Cary Grant
David Thomson, the film industry's leading historian, called Cary Grant "the best and most important actor in the history of the cinema." Over the course of his life, the British-born star made over 70 films, became one of the first successful freelance actors, and won a myriad of awards. Beyond those professional achievements, Grant is also remembered for being a savvy businessman, a devoted father, and a generous friend. Among his closest companions were celebrities like Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Alfred Hitchcock, and Howard Hughes. Archibald Alexander Leach was born on January 18, 1904, in Bristol, England. Life in the seaside town was far from idyllic, as Archie was the only surviving child of an alcoholic father and an overbearing mother. The family lived in abject poverty, staying afloat on his father's clothing factory salary until Archibald turned 11. In what would become one of the most defining events of his life, Grant's mother disappeared when he wa...