The Duke of Hollywood

by Nuria Marquez

Some people wonder how Terry could pursue a career as an actor when he was the son of Duke. If we pay attention to history of Hollywood, we find a character that it seems to have lots of common with our favourite English actor.  He was called the Duke of Hollywood.

His name was Charles Guy

Fulke Greville, and he was the 7th Earl of Warwick and the 7th Earl Brooke. He was born in 1911 in London. He was a British peer and the last Earl of Warwick to live at the family seat Warwick Castle. He became the first British aristocrat to star in a Hollywood movie.

In 1936, Charles Greville was offered a Hollywood contract by MGM. He used the stage name Michael Brooke to distance himself from his aristocratic background.

He had a string of high-profile affairs including Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Paulette Goddard, he was famed for socialising within celebrity circles.

In 1938, changed to join the Paramount. He first big role as a lead was in a movie called The Dawn Patrol alongside David Niven and Errol Flynn.

With the start of World War II, Warwick returned to the United Kingdom opening his home to evacuees from the city, as well as to the Ministry of Supplies. He was Mayor of Warwick between 1950 and 1951. He was also a Conservative member of the House of Lords.

Lord Warwick was married three times, firstly in 1933 to Rose Bingham and secondly in 1942 to Mary Kathleen Hopkinson. Lord Warwick married thirdly in 1963 Janine Josephine Detry de Mares. He was also engaged to Margaret Whigham, but the engagement was broken off in March 1932. All these women were aristocrats.

David Greville, 8th Earl of Warwick, his son by his first wife, Rose Bingham, inherited his titles.

He died in Rome in 1984 and was buried at St. Mary’s Church, Warwick.

 

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