This is Your Life: Victor McLaglen

This is Your Life: Victor McLaglen 1/2 Hour B/W Kinescope Original NBC Network print with all original commercials as broadcast (rerun) on August 18, 1954.

[@dolly5279]

This was my Uncle, one of five actors out of 8 brothers! He got an Oscar for his part in a film, given to him by Bette Davies- another fantastic actor! He was also a boxer and went into the ring with the Heavyweight Champion of the World -Jack Johnson twice! He was born in the Mile End Road, London, and five brothers became actors. They were all in two World Wars. He made many films with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Cynthia Allen-McLaglen

[@Duketributechannel]

Was he your uncle? Very interesting ! You said some salient things about his career, but I think many remember your uncle very well, starting clearly with the Oscar he won with "The Informer" but also for the unforgettable portraits in Ford's great westerns. His performance in "The quiet man" is memorable, one of my favorite films. Thank you for telling us something about your uncle's career but, believe me, millions and millions of people remember him with affection and respect. I also remember very well Andrew a high level director who worked a lot with the Duke. Hello and continue to be rightly proud of your uncle.

[@keithharvey7230]

Victor and Maureen were brother and sister in The Quiet Man despite a huge age gap.

[@MarkHarrison733]

McLaglen was an anti-Semitic fascist.

[@darrenhirst9900]

A giant of a man and a brilliant actor. Put his name in my book 😂

[@lynnski-ex3zk]

One of my all-time favorite actors. He reminds me of my father, a real man's man but a softee on the inside....

[@renegadedragon9393]

Victor McLagen is one of my favorite actor, two of my favorite movies of him is " The Informer and The Quiet Man!" A great performer!

[@rampageclover9788]

Absolute force of nature. Miss having characters like him nowadays

[@dolly5279]

All the MacLaclans/McLaglens came from Danish Vikings who regularly raided Scotland. The King said that when they become Christian they will become peaceful. Never was a truer word said. They settled down in Mull, West Scotland and and the chief now reside on the banks of Loch Fyne, where I met her long ago. Scotland was unusually very warm and sunny, and the Chief let my husband and I camp on the river side. We also went to a ceilidh which was very enjoyable!! I will; never forget it. We also went to a sad place where many Clansmen went to fight the English at the Battle of Culloden, long ago and many Scotsmen met their end including my Chief and his son. They left behind the son's wife and baby who grew up and fell in love with the Earl of Argyll's daughter. He was now The Duke of Argyll and his daughter and the baby who had grown up to be the Chief MacLachlan were now married. Victor McLaglen had 7 brothers and one sister, and Victor's son was Andrew McLaglen a director and Producer of adventure films. This Dynasty has continued. There were 5 actors who were brothers who numbered eight altogether. When they walked down Oxford street during the First World War they were said to look like tall trees walking along the street!!. Cynthia Allen-McLaglen

[@cherylulakovic8613]

Loved watching Victor in all his movies but especially the ones with John Wayne. Those characters all seemed to be strong but lovable and sometimes very funny. Such fond memories.

[@peterjb49]

Loved every second of this! But what's amazing is that he went the distance with Jack Johnson!

[@dolly5279]

YES THAT HAPPENED TWICE, HE FOUGHT Jack Johnson twice. He won an Oscar for "THE INFORMER"! Victor got the OSCAR, for "THE INFORMER" and then fought Jack Johnson again. CB.Allen-McLaglen

[@tonyx8750]

Wow, what a life ! Fights in the boar war, fights Jack Johnson, stars in Hollywood blockbusters, and is a genuine nice guy !

[@benbim540]

he was also a professional pearl diver and took part in the Australian and south African gold rushes and was the physical education teacher of an Indian Maharajah

[@johnb332]

Its amazing that a movie hasn't been made of his life. Great show.

[@benbim540]

he was also a professional pearl diver and took part in the Australian and south African gold rushes and was the physical education teacher of an Indian Maharajah a truly remarkable life.

[@Randomcodec]

At last something on KZbin about the Great Victor McLaglen. It's not a lot but it's better than nothing. It would have been great if Wayne and/or Ford had walked on. Never mind - it was good to see his family. Thanks for uploading.

[@dolly5279]

Well,-imagine eight brothers and one sister! That was the size of the family at the end of the Nineteenth Century! Like me, my Aunt was a 6 footer! All the brothers loved fighting and would push all mum's furniture into the side of the room and begin fighting bouts. This was in London. They originally came from Scotland and when I tested my Dad's Haplogroup it came out Danish Viking!! Cynthia Allen-McLaglen

[@robinwilliams5794]

As someone mentioned in a comment, he was a force of nature. Just seeing his broad shoulders while in uniform must alone have been enough to command the respect of the men in his charge and his peers. He also must have been considerably intelligent for him to become an officer so quickly as an enlisted soldier. His size and physique along with good looks and natural talent took him a long way in the movie business. And by talent I mean versatile and believable in every sense of the word. Had he come along in the business a bit later his name would be as familiar to everyone as John Wayne. To me he is as big a name in Hollywood as anyone has ever been. He is unlike any actor we have ever seen. The gentle giant indeed.

[@buckroo8424]

Not only a great actor, but lived such a wonderful and interesting life through thick and thin.

[@jimmydickson2036]

Brought a smile and a memorable tear to the eye

[@glenvalley4326]

Victor truly was the gentle giant.

[@jeffreysalter917]

One of the all time great character actors. The charm and style of this man just flowed naturally and made any film he appeared in that much more enjoyable. In addition to a memorable screen brawl with John Wayne he also fought Jack Johnson in real life.

[@rampageclover9788]

McLaglen would smash John Wayne in real life. Looked like a bean pole next to him in Quiet Man

[@clayguy1]

One of my all time favorite actors.. I was born in 45.. so I grew up watching his movies... loved his amazing character

[@bethbartlett5692]

Victor was absolutely a fit, cut, buff, athlete, during his early military years, he was gorgeous. I've adored his works particularly his roles as an Irish Sgt in the Calvert and he was truly an authentic Irish brother to Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man". He must have been a pistol!

[@MarkHarrison733]

He was far too old to play her brother.

[@duncancallum]

Victor was born in England of Scottish Descent no Irish in him at all.

[@bethbartlett5692]

@@duncancallum I was speaking to the role, not his literal DNA. But that close to Ireland, lol, I suspect he could actually have Ancestral Irish in the mix. 😉 Those Irish boys do get around.

[@dolly5279]

However Uncle Victor was a Scotsman born in England and lived in the Mile End Road. His father was a Pastor who helped the poor in the 1870s onwards. His father said that London was the richest Capitol in the world, and yet the poor boys were walking in the snow in Trafalgar Square in feet bound in cloth. He raised money for the kits of shoe polishing, so that they could earn some money. Remember this was the Victorian era where only horses and carts could be seen, Uncle Victor ran away from home and joined the Horse Guards at the age of Fourteen, because he looked so much older. His big Father eventually found him and got him out. What he learned about horses was invaluable. The horses were well trained and very beautiful. This was the time of Horses and carriages and when shopping was done they took the horse and cart to the big markets. Everybody in families in those days knew how to look after horses. My father did trick riding in Sangers Circus, and when I was a little girl my Dad took me in the 1950s to Sangers Circus and said hello to people he used to know when he was a boy. There were five brothers who acted and Uncle Victor was the most famous, wining the Oscar in the 1930s, given to him by Bette Davis another fabulous actor, Cynthia Allen-McLaglen

[@keithharvey7230]

Huge age gap between Victor and Maureen.

[@vicmclaglen1631]

I've known of this interview for years; fascinating to finally see it.

[@sheepdog1102]

What a bunch of real men and ladies!

[@kittykatja5961]

Loved him in the quiet man, great actor.

[@markpuplett3431]

I would have loved to have meet him. What a character and what a double act with the great John Wayne.

[@staffy4389]

Brilliant, I always thought he was Scottish. Really enjoyed this video , top marks.

[@cynthiamclaglen5687]

Staffy: The male McLaglens were, and are Vikings, who went to Ireland for 400 years and then to Scotland for a thousand years, and then to Cape Town for 65 years and then to the East End of London where Victor and his 7 brothers and on sister were born to Bishop Andrew McLaglen and wife Marian McLaglen. Cynthia McLaglen

[@filipeferpe]

Edmund lowe e Victor mclagen, two greats silents films legends. What price glory? Great war movie.

[@albiondi4078]

He was great in 'Gunga Din' 1939

[@christywest8993]

What a wonderful actor and a great character

[@Farrah300]

Victor McLaglen was married a total of three times. His second marriage ended in divorce. He survived his first his wife, and his third wife survived him.

[@chrisweidner4768]

Wonderful performance in “The Quiet Man.”

[@jameskorner6611]

He is outstanding in the Informer.

[@scotnick59]

Really enjoyed this one!

[@robertmaceanruig6291]

He was. Born in Kent England

[@waltwilliams7063]

imagine all those hulking brothers in a bar fight. terrifying!

[@johncrewesadre8841]

Never realised he was in the Household Cavalry...i bet the Horses breathed a sigh of relief when the Giant left😄

[@gregquinn7817]

Searched his name because I saw a post on a boxing site about his fight with Jack Johnson

[@susanhague4797]

What a life some one make a film please

[@jimmygorman490]

What a great life,,,I’m in awe of this man,,

[@trampsvest6657]

Met the Mclaglen clan in Majorca in the late 70s. With the Spillane & Moran families are all in incompassing.

[@erniescullion8452]

Brilliant to see this thanks for posting.

[@frederickatkins5783]

What humility regarding his various adventures and successes.

[@fromthesidelines]

Originally telecast on October 28, 1953.

[@justthink5854]

love the great Victor who also fought the immortal Jack Johnson (who beat him). and glad they show on b&wt that special shade of lip stick in the commercial!

[@grahamedwards9920]

Fantastic actor. Does anybody know why John Wayne wasn’t on the show - I sort of expected him to appear at any moment - the two were great friends by all accounts.

[@annsmyth3585]

Ya I was waiting for John Wayne to walk in to , ya they were great friends very emotional watching that

[@frankhyland6333]

I though the exact same thing.

[@justthink5854]

probably couldn't make it shooting a movie

[@robertroddy]

"I`m a man from Inisfree and the best man !"

[@MrShakey78]

Victor McLaglen's life in 20 minutes is the equivalent of the complete works of Shakespeare on a side of A4. I'm surprised his didn't chin that over-familiar presenter.

[@1158scott]

This program really needed to be in an hour time slot. Host gets annoying sometimes rushing things along & leaving out so much.

[@rosedrop4959]

Another fave

[@stonebay2111]

Such an accomplished life, long before Hollywood.

[@bluebellbeatnik4945]

i love hearing about english people in hollywood. gives me hope.

[@mickybrennan3489]

What a tough guy,went 9 rounds with jack Johnson.

[@matslindelof7692]

6 rounds is the correct number

[@HAMMER_2.2]

Awesome

[@sagetrevino1826]

This... is my great uncle, weird to think that

[@susannahwhite7561]

Congrats! One of my favorites!

[@kevwalton272]

what a relative to have!

[@tuckhorse]

That's pretty cool dude I enjoyed the hell out of him in movies growing up

[@tuckhorse]

I guess it's a dumb question to ask you if you saw The Quiet Man

[@sagetrevino1826]

@@tuckhorse You know, I have never really watched any of his movies. But I just watched "The Quiet Man" trailer and it is really cool to see actually being one of my relatives. I should sometime.

[@duncanstirling5206]

Pity he didn't give Ralph a haymaker.

[@johndaugherty7779]

Anything to shut the little schmuck up.

[@fayemccray4247]

Ahh he was great!

[@joep8787]

His real life story would make a great movie, but who could you possibly cast that could capture his larger than life persona? Imagine, going the distance with the great Jack Johnson! Too bad that Maureen O'Hara, John Wayne or John Ford couldn't have been on this episode. I bet they'd have some stories to tell about Victor.

[@northstar9351]

A legend.i wish some one would upload the informer that vic started in a great irish movie

[@peterjb49]

You could probably rent the movie on KZbin.

[@None-zc5vg]

McLaglen was British: his screen Irishmen were strictly an act.

[@justthink5854]

@@None-zc5vg then he was very good at it.

[@jamesupton4996]

@@None-zc5vg He was Scottish.

[@benbim540]

@@jamesupton4996 he was born in London of Scottish heritage.

[@vicmclaglen1631]

There is more story in regard to his "Indian son". In fact, the boy claimed to have discovered John Wayne himself, "moving many pianos" backstage as he was working as a masseuse to the stars. This is the only brief reference McLaglen ever makes to that guy.

[@SethKash]

Love this stuff. Wish, well I wish things now resembled things then. Now things aren’t so fresh and warm.

[@scms2528]

What a wholesome show.

[@MarkHarrison733]

Like Ward Bond and Walter Brennan, McLaglen was a huge fan of Hitler and Mussolini.

[@peterohalloran5954]

Victor was a class character actor of the old stock all lost today

[@billmorrow6001]

Not a patch on Eamonn Andrews

[@matslindelof7692]

king of all macho males

[@SuperBC10]

Strange how he didn’t recognise his brothers voice?

[@michaelking9772]

Ireland's finest Actor and before the witch hunt yes I know he wasn't Irish but was in two of Ireland's greatest movie's the Quiet Man and the Informer.!!!!

[@rosemarykennedy5430]

Mc Laglen seems more of a Scottish or possibly Ulster name, plus his father was a Protestant clergyman.

[@vernejenkinson8095]

He wasn't Irish. Didn't you watch the video?

[@fayemccray4243]

He was a lucky man!

[@biff408]

Ralph Edwards was a bit obnoxious, but it was great to see Victor McLaglen on TV

[@derek7733]

he was brilliant in rio grande

[@kevwalton272]

quora brought me here, what a man and what a life!

[@allistermcginlay6476]

According to Victor he never pretended to be anything but a good fighter who respected the world champion, so when he fought the great Johnson it wasn't a grudge fight, Johnson at his peak was a real class fighter and he never went out of his way to destroy another fighter unless motivated or pushed! Victor always said, it could have went much worse for him in this fight and (after all) he should know because he was one of the few who lasted any time against this legendary fighter?

[@uthmaanpacsa7259]

It's a pity John Wayne didn't make This Is Your Life to be with his great friend Victor and the other giants.

[@aussiecoffeebean]

I want to know how I can get some of that Hazel Bishop Lipstick lol

[@vicmclaglen1631]

17:58 "This brother just came from Kenya, where the natives threatened to throw the whites into the sea", they cut him off. Look at South Africa now.

[@kenowens9021]

Interesting that one of the best actors in Hollywood, and only his family were the guests.

[@rampageclover9788]

Chose his company wisely…

[@MarkHarrison733]

He was despised for his far right fascist views.

[@kenowens9021]

@@MarkHarrison733 At least he was anti-communist, which is good.

[@suzannemcmaken4648]

@@MarkHarrison733 As opposed to your goofy, unintelligent, nonsensical, lefty lazy views.

[@MarkHarrison733]

@@suzannemcmaken4648 McLaglen was even more anti-Semitic than Ward Bond and Walter Brennan.

[@williamdunphy352]

2:54 Bob Warren for Hazel Bishop.

[@jeffthomas6818]

The big Mick himself

[@PatrickKelly-lz3pv]

English Mick

[@JohnSmith-uc4ku]

Brought a tear to my eyes, they were great men he was a force of nature, I know he was born in England but the father was a good auld Paddy,,, that were he got the Fighting Spirit, 👍🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮 IRISH

[@mikewilson730]

His father was South African, his mother was English

[@technohead9670]

@@mikewilson730 Ahahaha brilliant..

[@robertszvetics210]

WHY WASNT JOHN FORD AND JOHN WAYNE THERE

[@wolfthequarrelsome504]

Wasn't he in "the informer"?

[@justthink5854]

and won an oscar for it.

[@jameshutchins6077]

Ach! You can see the family resemblance.

[@christophersmallbone6101]

If I had been Victor and that jumped up presenter kept referring to me as "BOY" he would have quickly landed on his butt had he not heard of respect.

[@sdkelmaruecan2907]

Quite good genes in the family, the TV host must have felt like a frail underfed kid...

[@dolly5279]

Perhaps the good genes were once bad, Victor McLaglen was from the Haplogroup Danish Viking. Victor McLaglen's ancestors used to com in their longboats and raid the West of Scotland in order to steal silver, from the little churches near the sea. In Daneland silver hoards are still found today, under the ground where they were buried by the Vikings there. There were many battles. They were really horrible people but one of the kings or leaders in Scotland said," When they become Christian, they will become peaceful, and that is what happened! The MacLachlan's/ McLaglen's settled down in Mull and also the Chief's seat in on the east bank of Loch Fyne in the Highlands of Scotland. They fought battles there but eventually became Christian and settled on the banks of Loch Fyne. So they became Scottish.The Vikings went very far, even to St Sophia, where their runes or writings are found at the top pf the stairs, carved into the balcony where they looked down at the Cathedral's interior. Cynthia Allen -McLaglen

[@MarkHarrison733]

@@dolly5279 Victor McLaglen was an anti-Semitic fascist who admired Hitler and Mussolini.

[@sjcopwumlabtech4246]

Provost Marshall of Bagdad

[@terrycallow2979]

Lovely man, but was hoping to see John Wayne come on, instead of those stupid adverts.

[@annehat4833]

Dont know it !

[@johndaugherty7779]

Great actor. Sadly it almost appears that he had the onset of memory loss.

[@justthink5854]

he was overwhelmed. many were on these shows.

[@estherhiggs-carty267]

/6

[@22grena]

What an annoying presenter I think Victor thought so too. An Englishman who could act the most fun Irish film characters.

[@rosemarykennedy5430]

McLaglen isn’t an English name.His son’s name Andrew McLaglen sounds Scottish or possibly Northern Irish. Being born in Kent doesn’t mean you’re ethnically English.

[@keithrose6931]

@@rosemarykennedy5430 tell that to the black people here in the uk

[@justthink5854]

he's over the top, but lets face it, he always had to move things along with these shows as most people were very emotional and tongue tied. not easy.

[@benbim540]

@@rosemarykennedy5430 his heritage was Scottish but he was an Englishman.

[@rampageclover9788]

His background was mainly Scottish

[@dtb4394]

I was half heartedly expecting Duke to make an appearance. Probably too busy? To all you Snowflakes, this is what real human beings are suppose to act like and behave.

[@rampageclover9788]

Wayne felt inferior in his presence coz he was only a tough guy on the big screen.

[@suzannemcmaken4648]

@@rampageclover9788 And, you know this how, silly man?

[@SuperBC10]

@@suzannemcmaken4648made it up as most trolls do.

[@angelikengier2214]

The lyrical quail presumably attract because booklet demographically clean for a damp monday. stimulating, obscene den