Trivia of Douglas Fairbanks Jr

Trivia of Douglas Fairbanks Jr

*Although he appeared in approximately 100 movies or TV shows, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. never really intended to take up acting as a career. However, the environment he was born into and the circumstances naturally led him to be an actor.

*Douglas Fairbanks Jr. had his first serious romantic relationship with actress Lucille Le Sueur, who later went on to be known as Joan Crawford. The couple got married on 3rd June 1929, in New York City. He was 19 years old at the time of the wedding.The marriage did not last long and the couple divorced in 1934. However, he defended Joan Crawford against the allegations on her character and temper made by her adopted daughter in her biography.

*He was offered the role of Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) but turned it down, as he did not want to be seen as aping his father Douglas Fairbanks' performance in Robin Hood (1922).

*In 1939, he saw the release of his biggest ever hit movie, ‘Gunga Din,’ in which he worked along with Victor McLaglen and Cary Grant.Director George Stevens had Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Cary Grant flip a coin for the role of Cutter. Grant won. However, there's also a report that Grant was dissatisfied with his original role of Ballantine and convinced producer Pandro S. Berman to allow him to switch roles with Fairbanks.

*His knowledge of French was so good that he played in French-language films in the early talkie era made in Hollywood for French consumption.

*In 1951 King George VI awarded him an honorary knighthood for furthering Anglo - American unity.He also was awarded the British Distinguished Service Cross, the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with Palm for his services during World War II.

*Although he was born in New York he became an Anglophile, and from the 1950s to the 70s, he lived in the South Kensington area of London where he regularly entertained Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He returned to America in 1976 but often returned to England on visits.His death was reported on the front page of the Times in London and Buckingham Palace expressed its condolences on his demise.