Sunday, October 18, 2015

Gilbert Roland



In order to be accepted in Hollywood, bisexual Mexican-born actor Luis Antonio Damaso de Alonso (1905-1994) not only had to anglicize his name to Gilbert Roland, he also married a woman in order to maintain his commercial appeal as a "Latin Lover." Roland was one of the most handsome icons of the silent screen and one of the lucky ones whose career flourished in the subsequent sound era.  Not only that, he was able to retain his looks and youthful physique well into old age.

His father owned a bull fighting ring in Juarez, where five-year-old Luis helped out by selling seat cushions, handing out programs and attending the matadors. However, his family fled to El Paso, Texas, to escape the violence of Pancho Villa, and Luis’s fascination with bull fighting was soon replaced by an obsessive interest in Hollywood films.  Inspired by Rudolph Valentino, at the age of fourteen Luis hopped a freight train with just three dollars in his pocket and headed to Hollywood, sure he could become the next big movie star. Instead, he had to work unloading boats on Catalina Island in order to support himself. He found other menial jobs in Los Angeles, and his family followed him to make their home in California. 

By 1925 Luis had become a stunningly handsome six-foot tall 20-year-old who began to be noticed around town. He played a small part in the silent film The Lady Who Lied (1925) with Nita Naldi and next appeared in producer B. P. Schulberg’s The Plastic Age (1925), starring Clara Bow. Schulberg wanted Luis to change his name to John Adams. Instead, Luis chose a combination of the last names of his two favorite screen stars, John Gilbert and Ruth Roland.

It was not long before Gilbert Roland realized that, in order to get ahead in Hollywood, he needed to do more than anglicize his name. His heavily accented English and homosexual proclivities were standing in his way, so he began a short affair with the promiscuous Clara Bow, followed by a fling with Norma Talmadge, eleven years his senior and very much married to produced Joseph Schenck, who cast Roland with Talmadge in the important role of Armand in Camille (1927), and two other silent films with Talmadge – The Dove (1927)  and The Woman Disputed (1928) . When Talmadge and Roland premiered as co-stars in their first talking picture, New York Nights (1929) , Roland's voice captivated the audience, while the glamorous Talmadge was laughed at and ridiculed for her Brooklyn accent, effectively destroying her career. Keeping his eye on the prize, Gilbert moved on and ended his relationship with Norma.




During the 1930s Gilbert Roland distinguished himself in films starring Hollywood A-list actors such as Mae West, Constance Bennett, Don Ameche, Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. In 1940 Roland married his co-star Constance Bennett (sister of Joan), who had already been married three times, but their stormy union ended five years later. Gilbert’s good looks, on-screen charisma and youthful physique helped him maintain a solid career into his forties and well beyond, highlighted by starringas The Cisco Kid in six films. 

His role in The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952) led him to be invited to Fatima, Portugal, to participate in the annual religious services commemorating the miracle that occurred in 1917. In 1954 he wed Mexican-born Guillermina Cantu to form a childless union that nevertheless lasted the rest of his life. Roland expanded his career with many successful television appearances and maintained his film career until 1982 (Barbarosa, a western), twelve years before his death in Hollywood at age eighty-nine. 

Sources:

No Sound, No Tell. Gay Cinema in the Silent Era (2009) – Eric Brightwell

The Gossip Columnist (2010) – Bill Dakota

35 comments:

  1. Mmm what a gorgeous man! A hearth rob for sure, I would have loved to have dated him. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I met Gilbert Roland 111 just after he finished work at a nightclub (he was a doorman)in the late 90's. Close to the corner of Hollywood & La Brea. Spoke to him for 10 minutes. He had inherited good looks,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No sons but he did have two daughters with Constance Bennett.

      Delete
    2. I'll try one more time because I think my first reply was not approved... Mr. Roland had two daughters with Constance Bennett...biological daughters. He did have a step-son with Bennett also.

      Delete
    3. Wow,such powerful good looks. Takes my breath away.

      Delete
    4. 10/28/18 at 8:58 PM, you're 100% correct. He had two biological daughters with Constance Bennett, Gyl and Lorinda. He was also stepfather to Bennett's son, Peter Plant. There was NO Gilbert Roland III; there couldn't be, anyway, since "Gilbert Roland" was his professional name, not his birth name.

      Delete
  3. Stunningly handsome charismatic man. Would have loved to have met him.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stunningly handsome and charismatic man. Very talented actor also.

    ReplyDelete
  5. In my opinion, the handsomest man to ever appear in movies. Perfection...if I could custom order a man, he would look just like Mr. Roland.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You freaks have NO IDEA if Gilbert was "bisexual", but I bet you cretins money HE WASN'T. Now go play in traffic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From your blogger:
      Usually flamers send comments anonymously, and I do not publish them. But Mr. smart-assed "Sir Cumalot" (you're really too clever for words)put a tag on this one. Your comment is an insult to my research, and I listed my sources. At the minimum Google "bisexual Gilbert Roland" and relieve your ignorance. And I hope you get the help you need. Seriously.

      Delete
    2. I don't care what his sexual orientation was. I thought he was perfection. He was also a gentleman. I wrote him at his home in the early 90s, and he wrote me back the kindest letter, enclosing an autographed photo. I treasure both. If only all men could be so gracious!

      Delete
  7. Gilbert, a personal childhood friend and Guille were wonderful people who very much loved and supported each other. No need to speculate on his sexuality. Let's let his repretoire of work and his loving union with and respect for his beautiful, creative, spirited, kind, artistic wife Guille.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From your blogger: His bisexual orientation is not "speculation." Do some research. The purpose of my blog is not to expose men who were/are gay or bisexual. Read the opening paragraph under the blog title. Successful gay/bisexual men can serve as role models and positive influences for young men coming to grips with their sexuality.

      Delete
    2. I am replying to "Unknown" who posted this comment. Gilbert Roland (Luis) is one of my favorite actors EVER. I was thrilled to see an actual person who knew the man and his wife! The few photos that I have seen on-line show a very happy darling couple. (Not to be confused with the photos of Gilbert and Eleanor Parker!) I would love to know more about them... where they met, when she passed, etc... if you are willing to share I would be honored!

      I don't believe (after doing years of research) that Mr. Roland was homosexual or bisexual. It wouldn't matter if he was, but I don't see that he was in any form. I am not slamming the blogger... if that's what they believe, so be it.

      Again, if you would reply with ANY antidotes of Gilbert and Guillermina I would be most grateful. You may send a message to my email if you would prefer.

      Thank you in advance!

      Delete
  8. Can't they ever? I was delighted to find he was bisexual. Incredibly sexy and handsome. There are some very sexy outfits in 'Treasure of Pancho Villa' and an incredibly shot in 'The Bullfighter and the Lady.' There was a movie with Robert Mitchum, who was also bisexual (that I know for a fact, but I think that was his preference was women. I don't know about Roland, but he did have affairs with Clara Bow and Norma Talmadge long before Constance Bennett--I'd never thought that he really did a substantial amount of silent-movie work.) Couldn't get butcher or hotter than those two. I'm going to try to find it on Amazon. I'm sure they admired each other even if that was all it was.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The same way Connery defined agent 007, Gilbert Roland was the definitive Cisco Kid. All subsequent actors in both roles were more or less disappointing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Every time a famous actor is revealed to be Gay or Bi, hordes leap from the woodwork to "defend his reputation". It's tiresome. I do believe that Gilbert Roland was a bisexual man but even if he wasn't, he dared to play Cisco Kid with a bisexual air in the late 1940s, and with a smoldering sexuality no other actor brought to the role. Don't take my word for it: See the veiled homoeroticism yourself in those films he made. They're available in a box set called The Cisco Kid Western Collection that I highly recommend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Believing he was bisexual does not mean Gilbert Roland was actually bisexual. Referring to "veiled homoeroticism" in his movies as evidence of bisexuality or homosexuality is not evidence at all. It's very likely this "veiled homoeroticism" is a misinterpretation or more wishful thinking.

      Delete
    2. Gilbert Roland is just fantastic as The Cisco Kid.
      I’m always happy to share what I’ve read and learned from my childhood, studies & my career in film 🎥
      I’d love to read anecdotes about Gilbert Roland, and about Robert Mitchum. I just saw the film they’re in together.
      Glad to be here
      Thanks
      Cynthia Cirile

      Delete
  11. I saw Gilbert Roland as a hyper macho man and surprised to hear all these bi comments. His lean bicep look was one that I copied which really made me popular with the ladies. Even now at 80 I am dating women on their ,30's. all thanks to copying his physique look of lean body and we'll defined biceps. Thanks amigo

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gilbert Roland was not gay or bisexual, and NO reliable sources say anything about this. This "researcher" is completely wrong regarding this issue and I believe his statement is just a product of wishful thinking and lack of researching abilities. By the way, Greta Garbo had a night of love with him during the war, when came home for a few days of relieve of his military work. There is at least a letter from her to him and he kept until the end of his life an intimate piece of clothing she gave him that only night of passion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From your blogger. The facts related in this post are not words or opinions of your blogger. They are contained in the two books listed as my sources. Try reading them -- before you make such a statement as "not gay or bisexual". So many people that good looking (male or female) are approached by folks of both sexes, and many times those "beautiful people" take the bait. Rinse and repeat. Roland certainly leaned more heavily toward females than males, but that doesn't mean he was not Bisexual. Read the books and get back to me. In order for you to discount their contents, tell us what definitive knowledge you have about Mr. Roland's sex life.

      Delete
  13. Gilbert Roland was not bisexual. This is a total fabrication. He was heterosexual, and a respected member of the Latin-American acting community. He led a fascinating life. There's no need to embellish it just to add another name to the pantheon of Gay Actors in Classic Hollywood. There are enough. And the writers of the sources cited cannot present one item of evidence to prove their claims about Gilbert Roland.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And you, Mr. Vieria, have provided not a shred of evidence that Mr. Roland did NOT engage in same sex activity. A quick Google search links to hundreds and hundreds of posts that mention Roland's homosexual activity during his early years in Hollywood. You declare that all of them are fabrications. If so, why? Tell us more of what you know. We're eager listeners. BTW, no argument that Roland was a respected member of the Latin American acting community and that he led a fascinating life. Offer us something to make your comment believable.

      Delete
    2. I believe you, Terry. This is a great site. Keep it up…the truth has to be told.

      Delete
  14. Chas H .Gilbert Roland a class man and actor I enjoyed everything I saw in movies and tv . He was so relaxed , made it look so easy.*****

    ReplyDelete
  15. Worth every penny and dollar I spent at the movies

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mr. Roland was a beautiful looking man and a very good silent screen actor. Well dressed.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wish we could see him completly naked!

    ReplyDelete