FashionState.Com salutes...

Gentleman Patriot
LESLIE HOWARD

1893-1943

"There is a splendid air of rightness about everything he does." -
(1934 issue of New York Herald Tribune about Leslie Howard.)

"Terrible lot of nonsense... heaven help me if I ever read the book."

So said the actor best known in his career for his portrayal of the dreamy but oddly clear-sighted Ashley Wilkes, the elusive love interest of Scarlett O'Hara in perhaps the most famous movie of all time.

Leslie was known to be exacting and selective in his choice of roles and initially refused to play a rather bland second banana to Clark Gable in a role better suited, in Leslie's opinion, for a much younger man. But so enamored was movie mogul David O. Selznick of the idea of casting England's most romantic star that he was willing to indulge in a grand demand from his wayward Ashley: he would produce Leslie Howard's adaptation of the romantic drama "Intermezzo" and give him the backing and quality of a major motion picture studio.

And although Leslie Howard loathed playing Ashley, the result of his trade-off was the release of the film that launched the English-language film career of one of filmdom's most luminous performers, the lovely Ingrid Bergman.

The man born Leslie Steiner (or Laszlo Stainer, per a couple of sources) in England of Hungarian and Jewish heritage may have had his perfectionist pecadilloes, but like the above example, the results ofttimes had that "splendid air of rightness" about them. His refusal to continue in the film project of "The Petrified Forest" unless Warner Brothers used the original Broadway cast member in the pivotal role of desperado Duke Mantee gave Humphrey Bogart the chance to sink his teeth into a role that made critics finally sit up and take notice, and the role launched Bogie's career toward stardom, with Bogie's gratitude being such that he named his daughter Leslie.

Despite his mother's encouragement towards the stage, Leslie took a bank clerk's job at his father's prodding. His participation in World War I ended when he suffered shell-shock and was advised back towards the theater as therapy. He married and began his family and career, and although his first endeavors were erratic and short-lived at times, he persevered to the point where he became a visible asset to whatever production he was in, with even the sharp-penned theater critic and renowned rapier wit Alexander Woollcott using his column to promote the promise and talent of the young British actor.

Leslie's motion picture career in the 1930s made the most of his cultivated voice and aristocratic good looks, with directors casting him again and again as a romantic intellectual. Yet it was obvious he was eager to display his versatility, so Leslie's leading men roles were spiced with unusual attributes. In "Berkeley Square" he plays a time traveler who falls in love with one of his ancestors; in "The Petrified Forest" he portrayed a whimsical, self-sacrificial cynic; in "Of Human Bondage" he is a crippled artist in love with a trashy waitress; in "The Scarlet Pimpernel", his effeminate, foppish Sir Percy Blakeney is in secret a heroic rescuer of French aristocrats from the Revolution's guillotine; in "Pygmalion", misogynist Professor Henry Higgins actually falls for the flower girl he's grooming into a lady on a bet.

His Oscar nomination for "Pygmalion" and the publicity he received for "Gone With The Wind" enabled Leslie to more widely publicize his desire for Allied victory in World War II and he found a niche in radio and movies to promote bond drives and encourage support for the war effort, especially amidst his fellow Englishmen. (Not one to waste good material, Leslie actually updated "The Scarlet Pimpernel" into "'Pimpernel' Smith", playing a deceptively mild-mannered archaeologist fighting Hitler's goons. Sound familiar?)

He pleaded with Winston Churchill to let him do even more than remain within the confines of his art to throw punches at the Axis, but his brash career as patriotic propagandist for the Allied cause was enough to cost him the ultimate price. In June of 1943, while on his way from Lisbon to London, his commercial flight was shot down by German planes and Leslie Howard, along with everyone else aboard KLM Flight 777, perished in the Bay of Biscay.

For over sixty years since the death of Leslie Howard, speculation has been rampant as to the reasons why the Germans would shoot down this particular routine commercial flight over Biscay. There is a theory that the Nazis were given reason to believe that Winston Churchill was onboard. Another theory suggests that a double of Churchill was on the flight. Yet another proposes that Leslie Howard was indeed more than just a rallying voice for the war effort - that he was indeed a spy, a twentieth-century war-time Pimpernel who used his fame and talents to deliver well-aimed kicks in the teeth at the bad guys.

But it says something indeed that the Nazis publicly rejoiced at the news of the death of such a powerful and popular voice amongst their enemies and that Leslie Howard - actor, writer, and gentleman patriot - was nationally mourned as a hero in England after his death due to the British brand of humanity as well as the stiff upper lip and steel spine he presented before the public.

These traits that epitomized the best in British citizens were given a public face in Leslie Howard, whose strength of character represented the national determination to win a fierce battle over extreme evil.

May "Pimpernel" Smith and other such men of valor live forever in our hearts!

THE LESLIE HOWARD GALLERY

LESLIE HOWARD: STIFF UPPER LIP AND A SPINE OF STEEL
PORTRAITS OF LESLIE

A SPLENDID AIR OF RIGHTNESS
Mad Molly spotlights the best of
Leslie Howard on film!

"THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL"
"THE PETRIFIED FOREST"
"PYGMALION"

SITE LINKS
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Answers.Com
A link-rich short biography on Leslie Howard.

Blakeney Manor
This site focuses on everything "Scarlet Pimpernel"...including Leslie Howard's choice film!

British Film Institute
This respected institution of English cinema features a short on-line entry on Leslie's career.

Classic British Cinema: Leslie Howard
A very short bio at a site chiefly focusing on the performers in British cinema between 1930 and 1950. Perhaps Leslie Howard fans can contact the webmasters and give them positive encouragement and maybe even assistance to follow up on their promise of "more to come"!

Cossy's "Gone With the Wind" Site
A dedicated fan of GWTW writes her own essays about actors, characters, and situations in her favorite film. This is her page about Leslie Howard. Click on the Table of Contents link to get a very entertaining view into a fangirl's perspective. (Archived.)

Films of the Golden Age
An edited on-line version of a detailed hard copy biography of Leslie Howard - order the back issue to read it all!

Find A Grave
Here is a record for Leslie Howard, where fans and admirers leave little cyber-flowers and notes.

"Gone With the Wind" @ GeoCities.Com
Michael's and Lynn's bio on Leslie Howard features more links to explore for the dedicated "Windy". (Archived.)

Granta: "Churchill's Cigar"
Ian Buruma's homage to Jewish immigrants in Britain, featuring a tribute to Leslie Howard, famous son of British Hungarian Jews. (Archived.)

Guardian (UK) - Leslie Howard personal film footage found by documentary maker
Tom Hamilton's treasured finds while researching for a documentary on Leslie Howard.

Hollywood's Golden Age
Entry on Leslie Howard.

The Howard Family
Actor Alan Howard's family biography page with a biographical focus on his uncle, Leslie Howard. Very in-depth!

The Hungary Page
A list of famous people from Hungary or of Hungarian descent, featuring a short but detailed bio of the man born Laszlo Stainer. (Archived.)

International Movie Database
Check out the info and message boards at this link and movie links - some great info!

Lenin Imports
Insightful bio at a fansite for multiple celebrities.

Leslie Howard @ Classic Movie Favorites
Lynn's well-designed and long-standing fansite for Leslie Howard (amongst other stars) features site news, wonderful pictures, lots of information, links, and individual pages for Leslie's best-known films.

Leslie Howard: Actor and Patriot
A short, heartfelt essay by Karen Costanzi about the patriotic dedication of Leslie Howard to his country and anti-Nazism. (Archived.)

Leslie Howard Scarlet Pimpernel
No rhyme or reason or index to this site, but some not-so-bad screen captures of a great film badly in need of restoration. Click the pimpernel tablet above the copyright to see a few pages of pix!

Leslie Howard...The Man Who Gave A Damn
Tom Hamilton's documentary on Leslie Howard has an official page!

The Mystery of Flight 777
As told by the voice actor who as a lad gave up his seat on the ill-fated flight to Leslie Howard.

Nicole's "Gone With the Wind" Home Page
This link in particular goes to a very short bio of Leslie, but browse the rest of the site if you're a "Windy"!

NNDB.Com
Entertaining database of Leslie Howard and other notables features such tidbits as sexual orientation, blunt "executive summaries", level of fame ratings, even the location of his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame!

Obits.Com
An obituary for Leslie Howard that features lots of info and links. (Archived.)

The Oscar Site
You'll have loads of fun reading Leslie's bio as well as bios and information on other Oscar winners and nominees! (Archived.)

Prisma Online
A German language short biography of Leslie Howard.

Shakespeare Fellowship
A message board thread discussing Leslie Howard's career in the basic context of his work in Shakespeare plays...among other topics.

The Stuart Goldman Collection Manuscript Sale
One source of a Humphrey Bogart anecdote featuring mentor Leslie Howard.

The Telegraph - Actor Leslie Howard kept Spain out of WWII, claims author
Could Leslie Howard have been even more involved than he already was? Intriguing speculation.

"GOOD-NIGHT, SWEET PRINCE" -
The Mysterious Death of Leslie Howard

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AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes
Douglas Wheeler of the University of New Hampshire published a clarion call for assistance in researching the possibility that Flight 777 was purposely uninformed of the danger of flying its regular path on this webpage specifically targeted at former intelligence officers.

The Assassination of Ashley Wilkes
A reprint of a 1995 Athens [Georgia] Observer article about the life and career of Leslie Howard, with special attention paid on his death on the ill-fated Flight 777. (Archived.)

BBC - Inside Out
Detailed promo for a program investigating Leslie Howard's disappearance on the sixtieth anniversary of the shooting down of Flight 777.

BBC Hereford and Worcester: "The Search for a Photo with a Film Star"
Brian Gordon of Herefordshire is searching for a photo taken of himself, other child evacuees of World War II, and Leslie Howard. A mystery just a few years old, but it seems Leslie Howard never stopped being a mystery!

History Channel Primetime
Features a blurb on the episode of "Vanishings!" entitled "Movie Star or Spy?". Obviously a program that Leslie's fans should try to catch!

N/461
A very detailed page about the plane crash that took Leslie Howard's life and the world politics leading up to it. This site focuses on the Bay of Biscay battle of World War II in June, 1943 if you want to do some in-depth research.

Saga Magazine - "BOAC: High Anxiety"
The story of a civilian airliner during wartime. Features a short blurb on BOAC's fatal Flight 777. (Archived.)

THE LESLIE HOWARD LIBRARY

"Flight 777" by Ian Colvin (about June 2, 1943)
"In Search of My Father" by Ronald Howard (Leslie's son)
"A Quite Remarkable Father" by Leslie Ruth Howard (Leslie's daughter)
"Trivial Fond Memories" by Leslie Howard (edited by Ronald Howard)

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