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{{short description|American actor, newscaster}}
{{short description|American actor, newscaster (1911–1987)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Robert Paige
| name = Robert Paige
| image = Robert Paige 1957.JPG
| image = Robert Paige 1957.JPG
| caption = Robert Paige in 1957
| caption = Paige in 1957
| birth_name = John Arthur Paige
| birth_name = John Arthur Paige
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1911|12|2}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1911|12|2}}
| birth_place = [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1987|12|21|1911|12|2}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1987|12|21|1911|12|2}}
| death_place = [[San Clemente, California]], U.S.
| death_place = [[San Clemente, California]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City]]
| resting_place = [[Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City|Holy Cross Cemetery]] [[Culver City, California]]
| occupation = Actor
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1934–1963
| yearsactive = 1934-1963
| spouse = {{plainlist|
| spouse = Betty Henning (1940-1960; divorce)<br>Joanne Ludden (1962-1980; divorce); 1 child<br>Maxine Hoppe (1985-1987; his death)<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/24/obituaries/robert-paige-is-dead-appeared-in-65-films.html</ref>
* {{marriage|Betty Henning|1940|1960|reason=div}}
* {{marriage|Joanne Ludden|1962|1980|reason=div}}
* {{marriage|Maxine Hoppe<br />|1985}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/24/obituaries/robert-paige-is-dead-appeared-in-65-films.html|title = Robert Paige is Dead; Appeared in 65 Films|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 24 December 1987}}</ref>
}}
}}
| children = 1
⚫
[[File:Robert Paige Frank Parker Bride and Groom 1957.jpg|thumb|<center>Robert Paige (left) and [[Frank Parker (singer)|Frank Parker]] on ''[[Bride and Groom (TV series)]]'' (1957)</center>]]
}}
'''Robert Paige''' (born '''John Arthur Paige''', December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and [[Universal Pictures]] [[leading man]] who made 65 films in his lifetime: he was the only actor ever allowed to sing on film with [[Deanna Durbin]] (in 1944's ''[[Can't Help Singing]]'').{{cn|date=August 2019}}
'''Robert Paige''' (born '''John Arthur Paige''', December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an American actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and [[Universal Pictures]] [[leading man]] who made 65 films in his lifetime.


== Early life ==
== Early life ==
{{cns|date=August 2019|text=Born in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] in 1911, Paige was related to Admiral [[David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty|David Beatty]], hero of the [[World War I]] Battle of [[Jutland]].}}
Born in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] in 1911, Paige was related to Admiral [[David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty|David Beatty]], hero of the [[World War I]] Battle of [[Jutland]].{{cn|date=February 2022}}


== Education ==
== Education ==
{{cns|date=August 2019|text=Paige was NOT a graduate of [[West Point]]. There were only three graduates of the U.S. Military Academy by the name of Paige, and this actor was not one of them. This has been verified by the USMA Register of Graduates.}}
Contrary to some accounts, Paige was ''not'' a graduate of [[West Point]]. There were only three graduates of the U.S. Military Academy by the name of Paige, and this actor was not one of them. This has been verified by the USMA Register of Graduates.


== Career ==
== Career ==
Paige began his screen career in 1934, initially billed as '''David Carlyle'''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Room|first1=Adrian|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed|date=2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786457632|page=366|url=https://books.google.com/?id=eSIhzKnNUf4C&pg=PA366&dq=%22Robert+Paige%22+actor#v=onepage&q=%22Robert%20Paige%22%20actor&f=false|accessdate=13 January 2017|language=en}}</ref> to avoid confusion with another rising leading man, [[John Payne (actor)|John Payne]]. His handsome features and assured speaking voice earned him prominent roles in motion pictures, such as ''[[Cain and Mabel]]'' with [[Clark Gable]] and [[Marion Davies]]. He worked primarily for [[Warner Brothers]] and [[Republic Pictures]] during this period. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
Paige began his screen career in 1934, initially billed as '''David Carlyle'''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Room|first1=Adrian|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed|date=2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-5763-2|page=366|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eSIhzKnNUf4C&q=%22Robert+Paige%22+actor&pg=PA366|accessdate=13 January 2017|language=en}}</ref> to avoid confusion with another rising leading man, [[John Payne (actor)|John Payne]]. His handsome features and assured speaking voice earned him prominent roles in motion pictures, such as ''[[Cain and Mabel]]'' with [[Clark Gable]] and [[Marion Davies]]. He worked primarily for [[Warner Brothers]] and [[Republic Pictures]] during this period. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}

In 1938 he signed a contract with [[Columbia Pictures]], which changed his screen name to Robert Paige. Columbia cast him in "B" features and starred him in one serial, ''[[Flying G-Men]]''. These were action pictures that didn't capitalize on his singing voice; when Columbia did allow him to sing, it was to supply uncredited vocals for other male stars. (He dubbed for [[Charles Starrett]] in the 1938 college musical ''[[Start Cheering]]''.) When the Columbia contract lapsed, Paige moved to [[Paramount Pictures]] for one year, and appeared in seven feature films, the most noteworthy being the horror film ''[[The Monster and the Girl]]'' (1941).

Robert Paige finally found a home in 1941 at [[Universal Pictures]], where he quickly became one of the studio's reliable stars. He played romantic leads in many Universal comedies and musicals, including those of [[Abbott and Costello]], [[Olsen and Johnson]], [[Gloria Jean]], and [[Hugh Herbert]], as well as numerous B-musicals, often paired with another singer, [[Jane Frazee]]. Many of Paige's performances displayed a flair for comedy, lending his romantic roles a breezy charm. He may be best remembered today for his heroic leading role in the classic 1943 horror film ''[[Son of Dracula (1943 film)|Son of Dracula]]''. Paige left Universal after a corporate shakeup in 1946, when the studio temporarily abandoned its program of light entertainments in favor of serious, artistic films.<ref>Scott and Jan MacGillivray, ''Gloria Jean: A Little Bit of Heaven'', iUniverse, New York, 2005, {{ISBN|978-0595674541}}</ref> (Paige would return to Universal years later for one more feature, reuniting with Abbott and Costello in their science-fiction comedy ''[[Abbott and Costello Go to Mars]]''.)


⚫
[[File:Robert Paige Frank Parker Bride and Groom 1957.jpg|thumb|Robert Paige (left) and [[Frank Parker (singer)|Frank Parker]] on ''[[Bride and Groom (TV series)|Bride and Groom]]'' (1957)]]
In 1938 he signed a contract with [[Columbia Pictures]], which changed his screen name to Robert Paige. Columbia cast him in "B" features and starred him in one serial, ''[[Flying G-Men]]''. When the Columbia contract lapsed, he moved to [[Paramount Pictures]], appeared in the 1941 horror film ''[[The Monster and the Girl]]'', and then finally found a home in 1941 at [[Universal Pictures]]. Robert Paige quickly became one of Universal's reliable stars, playing romantic leads in many of their comedies and musicals, including those of [[Abbott and Costello]], [[Olsen and Johnson]], [[Gloria Jean]], and [[Hugh Herbert]], as well as numerous B-musicals, often paired with the vivacious [[Grace McDonald]]. He may be best-remembered today for his heroic leading role in the classic 1943 horror film ''[[Son of Dracula (1943 film)|Son of Dracula]]''. Paige left Universal after a corporate shakeup in 1946. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}


He became an independent film producer in 1947 and entered the new field of television. He was the last permanent host of NBC's variety series ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'', and won an [[Emmy]] in 1955 for "Best Male Personality" (a category which no longer exists). In the 1960s, he became a TV newscaster in Los Angeles at KABC-TV, Channel 7. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
Paige became an independent film producer in 1947 and entered the new field of television. He was the last permanent host of NBC's variety series ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'', and won an [[Emmy]] in 1955 for "Best Male Personality" (a category that no longer exists). In the 1960s, he became a TV newscaster in Los Angeles at KABC-TV, Channel 7.{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}


Paige continued to work in occasional films through 1963; his last two films were ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (1961) and ''[[Bye Bye Birdie (film)|Bye Bye Birdie]]'' (1963). From 1966 to 1970 Paige was a newscaster and political correspondent for [[ABC News]] in Los Angeles. He left the news desk to become Deputy Supervisor of Los Angeles under [[Baxter Ward]], and then moved into the public relations field. He retired in the late 1970s. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
Paige continued to work in occasional films through 1963; his last two films were ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (1961) and ''[[Bye Bye Birdie (1963 film)|Bye Bye Birdie]]'' (1963). From 1966 to 1970 Paige was a newscaster and political correspondent for [[ABC News]] in Los Angeles. He left the news desk to become Deputy Supervisor of Los Angeles under [[Baxter Ward]], and then moved into the public relations field. He retired in the late 1970s. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}


==Death==
== Death ==
{{cns|date=August 2019|text=Robert Paige died from a sudden aortic aneurysm in 1987. He was 76 years old.}}
Robert Paige died from a sudden aortic aneurysm in 1987. He was 76 years old.<ref> {{Cite web |last=Folkart |first=Burt a |date=1987-12-23 |title=Obituaries : Robert Paige; Film Actor and TV Show Host |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-23-mn-20479-story.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} </ref>


==Spouses==
== Spouses ==


* Maxine Hoppe (1985-1987; his death){{cn|date=August 2019}}
* Maxine Hoppe (1985–1987; his death){{citation needed|date=August 2019}}
* Joanne Ludden (1962-1980; divorce); 1 child{{cn|date=August 2019}}
* Joanne Ludden (1962–1980; divorce); 1 child{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}
* Betty Henning (1940-1960; divorce){{cn|date=August 2019}}
* Betty Henning (1940–1960; divorce){{citation needed|date=August 2019}}


==Children==
== Children ==
His only child, born when he was in his late 1950s, is daughter [http://www.colleenpaige.com Colleen Paige], a pet and home lifestyle expert, author, designer and the founder of [http://www.nationaldogday.com National Dog Day], and many more philanthropic holidays. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her family and a menagerie of pets. {{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}
His only child, born when he was in his late 50s, is daughter Colleen Paige, a pet and home lifestyle expert, author, designer and the founder of [http://www.nationaldogday.com/ National Dog Day], and many more philanthropic holidays. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her family and a menagerie of pets. {{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}


==Filmography==
== Filmography ==
{{div col|content=
{{div col|content=
*''[[You Can't Buy *Everything]]'' (1934) as Wedding extra (uncredited)
*''[[You Can't Buy Everything]]'' (1934) as Wedding extra (uncredited)
*''[[Crime of Helen Stanley]]'' (1934)
*''[[Crime of Helen Stanley]]'' (1934)
*''[[Annapolis Farewell]]'' (1935) as Ensign (uncredited)
*''[[Annapolis Farewell]]'' (1935) as Ensign (uncredited)
*''[[Hearts in Bondage]]'' (1936) as Union Lt. Evans (uncredited)
*''[[Hearts in Bondage]]'' (1936) as Union Lt. Evans (uncredited)
*''[[Cain and Mabel]]'' (1936) as Ronny Cauldwell (as David Carlyle)
*''[[Cain and Mabel]]'' (1936) as Ronny Cauldwell (billed as David Carlyle)
*''Rose Bowl'' (1936) as Football Player (uncredited)
*''[[Rose Bowl (film)|Rose Bowl]]'' (1936) as Football Player (uncredited)
*''[[Smart Blonde]]'' (1937) as Lewis Friel (as David Carlyle)
*''[[Smart Blonde]]'' (1937) as Lewis Friel (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Once a Doctor]]'' (1937) as Dr. Burton (as David Carlyle)
*''[[Once a Doctor]]'' (1937) as Dr. Burton (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Melody for Two]]'' (1937) as Mr. Carlson (uncredited)
*''[[Melody for Two]]'' (1937) as Mr. Carlson (uncredited)
*''[[The Cherokee Strip]]'' (1937) as Tom Valley (as David Carlyle)
*''[[The Cherokee Strip]]'' (1937) as Tom Valley (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Rhythm in the Clouds]]'' (1937) as Phil Hale
*''[[Rhythm in the Clouds]]'' (1937) as Phil Hale (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Meet the Boyfriend]]'' (1937) as Tony Page (as David Carlyle)
*''[[Meet the Boyfriend]]'' (1937) as Tony Page (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Talent Scout]]'' (1937) as Bert Smith (as David Carlyle)
*''[[Talent Scout]]'' (1937) as Bert Smith (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Sergeant Murphy]]'' (1938) as Lt. Duncan (uncredited)
*''[[Sergeant Murphy]]'' (1938) as Lt. Duncan (uncredited)
*''[[The Kid Comes Back]]'' (1938) as Radio Announcer (as David Carlyle)
*''[[The Kid Comes Back]]'' (1938) as Radio Announcer (billed as David Carlyle)
*''[[Who Killed Gail Preston?]]'' (1938) as 'Swing' Traynor
*''[[Who Killed Gail Preston?]]'' (1938) as "Swing" Traynor
*''[[When G-Men Step In]]'' (1938) as G-Man Bruce Garth
*''[[When G-Men Step In]]'' (1938) as G-Man Bruce Garth
*''[[There's Always a Woman]]'' (1938) as Jerry Marlowe
*''[[There's Always a Woman]]'' (1938) as Jerry Marlowe
Line 68: Line 78:
*''[[The Lady Objects]]'' (1938) as Ken Harper
*''[[The Lady Objects]]'' (1938) as Ken Harper
*''[[I Stand Accused (film)|I Stand Accused]]'' (1938) as Joe Benson
*''[[I Stand Accused (film)|I Stand Accused]]'' (1938) as Joe Benson
*''[[The Last Warning (1938 film)|The Last Warning]]'' (1938) as Tony Henderson (as Robert Page)
*''[[The Last Warning (1938 film)|The Last Warning]]'' (1938) as Tony Henderson (billed as Robert Page)
*''[[Homicide Bureau]]'' (1939) as Thurston
*''[[Homicide Bureau]]'' (1939) as Thurston
*''[[Flying G-Men]]'' (1939) as Hal Andrews / The Black Falcon
*''[[Flying G-Men]]'' (1939) as Hal Andrews, the Black Falcon
*''[[Death of a Champion]]'' (1939) as Alec Temple
*''[[Death of a Champion]]'' (1939) as Alec Temple
*''[[First Love (1939 film)|First Love]]'' (1939) as Ball Guest (uncredited)
*''[[First Love (1939 film)|First Love]]'' (1939) as Ball Guest (uncredited)
*''[[Emergency Squad (1940 film)|Emergency Squad]]'' (1940) as Chester 'Chesty' Miller
*''[[Emergency Squad (1940 film)|Emergency Squad]]'' (1940) as Chester "Chesty" Miller
*''[[Parole Fixer]]'' (1940) as Steve Eddson
*''[[Parole Fixer]]'' (1940) as Steve Eddson
*''[[Women Without Names]]'' (1940) as Fred MacNeil
*''[[Women Without Names]]'' (1940) as Fred MacNeil
Line 81: Line 91:
*''[[The Monster and the Girl]]'' (1941) as Larry Reed
*''[[The Monster and the Girl]]'' (1941) as Larry Reed
*''[[The Flame of New Orleans]]'' (1941) as Narrator (uncredited)
*''[[The Flame of New Orleans]]'' (1941) as Narrator (uncredited)
*''[[San Antonio Rose]]'' (1941) as Con Conway
*''[[San Antonio Rose (film)|San Antonio Rose]]'' (1941) as Con Conway
*''[[Melody Lane (1941 film)|Melody Lane]]'' (1941) as Gabe Morgan
*''[[Melody Lane (1941 film)|Melody Lane]]'' (1941) as Gabe Morgan
*''[[Hellzapoppin' (film)|Hellzapoppin']]'' (1941) as Jeff Hunter
*''[[Hellzapoppin' (film)|Hellzapoppin']]'' (1941) as Jeff Hunter
*''[[Don't Get Personal]]'' (1942) as Paul Stevens
*''[[Don't Get Personal (1942 film)|Don't Get Personal]]'' (1942) as Paul Stevens
*''[[Jail House Blues]]'' (1942) as Cliff Bailey
*''[[Jail House Blues]]'' (1942) as Cliff Bailey
*''[[What's Cookin'?]]'' (1942) as Bob J. Riley
*''[[What's Cookin'?]]'' (1942) as Bob J. Riley
*''[[You're Telling Me (film)|You're Telling Me]]'' (1942) as Dr. Burnside 'Burnsy' Walker
*''[[You're Telling Me (film)|You're Telling Me]]'' (1942) as Dr. Burnside 'Burnsy' Walker
*''[[Almost Married (1942 film)|Almost Married]]'' (1942) as James Manning,lll
*''[[Almost Married (1942 film)|Almost Married]]'' (1942) as James Manning, III
*''[[Pardon My Sarong]]'' (1942) as Tommy Layton
*''[[Pardon My Sarong]]'' (1942) as Tommy Layton
*''[[Get Hep to Love]]'' (1942) as Stephen Winters
*''[[Get Hep to Love]]'' (1942) as Stephen Winters
Line 94: Line 104:
*''[[Hi'ya, Chum]]'' (1943) as Tommy Craig
*''[[Hi'ya, Chum]]'' (1943) as Tommy Craig
*''[[Hi, Buddy]]'' (1943) as Johnny Blake
*''[[Hi, Buddy]]'' (1943) as Johnny Blake
*''[[Keep 'Em Slugging]]'' (1943, in stock footage from ''[[Hi'Ya, Chum]]'') as Star in Moviehouse Film (uncredited)
*''[[Keep 'Em Slugging]]'' (1943, in stock footage from ''[[Hi'Ya, Chum]]'') as star in moviehouse film (uncredited)
*''[[Cowboy in Manhattan]]'' (1943) as Bob Allen
*''[[Cowboy in Manhattan]]'' (1943) as Bob Allen
*''[[What We Are Fighting For]]'' (1943, Short) as Karl Baxter - German Husband
*''[[What We Are Fighting For]]'' (1943, Short) as Karl Baxter, German husband
*''[[Mister Big (1943 film)|Mister Big]]'' (1943) as Johnny Hanley
*''[[Mister Big (1943 film)|Mister Big]]'' (1943) as Johnny Hanley
*''[[Get Going]]'' (1943) as Bob Carlton
*''[[Get Going]]'' (1943) as Bob Carlton
*''[[Frontier Badmen]]'' (1943) as Steve Logan
*''[[Frontier Badmen]]'' (1943) as Steve Logan
*''[[Fired Wife]]'' (1943) as Hank Dunne
*''[[Fired Wife]]'' (1943) as Hank Dunne
*''[[Crazy House (1943 film)|Crazy House]]'' (1943) as Robert Paige
*''[[Crazy House (1943 film)|Crazy House]]'' (1943) guest appearance as himself
*''[[Son of Dracula (1943 film)|Son of Dracula]]'' (1943) as Frank Stanley
*''[[Son of Dracula (1943 film)|Son of Dracula]]'' (1943) as Frank Stanley
*''[[Her Primitive Man]]'' (1944) as Peter Mathews
*''[[Her Primitive Man]]'' (1944) as Peter Mathews
*''[[Follow the Boys]]'' (1944) as Himself (uncredited)
*''[[Follow the Boys (1944 film)|Follow the Boys]]'' (1944) uncredited guest appearance as himself
*''[[Can't Help Singing]]'' (1944) as Lawlor
*''[[Can't Help Singing]]'' (1944) as Lawlor
*''[[Shady Lady (1945 film)|Shady Lady]]'' (1945) as Bob Wendell
*''[[Shady Lady (1945 film)|Shady Lady]]'' (1945) as Bob Wendell
Line 114: Line 124:
*''[[Out There (1951 TV series)|Out There]]'' (1951, TV Series)
*''[[Out There (1951 TV series)|Out There]]'' (1951, TV Series)
*''[[Gruen Guild Playhouse]]'' (1952, TV Series)
*''[[Gruen Guild Playhouse]]'' (1952, TV Series)
*''[[The Unexpected]]'' (1952, TV Series) as Gigolo
*''[[The Unexpected (TV series)|The Unexpected]]'' (1952, TV Series) as Gigolo
*''[[Fireside Theatre]]'' (1952-1953, TV Series) as Harrison / Boss / Steven
*''[[Fireside Theatre]]'' (1952–1953, TV Series) as Harrison / Boss / Steven
*''[[The Schaefer Century Theatre]]'' (1952, TV Series) as Father
*''[[The Schaefer Century Theatre]]'' (1952, TV Series) as Father
*''[[Abbott and Costello Go to Mars]]'' (1953) as Dr. Wilson
*''[[Abbott and Costello Go to Mars]]'' (1953) as Dr. Wilson
Line 121: Line 131:
*''[[Lux Video Theatre]]'' (1953, TV Series)
*''[[Lux Video Theatre]]'' (1953, TV Series)
*''[[Cavalcade of America]]'' (1953, TV Series)
*''[[Cavalcade of America]]'' (1953, TV Series)
*''[[The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse]]'' (1953-1954, TV Series) as The Father / Sam / Roger Libbott
*''[[The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse]]'' (1953–1954, TV Series) as The Father / Sam / Roger Libbott
*''[[Four Star Playhouse]]'' (1954, TV Series) as Paul Campbell
*''[[Four Star Playhouse]]'' (1954, TV Series) as Paul Campbell
*''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'' (1955, TV Series) as Himself - Host
*''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'' (1955, TV Series) as Himself – Host
*''[[Bride and Groom]]'' (1957–1958, TV Series)
*''[[Bride and Groom (TV series)|Bride and Groom]]'' (1957–1958, TV Series)
*''[[The Big Payoff]]'' (1958, TV Series) as Himself - Host
*''[[The Big Payoff]]'' (1958, TV Series) as Himself – Host
*''[[It Happened to Jane]]'' (1959) as Bob Paige - Host 'The Big Payoff' (as Bob Paige)
*''[[It Happened to Jane]]'' (1959) as Bob Paige – Host 'The Big Payoff' (as Bob Paige)
*''[[The Millionaire (TV series)|The Millionaire]]'' (1960, TV Series) as Whitney Ames
*''[[The Millionaire (TV series)|The Millionaire]]'' (1960, TV Series) as Whitney Ames
*''[[The Marriage-Go-Round (film)|The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (1961) as Dr. Ross Barnett
*''[[The Marriage-Go-Round (film)|The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (1961) as Dr. Ross Barnett
*''[[The Barbara Stanwyck Show]]'' (1961, TV Series) as Roger Haines
*''[[The Barbara Stanwyck Show]]'' (1961, TV Series) as Roger Haines
*''[[Bye Bye Birdie (film)|Bye Bye Birdie]]'' (1963) as Bob Precht (final film role)
*''[[Bye Bye Birdie (1963 film)|Bye Bye Birdie]]'' (1963) as Bob Precht (final film role)
}}
}}


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0656745}}
* {{IMDb name|0656745}}
* {{Find a Grave|6959758}}
* {{Find a Grave|6959758}}
Line 146: Line 156:
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:Male actors from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:Male actors from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:Deaths from aneurysm]]
[[Category:Deaths from aneurysm]]

Latest revision as of 11:35, 7 April 2024

Robert Paige
Paige in 1957
Born
John Arthur Paige

(1911-12-02)December 2, 1911
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
DiedDecember 21, 1987(1987-12-21) (aged 76)
San Clemente, California, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery Culver City, California
OccupationActor
Years active1934–1963
Spouses
Betty Henning
​
​
(m. 1940; div. 1960)​
Joanne Ludden
​
​
(m. 1962; div. 1980)​
Maxine Hoppe
​
​
(m. 1985)​
[1]
Children1

Robert Paige (born John Arthur Paige, December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an American actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and Universal Pictures leading man who made 65 films in his lifetime.

Early life[edit]

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1911, Paige was related to Admiral David Beatty, hero of the World War I Battle of Jutland.[citation needed]

Education[edit]

Contrary to some accounts, Paige was not a graduate of West Point. There were only three graduates of the U.S. Military Academy by the name of Paige, and this actor was not one of them. This has been verified by the USMA Register of Graduates.

Career[edit]

Paige began his screen career in 1934, initially billed as David Carlyle[2] to avoid confusion with another rising leading man, John Payne. His handsome features and assured speaking voice earned him prominent roles in motion pictures, such as Cain and Mabel with Clark Gable and Marion Davies. He worked primarily for Warner Brothers and Republic Pictures during this period. [citation needed]

In 1938 he signed a contract with Columbia Pictures, which changed his screen name to Robert Paige. Columbia cast him in "B" features and starred him in one serial, Flying G-Men. These were action pictures that didn't capitalize on his singing voice; when Columbia did allow him to sing, it was to supply uncredited vocals for other male stars. (He dubbed for Charles Starrett in the 1938 college musical Start Cheering.) When the Columbia contract lapsed, Paige moved to Paramount Pictures for one year, and appeared in seven feature films, the most noteworthy being the horror film The Monster and the Girl (1941).

Robert Paige finally found a home in 1941 at Universal Pictures, where he quickly became one of the studio's reliable stars. He played romantic leads in many Universal comedies and musicals, including those of Abbott and Costello, Olsen and Johnson, Gloria Jean, and Hugh Herbert, as well as numerous B-musicals, often paired with another singer, Jane Frazee. Many of Paige's performances displayed a flair for comedy, lending his romantic roles a breezy charm. He may be best remembered today for his heroic leading role in the classic 1943 horror film Son of Dracula. Paige left Universal after a corporate shakeup in 1946, when the studio temporarily abandoned its program of light entertainments in favor of serious, artistic films.[3] (Paige would return to Universal years later for one more feature, reuniting with Abbott and Costello in their science-fiction comedy Abbott and Costello Go to Mars.)

Robert Paige (left) and Frank Parker on Bride and Groom (1957)

Paige became an independent film producer in 1947 and entered the new field of television. He was the last permanent host of NBC's variety series The Colgate Comedy Hour, and won an Emmy in 1955 for "Best Male Personality" (a category that no longer exists). In the 1960s, he became a TV newscaster in Los Angeles at KABC-TV, Channel 7.[citation needed]

Paige continued to work in occasional films through 1963; his last two films were The Marriage-Go-Round (1961) and Bye Bye Birdie (1963). From 1966 to 1970 Paige was a newscaster and political correspondent for ABC News in Los Angeles. He left the news desk to become Deputy Supervisor of Los Angeles under Baxter Ward, and then moved into the public relations field. He retired in the late 1970s. [citation needed]

Death[edit]

Robert Paige died from a sudden aortic aneurysm in 1987. He was 76 years old.[4]

Spouses[edit]

Children[edit]

His only child, born when he was in his late 50s, is daughter Colleen Paige, a pet and home lifestyle expert, author, designer and the founder of National Dog Day, and many more philanthropic holidays. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her family and a menagerie of pets. [citation needed]

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Robert Paige is Dead; Appeared in 65 Films". The New York Times. December 24, 1987.
  2. ^ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. McFarland. p. 366. ISBN 978-0-7864-5763-2. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  3. ^ Scott and Jan MacGillivray, Gloria Jean: A Little Bit of Heaven, iUniverse, New York, 2005, ISBN 978-0595674541
  4. ^ Folkart, Burt a (December 23, 1987). "Obituaries : Robert Paige; Film Actor and TV Show Host". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

External links[edit]

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