Roger Pryor

Actor 'Roger Pryor' (qv) was considered the "poor man's 'Clark Gable' (qv)" at Universal and Columbia studios where he held long-term contracts during the 30s and 40s. The son of the popular composer/band leader Arthur Pryor (1869-1942) and his wife Maude Russell, the mustachioed leading man used his slick, roguish looks to good effect, enabling him to become a durable co-star of breezy "B" level musicals and stylish dramas.Born in New York City (Manhattan) close to the turn of the 20th century on August 27, 1901, Roger made his stage debut at 18 in a New Jersey stock play called "Adam and Eva." He went on to also work with the Myskle-Harder Stock Company in Connecticut. After years of touring in repertory companies, he finally hit the Broadway lights in 1925 with a production of "The Back Slapper" and went on to appear with 'Ruth Gordon' (qv) in "Paid (1926), as well as "Saturday's Children" (1927), "The Royal Family" (1927), "See Naples and Die" (1929), "Up Pops the Devil" (1930) and "Here Goes the Bride" (1931). While he did a fine job replacing 'Lee Tracy' (qv) in the popular classic "The Front Page," it was his role in the 1932 play "Blessed Event" that got the Universal New York movie studio paying special attention.Taking his initial film bow opposite lovely 'Mary Brian' (qv) in the second-string Universal musical _Moonlight and Pretzels (1933)_ (qv) , Roger was sent straight to Hollywood where he starred in the musical _I Like It That Way (1934)_ (qv) and the sparkling comedy _I'll Tell the World (1934)_ (qv) both paired with equally lovely 'Gloria Stuart' (qv). Roger was also 'Heather Angel' (qv)'s leading man in the light comedy _Romance in the Rain (1934)_ (qv) before appearing in his biggest pre-Code picture as one of 'Mae West' (qv)'s paramours, the prizefighting Tiger Kid, in her bawdy vehicle _Belle of the Nineties (1934)_ (qv).Roger continued on the "B" Hollywood romantic path for the next several years. He was part of a vaudeville trio act in the musical _Wake Up and Dream (1934)_ (qv) with ill-fated 'Russ Columbo' (qv) and pert blonde 'June Knight' (qv); appeared in _Lady by Choice (1934)_ (qv) opposite 'Carole Lombard' (qv); starred in _Strange Wives (1934)_ (qv) with 'June Clayworth' (qv); headlined both _Straight from the Heart (1935)_ (qv) and _Dinky (1935)_ (qv) opposite 'Mary Astor' (qv); appeared in _The Headline Woman (1935)_ (qv) again with 'Heather Angel' (qv); starred in _1, 000 Dollars a Minute (1935)_ (qv) with 'Leila Hyams' (qv); and was front and center in _To Beat the Band (1935)_ (qv) co-starring 'Helen Broderick' (qv).Married in 1926 to Priscilla Mitchell, the mother of his only child, Roger fell in love with his co-star 'Ann Sothern' (qv) of the romantic musical comedy _The Girl Friend (1935)_ (qv). They were wed the following year (1936) months after his divorce was finalized. Experiencing the height of his cinematic career, Roger went on to play reporters in both _The Return of Jimmy Valentine (1936)_ (qv) and _Missing Girls (1936)_ (qv), an amnesiac in the comedy _Ticket to Paradise (1936)_ (qv) and a songwriter in _Sitting on the Moon (1936)_ (qv).As he began to decline into second leads and support roles (often as a heavy), Roger turned more and more to radio hosting, possessing a perfectly rich voice that suited the medium quite well. He also carried on the family tradition as a dance band leader and trombonist. At one time, wife 'Ann Sothern' (qv) briefly toured with Pryor's band but the union began to crumble and they divorced in 1943.Roger's film career continued throughout WWII with secondary roles in such secondary films as _I Live on Danger (1942)_ (qv), _A Man's World (1942)_ (qv), _Smart Alecks (1942)_ (qv), _Submarine Alert (1943)_ (qv) and _High Powered (1945)_ (qv). Occasional leads still came his way occasionally with _Gambling Daughters (1941)_ (qv) and _The Kid Sister (1945)_ (qv). The actor made his last appearance on film with the 'Roy Rogers' (qv)/'Dale Evans' (qv) oater _Man from Oklahoma (1945)_ (qv).Though his work as a bandleader was personally satisfying, it wasn't profitable and it drove Roger into bankruptcy. In 1947, he retired from show business altogether and turned to business, finding a comfortable niche as an ad executive and vice president in charge of broadcasting at Foote, Cone and Belding advertising agency.Roger remarried a third time and the couple settled comfortably in Florida. He died of cardiac arrest at age 72 on January 31, 1974, while in Puerta Valarta, Mexico. His elder brother, Arthur Pryor, Jr. (1897-1954) was a radio pioneer who ran a prime agency in the 1930s and 1940s.::Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]