul Malvern

American actor

Paul William Malvern^[1] (June 28, 1902 – May 29, 1993) was an American film producer, child actor and stuntman who produced more than 100 films.^[2]

He began his career as a child acrobat and later worked as a stunt man before transitioning to an assistant director role.

Some of his productions were Westerns released by Monogram Pictures under Malvern's Lonestar Productions label,^[3] including many starring John Wayne.^[4]

Biography

Malvern was born June 28, 1902 in Portland, Oregon.^[1] He began his career as a member of his family's acrobatic troupe and performed in vaudeville beginning at age four, when he was touted as "the greatest child acrobat on the American stage."^[4] His family's troupe toured internationally, performing as a featured act with the Ringling Brothers circus.^[4]

In Los Angeles, Malvern's first work in film came as a double for Mary Pickford, and he soon began performing stunts.^[5] His first major stunt appearance was doubling for Eileen Sedgwick in Beasts of Paradise (1923).^[1] In 1928, Malvern suffered serious injuries in a 70 feet (21 m) fall, and he retired from stunt performing, subsequently working as a producer for Universal Pictures and Monogram.^[1] Malvern married his wife Jean Huntley in 1932 and remained with her until her death in 1979.^[6]

Death

Malvern died on May 29, 1993 at his home in North Hollywood, Los Angeles.^[4][7][8] He is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.^[6]

Select filmography

• Riders of Destiny (1933)
• The Fugitive (1933)
• Sagebrush Trail (1933)
• West of the Divide (1933)
• The Lucky Texan (1934)
• Randy Rides Alone (1934)
• The Star Packer (1934)
• The Trail Beyond (1934)
• 'Neath the Arizona Skies (1934)
• The Lawless Frontier (1934)
• The Dawn Rider (1935)
• Paradise Canyon (1935)
• The Man from Utah (1934)
• Blue Steel (1934)
• Texas Terror (1935)
• Rainbow Valley (1935)
• The Desert Trail (1935)
• Westward Ho (1935)
• Wolf Call (1939)
• North to the Klondike (1942)
• House of Frankenstein (1944)
• Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves (1944)

See also

• Robert North Bradbury

References

1. Freese 2014, p. 180.
2. "Paul Malvern". Variety. Associated Press. June 3, 1993.
3. "Lone Star Productions (Monogram)". John Wayne Message Board (JWMB).
4. "Paul Malvern Is Dead; Former Stunt Man, 91". The New York Times. June 4, 1993. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018.
5. "Ex-Stunt Expert". Register-Guard. May 23, 1943. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Stephens & Stephens 2017, p. 38.
7. "Paul Malvern". Variety. June 3, 1993. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019.
8. "Paul Malvern". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019.
9. Vance & Maietta 2008, p. 169.
10. Katchmer 2015, p. 240.
11. Rainey 2004, pp. 575–577.
12. McGowan 2005, p. 168.
13. "'Tailspin Tommy' Series Next Malvern Project". Los Angeles Times. December 11, 1938. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Grace Bradley in London Feature". Los Angeles Times. January 20, 1941. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.

Sources

• Freese, Gene Scott (2014). Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary (2nd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-47643-5.
• Katchmer, George A. (2015). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-476-60905-8.
• McGowan, John J. (2005). J.P. McGowan: Biography of a Hollywood Pioneer. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-41994-4.
• Rainey, Buck (2004). The Strong, Silent Type: Over 100 Screen Cowboys, 1903-1930. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-41286-0.
• Stephens, E. J.; Stephens, Kim (2017). Legends of Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-439-66142-0.
• Vance, Jeffrey; Maietta, Tony (2008). Douglas Fairbanks. Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-25667-5.

External links

• Paul Malvern at IMDb
• Paul Malvern at AllMovie
• Paul Malvern at Find a Grave