born June 20, 1909, Hobart, Tas., Austl.
died Oct. 14, 1959, Vancouver, B.C., Can.
Australian-U.S. film actor.
He sought adventure in New Guinea before turning to acting in Australia and England. In 1935 Warner Brothers brought him to Hollywood, and he became an instant success as the swashbuckling hero of Captain Blood . He continued to play dashing heroes through the 1940s in films such as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Sea Hawk (1940), They Died with Their Boots On (1941), and Gentleman Jim (1942). After a period marred by scandal and bad roles, he returned to critical and popular praise in The Sun Also Rises (1957).