{"id":84800,"date":"2021-07-08T12:31:13","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T12:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=84800"},"modified":"2023-04-11T19:32:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T19:32:35","slug":"classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/","title":{"rendered":"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

The views expressed in this blog are <\/i>those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.<\/i><\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

For over a hundred years some of <\/i>the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on RCN TV with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

As we approach the birthday anniversary of one of cinema\u2019s classic actors, we salute the talented career of Cary Grant.<\/p>\n

Cary Grant was born Archibald Alec Leach, on January 18, 1904 in Bristol, England.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike other actors who sometimes toiled in other occupations or had other interests before pursuing roles in the entertainment industry, Grant knew at an early age that he was destined for acting.\u00a0 In the Graham McCann autobiography, <\/span>Cary Grant: A Class Apart<\/span>, Grant\u2019s mother would teach him song-and-dance numbers at the age of four and he would frequently go to the theatre to see many great performers, including a very young Charlie Chaplin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grant would be befriended by the Pender theatrical performers in England who trained him to be a stilt walker and later asked him to join their touring production.\u00a0 He was seen on Broadway performing with them in America as early as nine years old.\u00a0 Back in England he continued to work as a lighting technician behind the stage. He seemingly forced his school to expel him at the age of 14 by constantly breaking school rules (he\u2019d frequently be found in the girls’ lavatory).\u00a0 Three days after his expulsion, Grant rejoined the Pender touring group.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to<\/span> Cary Grant: A Celebration <\/span>by Richard Schickel, Grant boarded the same ship that Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were taking for their honeymoon. Grant played shuffleboard with Fairbanks and used him as a role model going forward.\u00a0 After arriving in New York City from that trip he performed (at the age of 16) at what was then the largest theater in the world, the New York Hippodrome.<\/span><\/p>\n

He performed on the stage and in pictures throughout the 1920s and early 1930s.\u00a0 In 1927 he signed a film contract with Paramount Pictures, which demanded Archibald begin using a stage name–both parties mutually agreed on \u201cCary Grant.\u201d\u00a0 One of his big early films, <\/span>She Done Him Wrong<\/a>, <\/i><\/b>(starring Mae West), reportedly saved Paramount from bankruptcy and gave Grant a significant pay increase.<\/span><\/p>\n

While 1935\u2019s <\/span>Sylvia Scarlett<\/i><\/b><\/a> was a box office bomb, it was an important film for Grant in that it was his first leading role and a performance which earned him rave reviews.\u00a0 It also formed a successful partnership with Katherine Hepburn–a pairing the two would repeat several times over the next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

When his next film, <\/span>Wedding Present<\/a>,<\/i><\/b> turned out to be a major success, Grant did not renew his Paramount contract and became the first \u201cfreelance\u201d movie actor in Hollywood.\u00a0 It was unheard of in this time period for a major actor to not \u201cbelong\u201d to a specific film production company.\u00a0 Grant changed his mind over the next 18 months as several of his movies were not successful and he signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1937.<\/span><\/p>\n

While his films for the next two years had largely mixed reviews, Grant\u2019s performances seemed to be always praised by critics and movie goers alike.\u00a0 Grant reunited with Heburn for what would be, by far, the pair’s most successful movie (critically and financially) — the Academy Award winning, <\/span>The Philadelphia Story<\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

When up-and-coming actor Jimmy Stewart stole the spotlight from Hepburn and Grant in the film and won an Oscar for his performance, it formed a rift between the three actors.\u00a0 Grant never wanted to work with either performer again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grant would not be disappointed for very long as one of his next job offers came from a then, still somewhat obscure (to American audiences anyway) British director by the name of Alfred Hitchcock…we\u2019ll examine those and other experiences next week here at The Showplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the meantime, you can see Grant in one of his early classics, <\/span>His Girl Friday<\/i><\/b><\/a>, this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. on RCN-TV<\/span>. <\/i><\/b>\u00a0To view the complete rundown of classic programming on RCN TV, check out the weekly listings here on our website.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"Yoast SEO Relevanssi index exclude","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classic-video-showplace"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ATVN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Michael\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chris Michael\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Michael\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a\"},\"headline\":\"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":752,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Classic Video Showplace\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/\",\"name\":\"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/\",\"name\":\"ATVN\",\"description\":\"Local Programming & Astound Digital Cable, Internet & Phone Services\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a\",\"name\":\"Chris Michael\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"\\\/atvn\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/11\\\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg\",\"url\":\"\\\/atvn\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/11\\\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"\\\/atvn\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/11\\\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Chris Michael\"},\"description\":\"Chris handles play-by-play for RCN sports events, including baseball, football & basketball games and produces\\\/hosts the station\u2019s 60-minute live call-in show. Among Chris\u2019s other responsibilities include reporting on local news & sports stories, conducting \u201cTake 5\u201d interviews with community and political leaders, producing commercials, voiceovers and promos; and generating blog entries and videos on the internet. Click here to listen to the weekly Sports Talk podcast.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.astound.com\\\/atvn\\\/author\\\/rcntvchris\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN","og_description":"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands...","og_url":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/","og_site_name":"ATVN","article_published_time":"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00","author":"Chris Michael","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chris Michael","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/"},"author":{"name":"Chris Michael","@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/#\/schema\/person\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a"},"headline":"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years","datePublished":"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00","dateModified":"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/"},"wordCount":752,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Classic Video Showplace"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/","url":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/","name":"CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Cary Grant\u2019s Early Years - ATVN","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-07-08T12:31:13+00:00","dateModified":"2023-04-11T19:32:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/#\/schema\/person\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/classic-video-showplace-cary-grants-early-years\/"]}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/","name":"ATVN","description":"Local Programming & Astound Digital Cable, Internet & Phone Services","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/#\/schema\/person\/6aba8df7f74bf50b72426776afd0067a","name":"Chris Michael","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"\/atvn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg","url":"\/atvn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg","contentUrl":"\/atvn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Chris-Michael-Sports-Talk-Shop-Author-Image1.jpg","caption":"Chris Michael"},"description":"Chris handles play-by-play for RCN sports events, including baseball, football & basketball games and produces\/hosts the station\u2019s 60-minute live call-in show. Among Chris\u2019s other responsibilities include reporting on local news & sports stories, conducting \u201cTake 5\u201d interviews with community and political leaders, producing commercials, voiceovers and promos; and generating blog entries and videos on the internet. Click here to listen to the weekly Sports Talk podcast.","url":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/author\/rcntvchris\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84800"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84802,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84800\/revisions\/84802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}