Actor. His film career began in the silent era and into sound pictures and he was extremely popular, with his standard on-screen image of the rugged and stalwart hero. Born Ernst Carlton Brimmer, he initially studied to become a surgeon but his obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club led him to choose a different career path. After a year at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, he took a position at a bank, spending his evenings training for the stage. His professional start was with a local stock company, and this led to similar work in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles, California and became the leading man for the Morosco Stock Company and his success there got him a contract with Paramount Pictures, where he was featured in Western movies. One of the few actors to successfully bridge the transition from silent films to talkies, his best-remembered early role was in Cecil B. DeMille's silent version of "The Ten Commandments" (1923). In 1931 he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance as 'Yancey Cravat' in "Cimarron," in which he shared top billing with Irene Dunne. His other notable films from the 1930s include "The Lost Squadron" (1931), "The Tunnel" (1935), "The Great Jasper" (1932), and "Blind Alibi" (1938). In the 1940s he starred in "The Whistler," the first of a series of eight 'Whistler' films for Columbia Pictures. He retired from acting after making the seventh in the series, "The Thirteenth Hour" (1947). During his career he appeared in around 100 films however, most of his silent pictures have been lost. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to films.
Actor. His film career began in the silent era and into sound pictures and he was extremely popular, with his standard on-screen image of the rugged and stalwart hero. Born Ernst Carlton Brimmer, he initially studied to become a surgeon but his obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club led him to choose a different career path. After a year at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, he took a position at a bank, spending his evenings training for the stage. His professional start was with a local stock company, and this led to similar work in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles, California and became the leading man for the Morosco Stock Company and his success there got him a contract with Paramount Pictures, where he was featured in Western movies. One of the few actors to successfully bridge the transition from silent films to talkies, his best-remembered early role was in Cecil B. DeMille's silent version of "The Ten Commandments" (1923). In 1931 he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance as 'Yancey Cravat' in "Cimarron," in which he shared top billing with Irene Dunne. His other notable films from the 1930s include "The Lost Squadron" (1931), "The Tunnel" (1935), "The Great Jasper" (1932), and "Blind Alibi" (1938). In the 1940s he starred in "The Whistler," the first of a series of eight 'Whistler' films for Columbia Pictures. He retired from acting after making the seventh in the series, "The Thirteenth Hour" (1947). During his career he appeared in around 100 films however, most of his silent pictures have been lost. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to films.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
Inscription
Devoted Husband And Father
Loved By All Who Knew Him
Lo - I Am With You Alway..
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Dix memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
