John Hodiak

He became a star overnight as surly, sexy, usually shirtless Kovac in Hitchcock’s Lifeboat (1944). Handsome and personable, John Hodiak (1914-1955) embraced his heritage as the son of Polish-Ukrainian immigrants, making him a rare Golden Age actor whose true ethnicity (and birth name) were widely known by moviegoers. Starting in radio, Hodiak was brought to Hollywood by MGM, starring in films like A Bell for Adano (1945) and The Harvey Girls (1946). In making Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944), he and co-star Anne Baxter fell in love despite divergent backgrounds and wed after a tumultuous courtship. The 1950s saw the breakdown of his marriage but also new professional opportunities, notably Broadway stardom in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. Tragically, his death at age 41 cut short an impressive career.
This first full-length study of Hodiak’s life and work, featuring original interviews with his daughter and others alongside genealogical and archival research, paints a full-bodied portrait of a man who achieved the American dream, only to have it snatched away in the prime of life. The annotated filmography provides synopses, reviews, and critical commentary of his 34 motion pictures, followed by an overview of radio, stage, and television performances.

David C. Tucker is the author of numerous books about classic film and television history. A retired public library administrator, he lives just outside Atlanta, Georgia.

David C. Tucker
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 225
Bibliographic Info: 45 photos, filmography, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9473-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5329-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Biography 5

Filmography 59

Selected Radio Performances 181

Television Performances 195

Broadway Performances 198

Chapter Notes 201

Bibliography 207

Index 211

“Tucker once again presents a throughgoing biography of his subject, allowing us to know Hodiak as a man as well as an actor. … Tucker covers [the] early part of Hodiak’s career, his perspective, his choices, and his approach to his roles, with intelligence and insight. … There is more info in this book on Hodiak’s career than can be found in any other study. Tucker’s book on John Hodiak’s life and work fills a real need in cinema scholarship. It is another fine work by one of our best film historians and authors.”—James L. Neibaur; “There are some fine actors who die relatively young and as a consequence end up being unjustly neglected by film historians. This was the fate of John Hodiak, but I am happy to say he has now been given his due in David C. Tucker’s excellent new book … Tucker has written many acclaimed books on show business history and again does a remarkable job in rekindling interest in a largely forgotten star. Impeccable research, balance and humour are the hallmarks of his work. … I found it surprising just how important radio was in his story. The author does [Hodiak] credit with an in-depth appraisal of his radio career, alongside that on screen, and both are given equal weight. This is most welcome, because radio is often relegated to the sidelines, or in some cases barely touched upon. The many photos that grace the text are especially well-chosen. … recommended”—Connie’s Curious Candle