Robert Montgomery (Clarence Sinclair Bull)

When Norma Shearer picked Robert to be her leading man in Private Lives (1931), he was set. He ran the gamut of different characters over the years. He served as President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1935-38 and 1946-47.. His stay with MGM lasted 16 years, and was only interrupted by WWII when he joined the navy. He saw action in both Europe and the Pacific.

He returned to MGM in 1945 and co-starred with John Wayne in the John Ford-directed They Were Expendable (1945) and then made his directorial debut with Lady in the Lake (1946) (although he had directed a few scenes, uncredited, in They Were Expendable (1945) when John Ford took ill). He left MGM to become an independent director, preferring work behind the camera instead of in front.

This MGM studio portrait (taken by Clarence Sinclair Bull) is in wonderful condition with the only points of note being the usual corner wear/creasing, light age curling and minor handling marks. The actors name, studio and photographers’ details have also been stamped on the rear.

Clarence Sinclair Bull was a legendary portrait photographer from the “Golden Age of Hollywood” (1920s to the 1960s).

Please see the images (clearer than depicted in our scans) and grading guide for more information.