Charles Boyer

Charles Boyer, the suave, French-born actor who courted a bevy of leading ladies in films during the 1930s and 1940s and became one of Warner Bros.' top stars, died Saturday at a local hospital. His death came just two days after the death of his wife of 44 years, Pat. Boyer, who would have turned 79 on Monday, had been found unconscious at his home and was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital by paramedics. He died a short time later, a spokesman said. Dr. Thomas Jarvis, Maricopa County coroner, said he would conduct an autopsy today. A hospital spokesman said a heart attack was suspected. Boyer became the top-salaried star at Warner Bros. in 1945. During the 1930s and 1940s, he epitomized the Continental gallant-suave, impeccable of manner and dress. He played the polished lover to many of the movies' leading ladies, yet had the strength and authority to be convincing also as a man of action. Unlike many a romantic star, he moved easily into character parts with middle age. In one film, he portrayed the father of Leslie Caron. He had no vanity about his appearance and willingly played roles in which he looked older than he was, even at times appearing without his toupee if the character called for it. Perhaps he is best remembered for his role as the thief Pepe le Moko in "Algiers." Among his later films were "Is Paris Burning?," "How to Steal a Million," "Casino Royale" and "Barefoot in the Park." Boyer, who was born in Figeac, France, found himself at the age of 7, when he began getting major parts in school plays. The son of a farm machinery dealer, Boyer used his father's granary as a theater, and, at age 12, learned passages of long plays and rehearsed with self-written scripts. After studying at the Sorbonne and the Paris Conservatory, Boyer made his stage debut in Paris' Theatre Antoine in "La Bataille" and soon became a leading stage star. He made his film debut in 1920. Although French producers did not consider him photogenic, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer brought him to Hollywood to do French versions of successful English-language films when dubbing was unknown. Not until 1931 did he make his first major picture with an English-speaking role, "The Man From Yesterday," with Claudette Colbert. He also signed to do "The Red-Headed Woman" with Jean Harlow, but thought his imperfect English would hamper him, so he returned to France to polish it. He was brought back to Hollywood in 1934 and kept a date with success and the woman who later became his wife, British actress Pat Paterson. He met her on a studio lot and they were married that year. Leading ladies he courted in films as he rose to fame included Greta Garbo, Irene Dunne, Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Jennifer Jones and Hedy Lamarr, as well as Miss Colbert.