Nick Stuart
| Nick Stuart | |
|---|---|
Stuart in 1928
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| Born |
Niculae Pratza April 10, 1904 Abrudbánya, Alsó-Fehér County, Austria-Hungary (now Abrud, Alba County, Romania) |
| Died | April 7, 1973 (aged 68) Biloxi, Mississippi, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, bandleader |
| Years active | 1919–44 |
| Spouse(s) |
Sue Carol (1929-34) Martha Burnett (1942-73, his death) |
| Children | Carol Lee Ladd |
Nick Stuart (April 10, 1904 - April 7, 1973) was an Austro-Hungarian-born American actor and bandleader. His career spanned five decades, during which he appeared in over 50 films, more than half of them features, as well as film shorts, serials, and even one television appearance. He rose to stardom in such films as Girls Gone Wild and Chasing Through Europe, prior to expanding his business interests by creating a talent agency, and a popular upscale club in Hollywood.
After being introduced to music by Guy Lombardo, he established his own band, "The Man with the Band from Movieland", which played for over twenty years. When he dissolved the band in 1961, he opened a haberdashery in Biloxi, Mississippi. He met his first wife, Sue Carol, while working on a film, and the two had a daughter, actress Carol Lee Ladd. While his first marriage was short-lived, his second marriage to Martha Burnett lasted over thirty years, until his death from cancer in 1973.
Stuart was born Niculae Pratza on April 10, 1904, in Abrud (Abrudbánya), Transylvania, then part of Austria-Hungary. He immigrated to the United States as a child in 1913, growing up in Dayton, Ohio.
Stuart was married twice. The first time was to Sue Carol on November 28, 1929; the two had a child, actress Carol Lee Ladd (born July 18, 1932). The "Lee" in Carol Lee was named for Carol's best friend, Dixie Lee, the wife of Bing Crosby. Initially, the couple attempted to hide their marriage from the public, with the help of the Crosbys. Stuart would make public appearances with Dixie Lee, while Bing Crosby would feign romantic interest with Sue Carol in public. While on a personal appearances tour in 1931, the couple had $35,000 of jewelry stolen. The jewelry was taken from their parked car on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
Less than a year after the birth of their child, reports began to circulate that their marriage was in trouble. By August 1933 Stuart and Carol were estranged and living separate lives, and divorced in 1934. After the divorce, Stuart was romantically linked with several other women, including nightclub singer Bobbe Arnst (recently divorced from Johnny Weissmuller), and Dorothy Lee.
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