January 18

Archibald Alexander Leach, known as the quintessentially debonair Cary Grant, was born on January 18, 1904, in Bristol, England. His father abandoned him at age 10; his mother was institutionalized. In 1920 he traveled to the United States as a stilt walker in a stage troupe. He performed in shows at The Muny in St. Louis in 1931, then shot to stardom in 1932-33 in Hollywood movies with Marlene Dietrich and Mae West. A favorite of director Alfred Hitchcock, Grant starred in “Notorious” (1946), “To Catch a Thief” (1955) and “North by Northwest” (1959). He was sought for the role of James Bond in “Dr. No” (1962) but could commit to only one Bond film. The only Oscar he received was for Lifetime Achievement (1970). Grant had five wives, including wealthy heiress Barbara Hutton. The couple was nicknamed "Cash and Cary," but Grant did not profit from their divorce. Pictured: Publicity still for “Suspicion” (1941).