Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Fairbanks in 1973, by Allan Warren
Born	Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. (1909-12-09)December 9, 1909 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	May 7, 2000(2000-05-07) (aged 90) New York City, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Actor, Naval officer
Years active	1916–1997
Spouse(s)	Joan Crawford (m. 1929; div. 1933) Mary Lee Eppling (m. 1939; d. 1988) Vera Shelton (m. 1991–2000)
Children	3
Parent(s)	Douglas Fairbanks Anna Beth Sully
Military career
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1941–54
Rank	Captain
Unit	Beach Jumpers
Battles/wars	World War II Convoy PQ17 Operation Husky Operation Dragoon
Awards	Legion of Merit Italian War Cross Legion d'Honneur Croix de Guerre Distinguished Service Cross (UK) Silver Star Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Honorary)

World War II

Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr., KBE, DSC, (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor and a decorated naval officer of World War II.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was born in New York City, the only child of actor Douglas Fairbanks and his first wife, Anna Beth Sully. His parents divorced when he was nine years old, and both remarried. He lived with his mother in New York, California, Paris and London.

Fairbanks's father was one of cinema's first icons, noted for such swashbuckling adventure films as The Mark of Zorro, Robin Hood and The Thief of Bagdad.

Largely on the basis of his father's name, Fairbanks Jr. was given a contract with Paramount Pictures at age 14, appearing in Stephen Steps Out.

He initially played mainly supporting roles in a range of films featuring many of the leading female players of the day: Belle Bennett in Stella Dallas (1925), Esther Ralston in An American Venus (1926) and Pauline Starke in Women Love Diamonds (1927).

In the last years of the silent period, he was elevated to star billing opposite Loretta Young in several pre-Code films. He appeared in Our Modern Maidens (1929), which led to a well-publicized romance and marriage to his co-star, Joan Crawford. He also appeared with John Gilbert and Greta Garbo in A Woman of Affairs (1928), which gave his career a considerable boost.