John Derek is a forgotten idol

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The famous American actor of the XX century John Derek lived a bright and eventful life. He was engaged in directing, professional photography and was the producer of several films. The personal life of the actor also deserves attention - 4 marriages and 2 children. Handsome, funny, talented and sociable - this is exactly what fans remember John Derek for.

Biography

Derek was born in the heart of the film industry - Hollywood. It happened in August 1926. The family of Derek John (full name Derek Dellevan Harris) was directly related to the cinema. The boy's father, William Lawson Harris, was a well-known director in America. For many years he worked on filmmaking in Australia. Dolores Johnson, Derek's mother, was also a film actress famous in the 1930s.

The boy from childhood dreamed of a career in cinema. This was facilitated by both appearance and acting data. Years later, John Derek was repeatedly convinced of the correctness of his choice.

Young years

At the age of 18, the young man was drafted into the ranks of the US Army. He served in the Philippine Islands in 1944 and managed to take part in several battles of World War II.

Biography of John Derek in artstarted with photography. He perfectly felt the moment when it was worth capturing the frame. His talent is confirmed by a large number of photographs. All depict the actor's wives. The pictures often appeared on the pages of Playboy and other well-known publications.

Cinema

Derek's acting career began in 1943 with a role in a short film. A young and handsome young man was immediately noticed. His most famous works were the paintings "All the King's Men", "Revenge of Robin Hood", "The Exile". The complete filmography of John Derek includes about 40 films. And that's just as an actor. In addition, our hero played in the theater.

In 1956, the film "The Ten Commandments" was released. John Derek was great as Jesus. This work has become the most successful in the career of an actor. A year after his death, the picture was included in the US National Film Registry.

Since 1965, John's activity as a director begins. All 8 of Derek's films were the result of teamwork and a good idea from the director. In 4 pictures, Derek shot his last wife, Bo. This work received mixed reviews from critics and caused a lot of controversy.

John Derek did not work long in the production field. But he always felt in which project it was worth investing. Many of his investments turned out to be profitable.

The last directorial work was the film "Ghosts can not do this." She came out on screens in 1990. After the film was nominated for an award"Golden Raspberry", as the worst work of the director, John Derek left the cinema and left Hollywood.

Private life

Hollywood handsome Derek John has always been a favorite of women. From here follow 4 marriages of the actor.

The first wife was special among all. Patricia Erestova was a close relative of Tolstoy. Her family emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States. The wedding with Pati Bers took place in 1951. For 6 years of marriage, the couple had two boys. The eldest son, Russell, was in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19 and was paralyzed for life. The youngest, Sean, later became a well-known film producer.

The couple divorced in 1957. Pati is Derek's only wife who did not take part in the filming of her husband's films and did not appear on the pages of Playboy.

Immediately after the divorce, John Derek marries Swiss actress Ursula Andress. She is known for filming the first part of the James Bond films.

The girl was very beautiful, and her husband often published her photo in half-naked form. Family life lasted 9 years.

The next "Mrs. John Derek" was Linda Evans. She is known for her role in the series Dynasty, for which she won a Golden Globe.

The last marriage of Derek John took place in 1976 and lasted until the death of the actor. Young model Mary Collins (Bo Derek) won the heart of a middle-aged womanizer. It was because of her that John divorced Linda. And he had to go to Germany with Bobecause the girl was not yet of legal age.

The couple have been together for 22 years. The last few years the couple spent in the San Ynez Valley, where they indulged in admiring nature and horseback riding.

John Derek died on May 22, 1998 in Santa Monica. The cause of death was heart problems. The actor's body was cremated at his request.