Cary Grant

Born in Bristol, England, as Archibald Alec Leach, Cary Grant (1904–1986) was a British-American actor known for his distinctive Mid-Atlantic accent, natural style, and sense of comic timing. He was one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men. Despite his impoverished upbringing and unhappy childhood, which included the early loss of his mother and his father's alcoholism, he was attracted to theater and began his career as a stage performer in the US before moving to Hollywood. His initial roles in the 1930s were in crime films and dramas, but he eventually gained acclaim for his roles in romantic and screwball comedies such as Can't Take It with You, His Girl Friday, and The Philadelphia Story, many of which are considered to be among the greatest comedy films of all time. In the 1940s and 1950s, he had a close working relationship with director Alfred Hitchcock, who cast him in four films that showcased both Grant's comic abilities and his capacity for darker roles. He was married five times, had one daughter, and became a U.S. citizen in 1942. Grant retired from acting in the mid-1960s, but made occasional public appearances afterwards and served on the boards of several companies.