A Birthday Tribute to Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power, one of the greatest stars of the classic film era, was born 97 years ago today, on May 5, 1914.

There's a movement afoot asking the United States Postal Service to honor the 2014 centennial of Power's birth with a Legends of Hollywood stamp. (Gregory Peck was the most recent actor to be honored; his stamp was released last week.) Power fans can sign an online petition in support of such a stamp.

Those who wish to support the stamp can also write a letter to the Postal Service; the address is available at Tyrone Power.com.

Power, along with Cary Grant, is my all-time favorite actor. I've loved him since I first saw THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) as a child, and I couldn't begin to count how many times I've seen it since. It's one of the most enjoyable films ever made, thanks in large part to Power's performance, ably supported by Basil Rathbone, Linda Darnell, Gale Sondergaard, and Eugene Pallette.

Power's work encompassed swashbucklers, Westerns, costume dramas, romantic comedies, fantasies, and even musicals. His looks were so remarkable that it's sometimes almost an afterthought to acknowledge that he was also a superb actor whose skills grew even more impressive with the passage of time.

Power served in the Marines during WWII, after which he gave some of his most highly regarded dramatic performances in films such as THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946), NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947), THE LONG GRAY LINE (1955), and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957). His early death at the age of 44 was a great loss for all who love his work.

Tyrone Power films previously reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: GIRLS' DORMITORY (1936), LADIES IN LOVE (1936), LOVE IS NEWS (1937), SECOND HONEYMOON (1937), CAFE METROPOLE (1937), THIN ICE (1937), IN OLD CHICAGO (1938), DAY-TIME WIFE (1939), BRIGHAM YOUNG (1940), A YANK IN THE R.A.F. (1941), THE BLACK SWAN (1942), SON OF FURY (1942), CRASH DIVE (1943), THAT WONDERFUL URGE (1948), THE LUCK OF THE IRISH (1948), RAWHIDE (1951), I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU (1951), and DIPLOMATIC COURIER (1952).

A concluding thought on Power from Caftan Woman, who found this quote from Alice Faye, a great talent also born on this date: "He was the best looking thing I've ever seen in my life. Kissing him was like dying and going to heaven."

2012 Updates: Adding a link for my review of JOHNNY APOLLO (1940). And Coleen Gray remembers Tyrone Power in an interview with me.

2013 Update: Here are reviews of THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946), NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947), and PRINCE OF FOXES (1949).

2014 Update: I marked Tyrone Power's Centennial by watching THIS ABOVE ALL (1942), and I also wrote about PONY SOLDIER (1952) for the O Canada Blogathon in October. I watched KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (1953) for the British Empire in Film Blogathon in November.

I also wrote about my favorite Tyrone Power film, THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940), and posted an extensive gallery of images from the film.

2014 Update: A visit to Tyrone Power's gravesite at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

2016 Update: Here's a review of THE LONG GRAY LINE (1955).

2018 Update: I've posted a review of WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957).

2019 Update: A return visit to Tyrone Power's gravesite at Hollywood Forever.

2020 Update: A Tribute to Tyrone Power, adapted from my 2013 column for ClassicFlix.

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