BEVERLY HILLS—Film star Glenn Ford is best known for his amazing acting ability and his bigger than life image on the silver screen. Born in Quebec, Canada in 1916, Ford as a young child moved to Santa Monica and was soon caught up in the life of a film star. Ford’s contract with Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures often pit the two men at each other’s throats creatively, but even Cohn had to admit on many occasions that Ford never performed less than perfectly in any role he was given. No one, however, knows Glenn’s story like his handsome son Peter, who now lives in the family home in Beverly Hills just down the street from the famed Beverly Hills Hotel.
In that home lives his beautiful wife Lynda and their daughter Eleanor, named after her grandmother Eleanor Powell, who was one of MGM’s greatest dancers and one of the studio’s most iconic stars in history. Though married several times after his divorce from Powell, Ford’s off-screen affair and on screen chemistry with ’50s beauty Rita Hayworth became one of the biggest stories around the world at the time. They did over a half dozen films together and their most famous on screen pairing was in “Gilda” in 1946. Ford worked with Bette Davis, Sidney Poitier and virtually every major star from the late 1930s until he retired in 1991. With his son Peter at his side, he would often greet friends such as Debbie Reynolds, whom he almost married. I had the great joy of working with both Peter and Glenn, and I personally felt impressed to be in the elder Ford’s company. Peter and Lynda and their two sons and daughter took care of his father until he died in 2006.
Whether on the set together or at home, Peter and Glenn shared deep affection and respect for each other. During the last years of Glenn’s life, Peter worked tirelessly at gathering details and anecdotal information on Glenn’s fabled career and personal life. This spring Peter will be releasing the official biography of Glenn Ford’s true story and he and Lynda will be traveling throughout the U.S. promoting the book.
“My friend, Alan Rode, is working to have me involved with his Lust and Larceny: Film Noir 12th Annual Festival here in Los Angeles. My participation, if it can be arranged, would be in its second week in April in some capacity with perhaps a book signing in Hollywood afterwards, maybe at Larry Edmunds bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard,” said Peter. “You can go to Americancinematheque.com for details on the festival.”
Peter tirelessly works to continue the Glenn Ford Library and in doing so has captured the attention of Turner Classic Movies. “I’m in discussions with TCM that on my father’s 95th birthday on May 1, they will show a Glenn Ford film, with me either opening on tape or involved in some interactive way with this film on this date. TCM wants to heavily promote the book and me, so this would be a welcomed national audience and a great send off for the biography ”˜Glenn Ford: A Life.’ Also on May 1, I am working through a friend on arranging a film showing in association with American Cinemateque to show a film of my father’s with an appearance by me at Areo Theater in Santa Monica. Tommy, this is the development stage at this time but I’m hopeful that this can occur,” said the author.
Also in May, on the eighth of the month Peter and his beautiful wife Lynda will be flying to NYC for Jerry Nolan’s Nostalgia Festival. You can learn more about this at 2cms.webs.com. While in New York Peter will be interviewed at Long Island’s Centre Arts Theatre about his book and on May 13 [he] will appear at the Film Forum in the Village with a showing of his father’s 1957 western classic “3:10 to Yuma.” Peter’s also doing at least four radio interviews promoting the book while in New York.
Then on to Nashville on June 1. The couple will be honored guests at the Memphis Film Festival, which will actually be in Olive Branch, Miss. You can find information on this festival at memphisfilmfestival.com. Peter and Lynda are going to remain in the south for a while where Peter will be making several appearances in Florida. “I do plan on staying busy while in Florida including many appearances throughout the state and a stop at the Cinema Paradiso, the year-round cinema of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival for a screening and signing,” said Ford. “Also, Lynda and I will attend a film showing and book signing at Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. Then possibly in July in North Carolina.” Fort Lauderdale event (fliff.com) and Palm Beach event (fourarts.org).
“The last event scheduled at this time is for Lynda and me to travel to Kanab, Utah for the Western Legends Roundup from August 18 through 20. People can go to their website (westernlegendsroundup.com) and find out more. It’s going to be a busy summer for us Tommy. Maybe you can come and housesit,” concluded Ford.
“Glenn Ford: A Life” is for sale now as pre-order on Amazon.com and other sites. The official publishing date is June 7, but will be available to ship or buy in stores nationally and internationally by mid-May.
Photographs are Courtesy: Glenn Ford Library
