Alan Ladd

Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns, such as Shane (1953), and in films noir. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in films noir, such as This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Ladd also appeared in ten films with William Bendix; both actors coincidentally died in 1964. His other notable credits include Two Years Before the Mast (1946); Whispering Smith (1948), which was his first Western and color film; and The Great Gatsby (1949). His popularity diminished in the mid 1950s, though he continued to appear in numerous films, including his first supporting role since This Gun for Hire in the smash hit The Carpetbaggers released in 1964. He died of an accidental combination of alcohol, a barbiturate, and two ...