Ernst Carlton Brimmer (born ; July 18, 1893 – September 20, 1949), known professionally as Richard Dix, was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film.Obituary Variety, September 21, 1949. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his lead role in the Best Picture-winning epic Cimarron (1931).
Dix appeared in 101 film roles, credited from his first appearance. Plagued by alcoholism, he died at 56, just two years after his film career had ended.
Early life Dix was born Ernst Carlton Brimmer on July 18, 1893, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He received his schooling there, intending to become a surgeon to please his father. Standing 6 feet and weighing 180 pounds, Dix excelled in sports, especially football and baseball. His obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club also led him to leading roles in most of the school plays. After a year at the University of Minnesota, he took a position at a bank, and trained for the stage in the evening. His professional start was with a local stock company, and this led to similar work in New York City. He then went to Los Angeles and became leading man for the Morosco Stock Company. His success there earned him a contract with Paramount Pictures.
Career
Upon arrival at Paramount studios Brimmer changed his name to Richard Dix. He began his Hollywood film career in dramas and romantic comedies. His first Western was in 1923, To the Last Man, his seventeenth picture, immediately followed by his best-remembered early role in Cecil B. Demille's silent version of The Ten Commandments.
Able to successfully bridge the transition from silent films to talkies and remain a leading man, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1931 for his performance as Yancey Cravat in RKO's Cimarron. Based on the popular novel by Edna Ferber, it took the Best Picture award. Another memorable starring role for Dix was in a followup RKO blockbuster, the adventure The Lost Squadron.
Plagued by alcoholism, Dix was unable to maintain his A-list leading man status, and spiraled into B pictures. He starred in the 1935 British futuristic film The Tunnel, as well as The Great Jasper and Blind Alibi in the late 1930s. Dix also starred as the homicidal Captain Stone in the Val Lewton production of The Ghost Ship.
In 1941, Dix played Wild Bill Hickok in Badlands of Dakota and portrayed Wyatt Earp the following year in Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die.
In 1944, he starred in The Whistler, a feature film produced by Columbia Pictures based on the popular radio program. The film adaptation was popular enough to become a series; Dix's final seven films were all films in the "Whistler" series. In these offbeat, crime-related stories, Dix did not play "The Whistler" (who was an unseen narrator who recounted strange, ironic tales as he walked by night). Instead Dix essayed a variety of characterizations, playing a completely different starring role in each film -- some sympathetic, others villainous and hard-boiled, but all of them victims of fate and circumstances conspiring against them. Dix retired from acting after the seventh of these films, The Thirteenth Hour. He suffered a heart attack in October 1948Motion Picture Daily, "Richard Dix Is Ill," October 27, 1948, p. 2. and continued to have heart trouble until his death within the year.
Personal life Dix supported Thomas Dewey in the 1944 United States presidential election.
After years of fighting alcoholism, Dix suffered a serious heart attack at 56 on September 12, 1949 (either on a train from New York to Los AngelesThe Advertiser (Adelaide), "Richard Dix Ill", September 14, 1949, pg. 1. or while on board a ship returning from France). He died eight days later at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, and is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Legacy Dix has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Pictures section at 1610 Vine Street. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.
Filmography Silent Films Year Title Role Notes 1917 One of Many James Lowery Lost film1921 Not Guilty Paul Ellison / Arthur Ellison Lost filmAll's Fair in LoveBobby Cameron Lost filmDangerous Curve AheadHarley Jones Lost filmThe Poverty of RichesJohn Colby Lost film1922Yellow Men and GoldParrish Lost filmFools FirstTommy Frazer Lost filmThe Wall FlowerWalt Breen Lost filmThe Bonded WomanLee Marvin A copy is held at GosfilmofondThe Sin FloodBill Bear Lost filmThe Glorious FoolBilly Grant Lost film1923The ChristianJohn StormA copy is held at the George Eastman HouseQuicksandsLieutenant Bill Lost filmSouls for SaleFrank ClaymoreThe Woman with Four FacesRichard Templar Lost filmRacing HeartsRobby Smith Lost filmTo the Last ManJean IsbelA copy is held at GosfilmofondThe Ten CommandmentsJohn McTavish Copies are held at George Eastman and the Library of CongressThe Call of the CanyonGlenn KilbourneCopies are held at Gosfilmofond and the Library of Congress1924The StrangerLarry Darrant Lost filmIceboundBen Jordan Lost filmUnguarded WomenDouglas Albright Lost filmSinners In HeavenAlan Croft Lost filmManhattanPeter Minuit1925Too Many KissesRichard Gaylord Jr A copy is held at the Library of CongressA Man Must LiveGeoffrey Farnell Lost filmThe Shock PunchRandall Lee SavageA copy is held at the Library of CongressMen and WomenWill Prescott Lost filmThe Lucky DevilRandy Farnum A copy is held at the Library of CongressThe Vanishing AmericanNophaieA copy is held at the Library of CongressWomanhandledBill Dana A copy is held at the Library of Congress1926 Let's Get MarriedBilly Dexter A copy is held at the Library of CongressFascinating YouthHimself (cameo) Lost filmSay It AgainBob Howard Lost filmThe QuarterbackJack Stone A copy is held at the Library of Congress1927Paradise for TwoSteve Porter Lost filmKnockout ReillyDundee "Knockout" Reilly Lost filmMan PowerTom Roberts Lost filmShanghai BoundJim Bucklin Lost filmThe Gay DefenderJoaquin Murrieta Lost film1928Sporting GoodsRichard Shelby Lost filmEasy Come, Easy GoRobert Parker Lost filmWarming UpBert Tulliver Lost film filmed in silent and Movietone sound version with music and sound effects onlyMoran of the MarinesMichael Moran Lost film1929RedskinWingfoot A copy is held at the Library of Congress; partly filmed in Technicolor
Sound films Year Title Role Notes1929Nothing But the TruthRobert BennettThe Wheel of LifeCaptain Leslie YeulletThe Love DoctorDr. Gerald SummerSeven Keys to BaldpateWilliam Halliwell Magee1930Lovin' the LadiesPeter DarbyShooting StraightLarry Sheldon1931CimarronYancey CravatNominated—Academy Award for Best ActorYoung Donovan's KidJim DonovanLost filmThe Public DefenderPike WinslowSecret ServiceCaptain Lewis Dumont1932The Lost SquadronCapt. "Gibby" GibsonRoar of the DragonCaptain Chauncey CarsonHell's HighwayFrank 'Duke' EllisThe ConquerorsRoger Standish / Roger Standish Lennox1933The Great JasperJasper HornNo Marriage TiesBruce FosterAce of Aces2nd Lt. Rex "Rocky" ThorneDay of ReckoningJohn Day1934StingareeStingareeHis Greatest GamblePhillip EdenWest of the PecosPecos SmithLost film1935The ArizonianClay TallantThe TunnelRichard 'Mack" McAllan1936Yellow DustBob CulpepperSpecial InvestigatorWilliam "Bill" FenwickDevil's SquadronPaul Redmond1937The Devil's PlaygroundJack DorganThe Devil is DrivingPaul DriscollIt Happened in HollywoodTim Bart1938Blind AlibiPaul DoverSky GiantCapt. W.R. "Stag" Cahill1939Twelve Crowded HoursNick GreenMan of ConquestSam HoustonHere I Am a StrangerDuke AllenRenoWilliam Shayne aka Bill Shear1940The Marines Fly HighLt. Danny DarrickMen Against the SkyPhil MercedesCherokee StripMarshal Dave Lovell1941The Round UpSteve PaysonBadlands of DakotaWild Bill Hickok1942Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to DieWyatt EarpEyes of the UnderworldPolice Chief Richard BryanAmerican EmpireDan Taylor1943Buckskin FrontierStephen BentThe KansanJohn BonniwellTop ManTom WarrenThe Ghost ShipCaptain Will Stone1944The WhistlerEarl C. ConradThe Mark of the WhistlerLee Selfridge Nugent1945The Power of the WhistlerWilliam EverestVoice of the WhistlerJohn Sinclair (John Carter)1946Mysterious IntruderDon GaleThe Secret of the WhistlerRalph Harrison1947The Thirteenth HourSteve Reynolds
References
Bibliography Dix, Robert. Out of Hollywood: Two Generations of Actors. Ernest Publishing, 2009. Van Neste, Dan. "The Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows". Albany, GA: BearManor Media, 2011.
External links
Richard Dix tribute site Photographs of Richard Dix