MovieChat Forums > Charley's Aunt (1941) Discussion > Amazing that Laird Cregar played the dad...

Amazing that Laird Cregar played the dad when he was three years YOUNGER


I knew that the amazing Laird Cregar died young, at only 31 years of age, but was amazed by how successfully he played the middle-aged dad to Jack, the handsome college student. Amazingly Cregar was a full three years younger than James Ellison, who played Jack.

Sadly Cregar died the next year after losing 100 pounds too quickly to play the villain in Hangover Square (1945). He did look much younger and thinner in that movie, but it's a shame he died so young. He was an incredible talent no matter what his size.

Charley's Aunt was a very funny romp and well worth watching.

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I can see a lot of similarities between Laird and Victor Buono. Both were huge in talent and size, both looked older than their actual age (by the end of his career, Victor was playing Christopher Lloyd's dad despite being younger than him), both excelled at playing suave, scene-stealing villains and both died way too young (Laird even more so). :-(

Considering that he rightly had some leading man ambitions, I can see how playing the father of the older James Ellison may have been quite frustrating for Laird. It's something that certainly can't help when you already have some problems he accept yourself physically.

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