Charles Laughton
Directed only one film, 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955), now preserved in the United States National Film Registry for its radical visual poetry.
1899–1962 (age 63)·British and American actor·Birthday: July 1·The Lost Generation
Biography
Charles Laughton directed a single feature film, 'The Night of the Hunter,' which premiered in 1955 to commercial failure and critical dismissal. The film's expressionist lighting, haunting score, and non-naturalistic performances, particularly Robert Mitchum's preacher Harry Powell, later defined it as a masterpiece of American cinema. Laughton prepared by studying silent films and German Expressionism, collaborating closely with cinematographer Stanley Cortez. His acting career comprised over 50 stage and screen roles, winning an Academy Award for 'The Private Life of Henry VIII' (1933) and delivering a definitive performance as Captain Bligh in 'Mutiny on the Bounty' (1935). He rejected the Hollywood star system, preferring character roles that exploited his unconventional physique and malleable voice. Laughton's directorial method emphasized psychological realism and visual metaphor over plot mechanics. The Criterion Collection's 2010 restoration of 'The Night of the Hunter' cemented its academic and cult status. His impact rests on a film that permanently altered the grammar of cinematic suspense and horror.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Charles was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Died at 63
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for 'The Private Life of Henry VIII' (1933).
- Directed 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955), selected for the National Film Registry in 1992.
- Starred in the Broadway production of 'Galileo' (1947), directed by Joseph Losey.
Did You Know?
Laughton and his wife, actress Elsa Lanchester, never had children; they cited his homosexuality as a factor.
He gave public readings from the Bible and Charles Dickens, which were critically acclaimed.
Served in the British Army during World War I, was gassed at the Battle of Cambrai and suffered lifelong effects.
“The artist is a person who is not sure, who is always searching, who is always in doubt.”
