John Ridgely

John Ridgely (born John Huntington Rea,[2] September 6, 1909 – January 18, 1968[citation needed] ) was an American film character actor with over 175 film credits.[3]

John Ridgely
Ridgely in the trailer for Destination Tokyo (1943)
Born
John Huntington Rea

(1909-09-06)September 6, 1909
DiedJanuary 18, 1968(1968-01-18) (aged 58)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materStanford University
OccupationActor
Years active1935–1954
SpouseVirginia Robinson[1]

Early years

Ridgely was born in Chicago, Illinois,[4] the son of John Ridgely Rea. Ridgely's elementary schooling was in Hinsdale, Illinois, and he attended Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri.[5] He also attended Stanford University before his debut in movies.[6]

Film

He appeared in the 1946 Humphrey Bogart film The Big Sleep as blackmailing gangster Eddie Mars and had a pivotal role as a suffering heart patient in the film noir Nora Prentiss (1947). His most prominent other roles were his top-billed part as the bomber captain in Howard Hawks's Air Force and as real-life fighter pilot Tex Hill in 1945's God is My Co-Pilot.

The Chicago-born actor appeared in a large number of other films, particularly for Warner Bros., in the 1930s and 1940s.[7]

Freelancing after 1948, Ridgely continued to essay general-purpose parts until he left films in 1953.

Later life and death

He worked in summer-theater productions and television until his death from a heart attack at the age of 58 in 1968.[8]

Selected filmography

Radio appearances

YearProgramEpisode/source
1938Warner Brothers Academy TheaterSpecial Agent[9]

References