Gilbert Roland - A Latin Performer Unbounded
Posted: May 9th, 2009, 4:01 pm
Gilbert Roland is one of my favorite "presences" in movies. I choose to use that word
instead of "actor" because in this case, the latter word just doesn't fill the space this
man occupied from his early days as a silent movie matinee star, to his unique contributions
as a character performer. You knew Gilbert Roland was in the house the minute he steps
into a scene. He breathes warmth, vitality, humor and a certain human wisdom into roles
that would lie flat in any other hands.
If you are unfamiliar with Gilbert Roland and don't stick with him when he first appears, you
might be tempted to see only the "flash" the brilliant smile, the swagger and Latin machismo.
You'd be robbing yourself not to look further. Stick with him, he's often one of the best things in
OK films, and in at least one nearly +great+ film (Anthony Mann's The Furies)---his is the most shining contribution
While I continue a mission to find as many photos and/or interesting bits about this
unique actor, I hope all who are curious about or already admire Gilbert Roland,
will take the time to read the TCM Movie Morlock's article linked below.
One of the most frequent and eloquent of TCM's Message Board members is Moirafinnie
who contributes many terrific threads and articles in Movie Morlocks. Her latest
spotlights Roland the performer and the man, an actor who's films did not make it
into the present TCM festival on Latinos in Hollywood. This article makes up for it nicely,
pointing out how Roland managed to maintain a long career in a fickle town by avoiding
one of its most persisitent tendencies: type casting. It also inspired me to start a thread
of his own for Roland. Enjoy:
http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/05/06/gil ... mment-8389
Roland with his on and offscreen amour, Norma Talmage, in the silent days:
And in his more familiar, post WWII days segueing into a remarkable character
performer
instead of "actor" because in this case, the latter word just doesn't fill the space this
man occupied from his early days as a silent movie matinee star, to his unique contributions
as a character performer. You knew Gilbert Roland was in the house the minute he steps
into a scene. He breathes warmth, vitality, humor and a certain human wisdom into roles
that would lie flat in any other hands.
If you are unfamiliar with Gilbert Roland and don't stick with him when he first appears, you
might be tempted to see only the "flash" the brilliant smile, the swagger and Latin machismo.
You'd be robbing yourself not to look further. Stick with him, he's often one of the best things in
OK films, and in at least one nearly +great+ film (Anthony Mann's The Furies)---his is the most shining contribution
While I continue a mission to find as many photos and/or interesting bits about this
unique actor, I hope all who are curious about or already admire Gilbert Roland,
will take the time to read the TCM Movie Morlock's article linked below.
One of the most frequent and eloquent of TCM's Message Board members is Moirafinnie
who contributes many terrific threads and articles in Movie Morlocks. Her latest
spotlights Roland the performer and the man, an actor who's films did not make it
into the present TCM festival on Latinos in Hollywood. This article makes up for it nicely,
pointing out how Roland managed to maintain a long career in a fickle town by avoiding
one of its most persisitent tendencies: type casting. It also inspired me to start a thread
of his own for Roland. Enjoy:
http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/05/06/gil ... mment-8389
Roland with his on and offscreen amour, Norma Talmage, in the silent days:
And in his more familiar, post WWII days segueing into a remarkable character
performer