Before he was a Hollywood leading man, Richard Cromwell was a struggling artist
In short: Born LeRoy Melvin Radabaugh, Richard Cromwell rose from a scholarship student at the Chouinard Art Institute to a celebrated star of early sound cinema. Known for his gentle screen presence, he navigated a complex career that spanned from high-profile studio hits to a brief, famously mismatched marriage with Angela Lansbury.
Before finding fame, Radabaugh was a creative polymath in Hollywood, designing house color schemes and crafting lampshades. His transition to acting began on a whim in 1930 when he auditioned for the remake of the silent film Tol'able David. He beat thousands of hopefuls to win the role, earning $75 per week and a new screen name from studio head Harry Cohn. This early success launched a career that saw him star in major productions like The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, which earned a Best Picture nomination in 1935.
Cromwell’s professional trajectory was often bolstered by influential friendships. The legendary Marie Dressler personally insisted that studio executives cast him opposite her in the 1932 film Emma, a move that helped solidify his standing in the industry. Throughout the 1930s, he worked steadily, appearing in diverse roles ranging from youth gang leaders in Cecil B. DeMille’s This Day and Age to romantic leads in films like Poppy. By the 1940s, his output shifted toward smaller, genre-driven fare, including the radio-serial adaptation Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher.
His personal life remains a subject of historical interest, most notably his brief 1945–1946 marriage to a 19-year-old Angela Lansbury. Lansbury later reflected that the union was a mistake born of her youth, though they remained friends until his death. Cromwell, who was gay, died of liver cancer in 1960 at age 50. His legacy persists through the preservation of his artistic and professional memorabilia, donated by his family to institutions like the Margaret Herrick Library, and his enduring reputation as a gentle, tortured presence in the golden age of film.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Richard Cromwell (actor)
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