Leslie Carter Fenton was born on the 12th of March 1902 in Liverpool the
third of six brothers His father Richard Fenton was a travelling book
salesman and Leslie emigrated to America with his mother, Elizabeth
Carter Fenton, and his brothers when he was seven years old on board the
R.M.S. Celtic. They departed Liverpool on the 11th of September 1909
arriving in New York where they were ferried over to Ellis Island on
the 19th of September for 'U.S. Immigrant Inspection'. After they were quickly
admitted, they continued their journey by rail to join Richard Fenton, who
had obtained a position as a shoe manufacturer's representative in
Mifflin, Ohio. As a teenager, Leslie worked as an office clerk
before heading to Hollywood where he began a career working with Stuart
Walker's touring repertory company on the stage. His film career began
later in 1923 at Fox Studios with a small role in the romantic drama
film 'Gentle Julia' and he went on to appear in 19 more silent films. His
career took off with the ascent of sound and he made his 'talkie' debut
in the film 'Girls Go Wild' in 1929. He would average four films a year
over the next decade as he became a reliable supporting actor in many
pictures, working his way up to leads in 'B' pictures.
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| Here with Jean Harlow in 'Public Enemy' (1931) |
He married American
actress Ann Dvorak (Anna May McKim) in 1932 but another actress, Julie
Carter filled a $250,000 breach of promise suit against him claiming
he'd enticed her to live with him on the promise of marriage. The suit
was later dropped. In 1938 he began
to do some directing with four 'shorts' and four 'B' features with
'Streets of Laredo' (1949) being perhaps his best known film as
director. He appeared in 62 films between 1923 and 1945. He also
directed 19 films between 1938 and 1951. Leslie and Ann moved to Britain where he saw active
service in the British armed forces during the Second World War. In
spring 1941, he was commissioned into the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
and in 1942, as commander of a Motor Launch vessel, he took part in
Operation Chariot in the St Nazaire Raid. However he was injured in the
raid and spent months convalescing in Devon. His wife Ann also served,
driving an anbulance in the Mechanised Transport Corps. Unable to return
to sea, Leslie was assigned to a desk job at the War Office.
After the war he focused on directing from 1943 to 1951 during which time he managed and produced two shorts whilst in England and eight feature films, one of which he also produced after his return to Hollywood. His first marriage was childless and ended in divorce in 1945. He retired from films in 1952 when he married Marcella Zabala Howard. They remained together until he died on the 25th of March 1978 in Montecito, California aged 76.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/06/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians_30.html
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