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Owen Davis Jr.

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Owen Gould Davis Jr.
BornOctober 6, 1907
DiedMay 21, 1949(1949-05-21) (aged 41)
OccupationActor
Years active1929–1940
SpouseLaina Muroni

Owen Gould Davis Jr. (October 6, 1907 – May 21, 1949) was an American actor known primarily for his work in film. He also performed in the theatre, making his Broadway debut in the play Carry On (1928), which his father, Owen Davis, had written.

Biography

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Born in 1907 in New York City,[citation needed] Davis Jr. was the son of dramatist Owen Davis[1] and his wife, actress Elizabeth Breyer. In 1923 his father won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his play Icebound.[citation needed] When he was young, his parents opposed his having any involvement in acting.[2]

Educated at The Choate School and Yale University,[2] Davis was one of the leading students in the drama school. He was chosen captain of the boxing team.[citation needed]

On stage, Davis made his Broadway debut in the play Carry On (1928), written by his father Owen Davis. He soon began working in film, making his screen debut with Walter Huston. Later he toured on stage with Huston. After gaining more stage experience, Davis went to Hollywood and began to specialize in movies.

Davis served in the United States Army during World War II.<[citation needed] Afterward, he became a television producer.[3] Shows produced by Davis included The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre.[4]

He married Laina Muroni.[citation needed]

Davis died on May 21, 1949. He drowned on Long Island Sound.[3] On May 25, 1949, the Nassau County medical examiner ruled that the drowning was accidental.[5]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1929 They Had to See Paris Ross Peters
1930 All Quiet on the Western Front Peter
1930 Good Intentions Bud Finney
1936 Murder on a Bridle Path Edward 'Eddie' Fry
1936 Special Investigator George Fenwick
1936 Bunker Bean Bunker Bean
1936 Grand Jury Steve O'Connell
1936 The Plot Thickens Robert Wilkins
1937 The Woman I Love Mezziores
1937 It Could Happen to You! Fred Barrett
1937 Luck of Roaring Camp Davy
1938 Touchdown, Army Cadet Kirk Reynolds
1939 These Glamour Girls Greg Smith
1939 Henry Goes Arizona Danny Regan
1939 Thou Shalt Not Kill Allen Stevens
1940 Knute Rockne All American Gus Dorais (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ "Engaged for New Comedy: Owen Davis Jr. to Have Leading Role in 'Babes in the Wood'". The New York Times. February 21, 1928. p. 31. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Owen Davis, Jr., Glad to Revisit St. Louis". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. May 3, 1933. p. 18. Retrieved April 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Owen Davis Jr. Dead in L. I. Sound; Disappeared From Grounded Yacht". The New York Times. May 22, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Hawes, William (November 16, 2015). Live Television Drama, 1946-1951. McFarland. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-4766-0849-5. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Davis Death Accidental: Playwright's Son Drowned -- Rites at 'Little Church'". The New York Times. May 26, 1949. p. 16. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
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