Nicole Zabaleta
The actor recognized for his talent and beauty John Gavin dies at 86 years. He became famous for his starring roles in “Spartacus” and “Psycho”. He also worked in many other successful films in the 60s.
Gavin who was president of the Screen Actors Guild, died Friday. The news was revealed by Brad Burton Moss, manager of Gavin’s wife, also actress Constance Towers.
He began to get recognition in the 50s. Gavin’s true breakthrough happened in 1958. He won the leading role of a German soldier of World War II in “A Time To Love And A Time To Die.”
Artistic career
The film “All Quiet on the Western Front” based on a novel by Erich Maria Remarque won an Academy prize in 1930. Universal Studios was responsible for producing this film.
Everyone was waiting for him to score as much as the 30s movie did. But with the post-war audience still anxious about escapism, it didn’t meet high expectations. Even the main actor didn’t receive good reviews.
However, Universal did not lose faith in Gavin. They worked again with him and Lana Turner in a new version of the tv show “Imitation of Life” the following year. This led to another big role, giving life to the divorced lover of Janet Leight, Sam Loomis, in a 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic “Psycho.”
Legend in Spartacus
After all these, Gavin’s streak happened to improve in the following two years. Working in “Spartacus”, and appearing along with Susan Hayward in” Black Street “. Also, he accompanied Sandra Dee in a parody of Peter Shakespeare Ustinov called “Romanoff and Julie” and then again with Dee in” Tammy Tell Me True. “
His career started to the decline at the end of the 60s. In 1967, he got a role at “Thoroughly Modern Millie” his final point for the partnership with Universal.
He did not leave the performance world. We could see this actor in some other movies and TV shows such as “Fantasy Island”, “Hard to Hart” and “The Love Boat”. At this rate, Gavin was on his way to another profession, diplomacy.
How Gavin ended up in Mexico?
In 1980 he was part of the campaign of his faithful friend Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate who wanted the presidency. After Reagan won the elections, he chose the actor as ambassador in Mexico.
The senate decreed Mr. Gavin for the position in 1981. From its inception, as indicated by the Los Angeles Times, “it showed an instinctive ability to antagonize almost all that diplomats usually try to cultivate.”
Gavin after the spotlight
He was not working full time in Mexico, he often spent weekends in Los Angeles.
Meetings with the Mexican clergy and certain opposition political groups were interpreted as an effort to interfere in the country’s internal politics. So some people began to complain and make life impossible for him. He was declared as an unwelcome person, expelling him later from the country.
When he resigned from the embassy in 1986, a column in the newspaper “El Universal” described him as “arrogant, reckless and meddlesome” and “one of the most frightening ambassadors” for Mexico in years.
This did not stop Gavin. He got strong candidates in the United States to praise him for his direct tone and unwavering nature.
Arriving at old age, Gavin dies, although no cause of death was given, it is said that “he had been ill for months.”
We will always remember this actor for the unique roles that have achieved worldwide recognition. RIP
