Gerald Leonard Mohr was born on 11 June 1914 in New York City, the son of Gerald Mohr Sr. And Henrietta Noustadt, a Viennese singer. His father died suddenly in 1917 and Gerald was then brought up by his mother and his grandfather, who was a psychologist and associate of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Encouraged by his grandfather, young Gerald became Freud’s student.
Gerald attended the prestigious Dwight Preparatory School in New York where he learned to ride horses, play chess and speak French and German fluently. He also played his own piano compositions at school recitals.
As a teenager, while in hospital with appendicitis, Gerald met radio commentator Andre Baruch who, because of Gerald’s pleasant baritone voice and good diction, persuaded him to audition for a job in radio. He became a CBS radio staff correspondent for 3 years while studying pre-med at Columbia University. However, showbiz had more appeal for the young man and that was the career he chose.
In the early 1930s he joined Orson Welles’ prestigious Mercury Theatre Group, with whom he made his Broadway debut in “Jean Christophe”, followed by “The Petrified Forest”.
His movie debut occurred in 1938 in an uncredited performance in the film “Society Smugglers”.
In 1939 he married his childhood sweetheart, Rita Deneau. Their son, Anthony, was born in 1947. Anthony is now a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge.
During the 1940s Gerald worked continuously, sometimes several times a week, on the radio networks, interspersing this with film work. In 1941 he played his first principal villain, “Slick Latimer”, in the 15-episode cliffhanger serial “Jungle Girl” for Republic. From 1942 to 1945 he served in the US Air Force. His first film starring role on his return from the War came when he joined a number of other
Gerald attended the prestigious Dwight Preparatory School in New York where he learned to ride horses, play chess and speak French and German fluently. He also played his own piano compositions at school recitals.
As a teenager, while in hospital with appendicitis, Gerald met radio commentator Andre Baruch who, because of Gerald’s pleasant baritone voice and good diction, persuaded him to audition for a job in radio. He became a CBS radio staff correspondent for 3 years while studying pre-med at Columbia University. However, showbiz had more appeal for the young man and that was the career he chose.
In the early 1930s he joined Orson Welles’ prestigious Mercury Theatre Group, with whom he made his Broadway debut in “Jean Christophe”, followed by “The Petrified Forest”.
His movie debut occurred in 1938 in an uncredited performance in the film “Society Smugglers”.
In 1939 he married his childhood sweetheart, Rita Deneau. Their son, Anthony, was born in 1947. Anthony is now a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge.
During the 1940s Gerald worked continuously, sometimes several times a week, on the radio networks, interspersing this with film work. In 1941 he played his first principal villain, “Slick Latimer”, in the 15-episode cliffhanger serial “Jungle Girl” for Republic. From 1942 to 1945 he served in the US Air Force. His first film starring role on his return from the War came when he joined a number of other
GERALD
MOHR
BIOGRAPHY
