People named Douglas Fairbanks

Although he appeared in approximately 100 movies or TV shows, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. never really intended to take up acting as a career. However, the environment he was born into and the circumstances naturally led him to be a thespian. Noblesse oblige. He was born Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr. in New York City, New York, to Anna Beth (Sully), daughter of a very wealthy cotton mogul, and actor Douglas Fairbanks (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman), then not yet established as the swashbuckling idol he would become. Fairbanks, Jr. had German Jewish (from his paternal grandfather), English, and Scottish ancestry. He proved a gifted boy early in life. To the end of his life he remained a multi-talented, hyperactive man, not content to appear in the 100 films mentioned above. Handsome, distinguished and extremely bright, he excelled at sports (much like his father), notably during his stay at the Military Academy in 1919 (his role in Claude Autant-Lara's "L'athlète incomplete" illustrated these abilities). He also excelled academically, and attended the Lycéee Janson de Sailly in Paris, where he had followed his divorced mother. Very early in his life he developed a taste for the arts as well and became a painter and sculptor. Not content to limiting himself to just one field, he became involved in business, in fields as varied as mining, hotel management, owning a chain of bowling alleys and a firm that manufactured popcorn. During World War II he headed London's Douglas Voluntary Hospital (an establishment taking care of war refugees), was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's special envoy for the Special Mission to South America in 1940 before becoming a lieutenant in the Navy (he was promoted to the rank of captain in 1954) and taking part in the Allies' landing in Sicily and Elba in 1943. A fervent Anglophile, was knighted in 1949 and often entertained Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in his London mansion, "The Boltons". His film career began at the age of 13 when he was signed by Paramount Pictures. He debuted in Stephen Steps Out (1923) but the film flopped and his career stagnated despite a critically acclaimed role in Stella Dallas (1925). Things really picked up when he married Lucille Le Sueur, a young starlet who was soon to become better known as Joan Crawford. The young couple became the toast of the town (one "Screen Snapshots" episode echoes this sudden glory) and good parts and success followed, such as the hapless partner of Edward G. Robinson in Little Caesar (1931) a favorably reviewed turn as the villain in The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) or more debonair characters in slapstick comedies or adventure yarns. The 1930s were a fruitful period for Fairbanks, his most memorable role probably being that of the British soldier in Gunga Din (1939); although it was somewhat of a "swashbuckling" role, Fairbanks made a point of never imitating his father. After the World War II, his star waned and, despite a moving part in Ghost Story(1981), he did not appear in a major movie. Now a legend himself, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. left this world with the satisfaction of having lived up to the Fairbanks name at the end of a life nobody could call "wasted". To read more about his long and fascinating life, see IMDb Mini Biography by Guy Bellinger and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. dies at age 90.

Douglas Fairbanks of Apple Valley, San Bernardino County, California was born on July 5, 1923, and died at age 61 years old in March 1985.

Douglas R Fairbanks of Seattle, King County, WA was born on February 25, 1920, and died at age 77 years old on April 22, 1997.

Douglas S Fairbanks of Shrewsbury, Worcester County, MA was born on March 21, 1919, and died at age 82 years old on January 28, 2002.

Douglas F Fairbanks of Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan was born on December 15, 1926, and died at age 57 years old in January 1984.

Douglas R Fairbanks of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY was born on October 31, 1923, and died at age 80 years old on February 2, 2004.

Douglas B Fairbanks was born on November 17, 1918, and died at age 64 years old on November 10, 1983. Douglas Fairbanks was buried at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery Section A-25 Site 6758 7601 34th Avenue, South, in Minneapolis, Mn. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas B Fairbanks.

Douglas Fairbanks was born on May 23, 1883. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas Fairbanks.

Douglas Fairbanks of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington was born on July 19, 1918, and died at age 66 years old in January 1985.

Douglas Fairbanks of San Francisco, San Francisco County, California was born on August 23, 1931, and died at age 46 years old in July 1978.

Douglas T Fairbanks of South Jordan, Salt Lake County, UT was born on June 19, 1917, and died at age 83 years old on January 12, 2001.

Douglas R Fairbanks of Geraldine, Chouteau County, Montana was born on November 16, 1933, and died at age 77 years old on July 21, 2011.

Douglas Fairbanks was born on May 2, 1927, and died at age 34 years old in October 1961. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas Fairbanks.

Douglas B Fairbanks of Las Vegas, Clark County, NV was born on April 28, 1924, and died at age 70 years old on May 11, 1994.

Douglas Fairbanks was born on October 9, 1956, and died at age 18 years old in December 1974. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas Fairbanks.

Douglas C Fairbanks of Livonia, Wayne County, MI was born on October 30, 1923, and died at age 69 years old on September 27, 1993.

Douglas Fairbanks of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota was born on November 7, 1917, and died at age 66 years old in November 1983.

Douglas M Fairbanks of Duluth, Saint Louis County, MN was born on July 16, 1930, and died at age 69 years old on April 10, 2000.

Douglas Fairbanks of Houston, Harris County, Texas was born on June 4, 1908, and died at age 73 years old in April 1982.

Douglas Franklin Fairbanks of Spring, Harris County, Texas was born on January 5, 1945, and died at age 66 years old on June 22, 2011.

Douglas U Fairbanks was born on October 4, 1906, and died at age 67 years old on November 11, 1973. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas U Fairbanks.

Douglas R Fairbanks of Hixson, Hamilton County, TN was born on February 22, 1926, and died at age 79 years old on April 11, 2005.

Douglas J Fairbanks of La Crosse, La Crosse County, WI was born on April 1, 1948, and died at age 62 years old on June 6, 2010.

Douglas Fairbanks of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI was born on June 8, 1970, and died at age 39 years old on March 17, 2010.

Douglas Fairbanks of Grayling, Crawford County, MI was born on March 14, 1921, and died at age 86 years old on January 22, 2008.

Douglas J Fairbanks was born on October 22, 1946, and died at age 51 years old on January 6, 1998. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas J Fairbanks.

Douglas E Fairbanks was born on August 20, 1979, and died at age 21 years old on January 9, 2001. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas E Fairbanks.

Douglas Fairbanks of Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan was born on November 21, 1910, and died at age 70 years old in March 1981.

Douglas Fairbanks was born on August 10, 1925, and died at age 58 years old in April 1984. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Douglas Fairbanks.