Gordon Westcott

Gordon Westcott
From Murder in the Clouds (1934)
Born
Myrthus Hansen Hickman

(1903-11-06)November 6, 1903
St. George, Utah, U.S.[1]
DiedOctober 30, 1935(1935-10-30) (aged 31)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Chicago
OccupationActor
Years active1927–1935
SpouseMargaret Cardon (divorced)[2]
Children2

Gordon Westcott (born Myrthus Hansen Hickman;[2] November 6, 1903[1] – October 30, 1935) was an American film actor.

Biography

Westcott studied architecture at the University of Chicago, where he was also lightweight boxing champion of the university.[3] Westcott was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4]

Westcott acted on stage in New York, Utah, and California, before he made the move to film.[5] He became a contract player with Warner Brothers and appeared in 37 films between 1928 and 1935,[6] starring alongside such up and comers as Bette Davis, Loretta Young and James Cagney.

After appearing in a string of Pre-Code productions, and working with such directors as William A. Wellman, Busby Berkeley and William Dieterle, his film career ended with his death on October 30, 1935, one week before his 32nd birthday, from a skull fracture[7] sustained in a polo accident that had occurred three days earlier.[8]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1928 Our Dancing Daughters Diana's Party Friend Uncredited
1929 Queen Kelly Lackey (unbilled), Uncredited
1931 Enemies of the Law Blackie
1932 Merrily We Go to Hell Party Boy Uncredited
1932 Guilty as Hell Dr. Goodman Uncredited
1932 Devil and the Deep Lt. Toll
1932 Love Me Tonight Credit Manager of the Association of Retail Merchants Uncredited
1932 Heritage of the Desert Snap Naab
1933 The Crime of the Century Gilbert Reid
1933 He Learned About Women Eddie Clifford
1933 The Working Man Fred Pettison
1933 Lilly Turner Rex Durkee
1933 Private Detective 62 Bandor
1933 Heroes for Sale Roger [9]
1933 Voltaire The Captain
1933 Footlight Parade Thompson
1933 The World Changes John Nordholm
1933 Convention City Phil Lorraine / Frank Wilson
1934 Dark Hazard Joe
1934 I've Got Your Number Nicky
1934 Fashions of 1934 Harry Brent
1934 Registered Nurse Jim Benton
1934 Fog Over Frisco Joe Bello
1934 The Circus Clown Frank
1934 Call It Luck 'Lucky' Luke Bartlett
1934 Kansas City Princess Jimmy the Dude aka Frankie Smith
1934 The Case of the Howling Dog Arthur Cartwright
1934 6 Day Bike Rider Harry St. Clair
1934 Murder in the Clouds George Wexley
1935 The White Cockatoo Dr. Roberts
1935 A Night at the Ritz Joe Scurvin
1935 Go into Your Dance Fred
1935 Going Highbrow Sam Long
1935 Front Page Woman Maitland Coulter
1935 Bright Lights Wellington
1935 Two-Fisted George Parker
1935 This Is the Life Ed Revier (final film role)

References

  1. ^ a b Parish, James Robert (1979). Hollywood Character Actors. Carlstadt, N.J.: Rainbow Books. p. 519. ISBN 0-89508-064-8.
  2. ^ a b "Death: Margaret Cardon Hickman". Deseret News. September 24, 1991. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Fight Training Is Aid to Actor Now". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. August 31, 1927. p. 25. Retrieved July 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Biographies: Latter-day Saint and/or Utah Film Personalities: W". www.ldsfilm.com.
  5. ^ "Gordon Wescott [sic] Dies from Skull Injury". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Associated Press. October 31, 1935. p. 4. Retrieved July 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Hunter, James Michael (2013). Mormons and Popular Culture: The Global Influence of an American Phenomenon. ABC-CLIO. pp. 253–254. ISBN 9780313391675. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Polo Game Injuries Take Actor's Life". Star Tribune. Minnesota, Minneapolis. Associated Press. October 31, 1935. p. 12. Retrieved July 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Polo Injury Kills Filmland Athlete". Star-Gazette. New York, Elmira. Associated Press. October 31, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Warner Brothers film release; aired on TCM, 12 January 2013
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