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Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man [VHS]

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Alan Ladd, the quiet man who exuded integrity and inspired a whole generation of young men and boys to try to live up his standards, is here portrayed, reported on, lionized, detracted from and otherwise dissected.

There are plenty of surprising revelations: unlike many Hollywood stars, Alan Ladd's family were all tremendously successful. Alan Ladd, Jr. was head of several studios, chairman of the board of MGM, and started his own company, the Ladd Company. David Ladd had a brief career as a child star and later became a film producer. Alan Ladd's daughter, Alana, and stepdaughter both married successful film producers. This extended family still lives within a half-mile radius of each other and still gets together as a happy extended family. The only sad note is that David's wife Cheryl Ladd eventually divorced him.

Alan Ladd had a difficult time breaking in, probably because at 30 years old he still looked like a kid of sixteen. Universal picked him up along with Tyrone Power and dropped both of them (which tells you something about the acumen of studio executives). When he finally rocketed to stardom and was voted the most popular male star in the world, he was afraid it would not last (a not-unreasonable fear, since it never lasts for any star). He became an alcoholic, and the world at that time was not full of clinics for alcoholic stars. But it is an indication of Ladd's strong character that on the set of "The Proud Rebel", which Ladd played with his son, David, Ladd never touched a drop of alcohol (according to the film's producer Sam Goldwyn).

There are film clips from many of Ladd's movies, along with statements by many of the actors who played with Ladd. Unlike other film stars, everyone, from stars to crew members, liked Alan Ladd. You will too.