John Agar, a versatile actor whose career spanned from Western epics to science fiction thrillers after initially gaining fame as the husband of child star Shirley Temple, passed away on Sunday at the age of 81. His journey in Hollywood was marked by both early prominence and later challenges, shaping a memorable, if complex, legacy in the entertainment industry.
Agar’s entry into the spotlight was quite unconventional. Serving as a physical training instructor in the Air Force in 1945, a chance encounter set the stage for a dramatic life change. A friend facilitated his escorting of Shirley Temple, then a teenage icon, to a Hollywood party hosted by studio mogul David O. Selznick. This meeting sparked a whirlwind romance between Agar, 24, and Temple, just 16. Despite her mother’s reservations, the couple’s engagement and subsequent Selznick-produced wedding became a major Hollywood event, graced by celebrities and then-California Governor Earl Warren, catapulting the young sergeant into the celebrity stratosphere.
Their early careers intertwined, with Agar and Temple co-starring in “Fort Apache” (1948) and “Adventure in Baltimore” (1949). The arrival of their daughter, Susan, in 1948 seemed to solidify their bond. However, the pressures of Hollywood and personal struggles began to take their toll. Temple ultimately filed for divorce in 1949, citing Agar’s drinking and alleged infidelities as key factors.
Despite the tumultuous personal life, Actor John Agar persevered in his acting career. He became a familiar face in Westerns, featuring in classics such as “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (1949) and “Along the Great Divide” (1951). His rugged persona also suited war movies, with notable roles in “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949) and “Breakthrough” (1950).
However, the divorce and his battles with alcoholism, which included arrests for drunk driving, undeniably impacted his leading man status. Agar openly acknowledged his struggles, joining Alcoholics Anonymous and reflecting in a 1987 interview, “Yes, I drank too much, and I drank at the wrong time… But it got me into a lot more trouble.”
In the latter part of his career, actor John Agar embraced roles in lower-budget, but often memorable, genre films. He starred in cult classics like “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) and “Tarantula!” (1955), becoming a recognizable figure in 1950s science fiction cinema. His final major film appearance was in the 1976 remake of “King Kong.” Later in life, Agar transitioned into different fields, working in insurance and real estate, demonstrating a resilience and adaptability beyond his Hollywood years. John Agar’s career, though starting with a media frenzy around his marriage, carved out a distinct path in film history, particularly within the Western and science fiction genres.
