A Birthday Tribute to William Lundigan
One of my favorite actors, William Lundigan, was born in Syracuse, New York, on June 12, 1914.
Lundigan was an immensely likeable actor, especially good as men of integrity in films such as FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949), THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL (1951), and I'D CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN (1953), seen below.
That said, he was also impressively effective as an amoral killer in INFERNO (1953) opposite Robert Ryan and Rhonda Fleming.
He also starred in an utterly charming musical which deserves to be better known, I'LL GET BY (1951), costarring June Haver.
Off the screen Lundigan served in the Marines during WWII; he was married for three decades before his untimely passing at the age of 61 in 1975. He is interred with his parents at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
I encourage readers who aren't familiar with William Lundigan to check out some of his movies! Links to my reviews of William Lundigan films: WIVES UNDER SUSPICION (1938), THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP (1939) (also here), THREE CHEERS FOR THE IRISH (1940) (also here), EAST OF THE RIVER (1940) (also here), NORTHWEST RANGERS (1942), DR. GILLESPIE'S CRIMINAL CASE (1943), DISHONORED LADY (1947), THE INSIDE STORY (1947), MYSTERY IN MEXICO (1948) (also here), FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) (also here), MOTHER DIDN'T TELL ME (1950), ELOPEMENT (1951), THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL (1951), I'D CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN (1951), I'LL GET BY (1951), INFERNO (1953), DOWN AMONG THE SHELTERING PALMS (1953), and RIDERS TO THE STARS (1954).
Other notable Lundigan films are DODGE CITY (1939), THE OLD MAID (1939), THE FIGHTING 69TH (1940), THE SEA HAWK (1940), and PINKY (1949), to name just a few more titles from a screen career which began in 1937 and spanned over 30 years.
Update: Here are reviews of THE SEA HAWK (1940), SANTA FE TRAIL (1940), THE CASE OF THE BLACK PARROT (1941), and THE WAY WEST (1967).
posted by Laura @ 12:48 PM
5 Comments:
That smile could melt the polar icecaps.
For sure! Glad to see a fellow member of the Lundigan Fan Club checking in!
Best wishes,
Laura
Ah, he was one of the boys from Syracuse...
I'd never heard of William Lundigan until I acquired, back in the late 1960s or early 1970s, a 16mm print of The Fabulous Dorseys (1947) in which he played a secondary role - and played it very well.
Because of that I became a fan.
I'll have to look out for a copy of I'll Get By, which I don't think I've ever seen.
Thanks for your comment, Mel! THE FABULOUS DORSEYS is one I need to catch up with. I believe I have it on a VHS tape, will check tomorrow!
I'LL GET BY is a bundle of sunshine, one great song after another!
Best wishes,
Laura
Lovely tribute . Cant say I'm a big fan but he was one of the reliables, always sure to turn in a good performance but never really dynamic enough to reach top stardom. I wonder if he did much television later on like so many stars.
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