Interview with David Ladd

David Ladd, son of actor Alan Ladd, says that his father was “not as short as people think”.

According to one source, in the years between 1948 and 1950, Alan Ladd ranked as number one in popularity in a poll conducted by Motion Picture Herald. Ladd’s son, David, started acting in 1953. David had a cameo appearance in his father’s classic film Shane, and was with his father again, this time in a starring role, for The Proud Rebel. Today he still remembers his time in Hollywood fondly. David resides in New Mexico.

INTERVIEW:

Q: How did you get into acting?

LADD: I had a small role in a Lone Ranger film, and my father put me in one of his films, and then I was cast in other films.

Q: What did you think of Hollywood as a child star?

LADD: It was very good to me, and my parents protected me from all of the craziness.

Q: What was the most difficult scene you ever had to film, and why?

LADD: I don’t know how to answer this. But I remember a scene in Dog of Flanders where I had to leave my dog behind and break into tears. The tears came easily but were hard to stop.

Q: Talk about working with Olivia de Havilland in The Proud Rebel.

LADD: She was wonderful, and we remained close friends until her passing.

Q: For all of the many Alan Ladd fans, can you give us any anecdotes?

LADD: Simply put — he was not as short as people think. He spent many years struggling as an actor being told he was too short or too blond or whatever, so he became very self-conscious about his height. He was in fact 5’7” tall, but it was a time in which Gary Cooper and John Wayne were the models for what a star should be. My favorite films [of his] were This Gun for Hire, Shane, The Great Gatsby, and of course, The Proud Rebel.

Q: What is life like for you today?

LADD: It’s been a wonderful life — I love my wife, and I love where I’m living. My memories are all intact.

Photo credits: Pinterest