{{Short description|American actor (1911–1998)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Self-contradictory|about=dates; birth and death dates don't match up|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Lauren Gilbert | image = Lauren_Gilbert_in_The_Addams_Family_1965.jpg | caption = Lauren Gilbert in The Addams Family 1965 | birth_name = Lauren Edwin Gilbert | birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|4|29|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Fairbury, Nebraska, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|2|6|1927|04|29|mf=yes}} | death_place = U.S. | alma_mater = Nebraska Wesleyan University<br>University of Michigan | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1935–1974 | other_names = | spouse = Jackson Perkins<br>(m. 1940; died 1994) | children = 3 }}
'''Lauren Edwin Gilbert'''<ref name="nyc wwii drc">"New York, New York City, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1947", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WCQL-G2N2 : Thu Mar 07 12:35:56 UTC 2024), Entry for Lauren Edwin Gilbert and Unemployed, 16 Oct 1940.</ref><ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Q8ThAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA105&dq=%22list+of+graduates%22+%22Lauren+Edwin+Gilbert%22 University of Michigan Register 1933-1934]''. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. p. 105.</ref> (April 8, 1911<ref name="nyc wwii drc"/> – February 6, 1998) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his continuing roles on the soap operas ''Love of Life'' and ''The Edge of Night'', portraying, respectively, the smitten Tom Craythorne and villainous Harry Lane.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/969107146/?clipping_id=160829651 "'Love of Life' Actor Aspired to Be Doctor"]. ''The Atlanta Journal''. June 7, 1958. p. 12.</ref><ref>Nora Applegate (September 6, 1956). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/893905687/?clipping_id=160758093 "Bread and Butter Sure From TV, Says Actor"]. ''Mount Vernon Argus''. September 6, 1956. p. 5.</ref> He also co-starred with Gene Kelly and Jocelyn Brando in the 1945 U. S. Navy-produced short subject ''Combat Fatigue Irritability''.<ref name="hess">Hess, Earl; Dabholkar, Pratibha A. (2020). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=z6KmEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA155 Gene Kelly: The Making of a Creative Legend]''. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. p. 155. {{ISBN|9780700630172}}.</ref>
==Early life and career== Born in Fairbury, Nebraska<ref name="nyc wwii drc"/> and raised in Kearney and Lincoln,<ref name="usc1920">"United States, Census, 1920", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCVD-3G4 : Sun Jul 21 03:49:48 UTC 2024), Entry for Marvin Gilbert and Emma Gilbert, 1920.</ref><ref name="usc1930">"United States, Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQ2M-XYT : Sun Mar 10 16:50:04 UTC 2024), Entry for Marvin E Gilbert and Emma C Gilbert, 1930.</ref> Gilbert was the son of Rev. and Mrs. Marvin E. Gilbert.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/738353653/?clipping_id=160768943 "Today's Guest Editor, Dr. Marvin E. Gilbert; Dr. Gilbert's Church Work Is Widespread"]. ''The Omaha Evening Bee-News''. June 6, 1936. p. 4.</ref> Having entered Nebraska Wesleyan University at age 15, Gilbert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1930, an later earned his MA from the University of Michigan. In the interim, he was employed for three years as an announcer at radio station KFAB in Omaha.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star/160825286/ "Activities of Week on Campuses of Nebraska Colleges and Schools: Wesleyan Notes"]. ''The Lincoln Star''.</ref>
Entering the U.S. Navy in October 1943, Gilbert was one of many Hollywood enlistees assigned to help in the production of Navy-produced films, in his case usually as a narrator.<ref name ="ofnf">[https://www.newspapers.com/image/837737196/?clipping_id=160780752 "Old Friends With New Family Return to Valley Players"]. ''Holyoke Transcript Telegram''. June 22, 1945. p. 14.</ref> But the best known of these projects—at least since its release to the general public in 2013—is ''Combat Fatigue Irritability'' (1945), starring Gene Kelly as Bob Lucas, a traumatized Navy fireman, Jocelyn Brando as his fiancée Sue, and Gilbert as Dr. Bush, the psychiatric officer assigned to treat him.<ref name="hess"/><ref name="cfi @ nlm">National Library of Medicine (2013). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-7zBpi4a_Y&t=85s "Combat Fatigue Irritability (US Navy, 1945)"]. YouTube.</ref>
In October 1949, a ''Kraft Television Theater'' episode entitled "To Dream Again" afforded Gilbert, by then an actor well versed in the works of Shakespeare,<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news/160856020/ "Artist Al Capp to Present Kigmy on Telecast"]. ''The Buffalo News''. October 26, 1949. p. 8.</ref> the rare opportunity to portray the Bard himself, seen here "return[ing] to England as a wise and worldly gentleman, sufficiently human to fall in love." Gilbert costars with Janet De Gore.<ref>Stretch, Bud (October 26, 1949). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/174388347/?clipping_id=160854486 "Air Waves"]. ''Camden Courier-Post''. p. 24.</ref>
The summer of 1952 featured two TV collaborations with Grace Kelly, first on the ''Philco Playhouse'' episode, "Leaves Out of a Book," starring Gilbert and Claudia Morgan, and then, co-starring with Kelly in ''Kraft Television Theatre's'' presentation of the George S. Kaufman/Leueen MacGrath play, ''The Small Hours'',<ref>Gianakos, Larry James (1980). ''[https://archive.org/details/televisiondramas0000gian_r4v5/page/128/mode/2up?q=%22lauren+gilbert%22 Television Drama Series Programming : A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1947-1959]''. Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press. pp. 128, 129, 131, 173, 179, 239. {{ISBN|0810813300}}</ref> detailing the last-minute salvation of a seemingly crumbling marriage.
In September 1960, Gilbert's brief return to the stage accompanied that of costar Joan Fontaine in the Paper Mill Playhouse revival of Rachel Crothers' ''Susan and God'', with Gilbert cast as Susan's disconcerted, "driven to drink" spouse, who attempts to get—and stay—on board the wagon in hopes of rekindling their long dormant relationship.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-item-of-millburn-and-short-hills/160884862/ "Joan Fontaine Next at Mill"]. ''The Millburn and Short Hills Item''. September 1, 1960. p. 17.</ref><ref>Guenther, Mary (March 9, 1939). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press/160883854/ "'Susan and God' Provides Pleasing Entertainment"]. ''Evansville Courier and Press''. p. 11.</ref><ref>Kalter, Robert (September 6, 1960). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1108804958/?clipping_id=160882936 "Joan Fontaine Fine in 'Susan and God'"]. ''The Newark Star-Ledger''. p. 22.</ref> Later that month, it was reported that Gilbert had been signed for the role of Mr. Shelton in the Warner Brothers film, ''Girl of the Night'', adapted from Dr. Harold Greenwald's psychoanalytic study, ''The Call Girl''.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Stage, TV Actor Gets Film Role|author=|date=September 11, 1960|work=The Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution|page=20G|quote=HOLLYWOOD — Lauren Gilbert, Broadway and television actor, has been signed for the role of Mr. Shelton in the Vanguard Productions film 'Girl of the Night,' the Warner Bros. release now shooting in New York. Gilbert, for a number of years, was in television and appeared on Broadway with Helen Hayes and Maurice Evans in 'Twelfth Night.' 'Girl of the Night,' being produced by Max J. Rosenberg, is based on the best selling nonfiction social and psychoanalytical study, 'The Call Girl,' by Dr. Harold Greenwald.|id={{ProQuest|1644215151}}}}</ref>
==Personal life== Beginning on December 29, 1940, in a ceremony conducted by his father, and continuing until her death in 1994, Gilbert was married to actress Jackson Perkins,<ref>United Press (December 27, 1940). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-herald/160758261/ "Lauren Gilbert to Wed Miss Perkins, Actress"]. ''Washington Times-Herald''. p. 3.</ref><ref>"California, Death Index, 1940-1997", FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPSV-DDJ : 26 November 2014), Jackson Gilbert, 03 Jan 1994; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.</ref> whose onstage collaboration with her future husband extended at least as far back as 1934.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/457482808/?clipping_id=160758368 "Lauren Gilbert and Jackson Perkins"]. ''The San Francisco Examiner''. December 18, 1935. p. 18.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/1113013550/?clipping_id=160852018 "To Present Shakespeare Plays at Local School"]. ''The Grand Rapids Press''. October 31, 1934. p. 7.</ref> Their union produced three children, a son and two daughters.<ref name ="ofnf"/>
Gilbert died on February 6, 1998, at age 86, in Los Angeles.<ref>"United States, Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JP4L-Q6G : 7 January 2021), Lauren E Gilbert, 06 Feb 1998; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).</ref>
==Works==
===Films=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1945 | ''Combat Fatigue Irritability'' | Dr. Bush | <ref name="hess"/><ref name="cfi @ nlm"/> |- | 1948 | ''Close-Up'' | Miller | |- | rowspan=2|1960 | ''From the Terrace'' | Charles Frolick | |- | ''Girl of the Night'' | Mr. Shelton | |- | 1961 | ''X-15'' | Colonel Jessup | |- | 1963 | ''Hootenanny Hoot'' | Howard Stauton | |- | 1964 | ''The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' | Mr. Fitzgerald | |- | 1966 | ''The Fortune Cookie'' | Kinkaid | |- | 1973 | ''Westworld'' | Supervisor | <ref>{{Cite news|title=Westworld|author=Strick, Phillip|date=January 1, 1974|work=Monthly Film Bulletin|page=56|quote=Charles Seel (Bellhop), Wade Crosby (Bartender), Nora Marlowe (Hostess), Lin Henson (Ticket Girl), Orville Sherman, Lindsay Workman, Lauren Gilbert, Davis Roberts and Howard Platt (Supervisors)|id={{ProQuest|1305841830}}}}</ref> |}
===Plays=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" ! colspan="5" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Plays |- ! Year ! Play ! Role ! Theater ! Notes |- | 1938 | ''Save Me the Waltz'' | Prince Paul | Martin Beck Theatre | February 28, 1938 - March 1938 |- | 1939 | ''Hamlet'' | Francisco, Rosencrantz | 44th Street Theatre | December 4, 1939 - January 6, 1940 |- | rowspan=3|1940 | ''King Richard II'' | Duke of Aumerle | St. James Theatre | April 1, 1940 – April 27, 1940 |- | ''Twelfth Night'' | Orsino (Replacement) | St. James Theatre | November 19, 1940 – Mar 8, 1941 |- | ''Cue for Passion'' | Herbert Lee Phillips | Royale Theatre | December 19, 1940 – December 28, 1940 |- | 1942 | ''Without Love'' | Paul Carrel (Replacement) | St. James Theatre | November 10, 1942 – February 13, 1943 |- |1946 | ''Flamingo Road'' | Fielding Carlisle | Belasco Theatre | March 19, 1946 – March 23, 1946 |- | 1947 | ''Street Scene'' | Steve Sankey | Adelphi Theatre | Jan 9, 1947 – May 17, 1947 |- | rowspan=2|1948 | ''The Vigil'' | Joseph of Arimathea | Royale Theatre | May 21, 1948 – May 29, 1948 |- | ''A Story for Strangers'' | Dunbar Stote | Royale Theatre | September 21, 1948 – September 25, 1948 |- | 1960 | ''Roman Candle'' | Senator John Winston | Cort Theatre | February 3, 1960 – February 6, 1960 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IBDB name|42126}} * {{IMDb name|0318142}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Lauren}} Category:1911 births Category:1998 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Male actors from Nebraska Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male stage actors Category:People from Kearney, Nebraska Category:Nebraska Wesleyan University alumni Category:University of Michigan alumni