John Gavin
Actor

John Gavin Net Worth

John Gavin was born on April 08, 1931 in  Los Angeles, California, United States, is Actor, Soundtrack. John Gavin, the American film and TV actor, businessman and diplomat who was Ronald Reagan's first Ambassador to Mexico, was born Juan Vincent Apablasa in Los Angeles, California.The future "Jack" Gavin was a fifth-generation Angeleno, the son of Delia Diana Pablos and Juan Vincent Apablasa, and was of Mexican, Chilean, and Spanish ancestry, a descendant of early landowners in Spanish California and the powerful Pablos family of the Mexican state of Sonora. His stepfather was Herald Ray Golenor. John had a fluency in Spanish that aided him in his career in diplomacy. He graduated with honors from Stanford University, majoring in Latin American economic history. "Law, Latin America and diplomacy were my early interests," Gavin later remembered. Too young to participate in World War II, he did serve in the military during the Korean Conflict. He was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy in 1952, where he served in naval air intelligence until his 1955 discharge. After his hitch in the Navy, Universal -- the home studio of 6'5" heartthrob Rock Hudson, who was on his way to becoming the top box office star in America -- offered the 6'4" Gavin a screen-test and a contract with the studio. Studio bosses always liked internal competition to keep the pressure on their major stars; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed Robert Taylor as a young backup to the King of Hollywood Clark Gable, and similarly, Gavin was positioned as the "next Rock Hudson".Tall, dark and handsome, Gavin debuted in Behind the High Wall (1956), and three years later, in 1959, he had his first major lead in Douglas Sirk's remake of Imitation of Life (1959) opposite Lana Turner. Sirk, whose Ross Hunter-produced melodramas of the mid-1950's made Hudson a superstar, first directed Gavin in the role of a German soldier in his adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958) the year before. Imitation of Life (1959), which was produced by Ross Hunter in his typical lavish style, was a huge hit. Gavin was on the road to becoming a major Hudson-style heart-throb, it seemed.The following year, Gavin achieved cinematic immortality by appearing in two classics in supporting roles, as Sam Loomis in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and as Julius Caesar in Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus (1960). Of Psycho (1960) and Spartacus (1960), he has said, "I didn't have an inkling they would be classics. Had I realized that, perhaps I would have paid more attention." The momentum of his cinema career petered out after appearing opposite Susan Hayward in the 1961 remake of Fannie Hurst's Back Street (1961), though he did move on to star in two television series during the 1960s, Destry (1964) and Convoy (1965). Both series were produced by companies that were subsidiaries of the Universal-M.C.A., Revue Studios and Universal TV, created by the legendary agent and studio boss Lew Wasserman, the éminence grise behind Ronald Reagan's movie, TV and political careers. More importantly, in 1961, he was appointed special adviser to the secretary general of the Organization of American States, a position he held until 1973. He also performed task-group work for the Department of State and the Executive Office of the President. From 1966 to 1973, he also served on the board of the Screen Actors Guild and was guild president from 1971-1973. For the next eight years, he was engaged in business activities, many of which took him to Mexico and other Latin American countries. The producers of the James Bond series signed him to replace George Lazenby as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), until they convinced Sean Connery to reprise the role with a $1 million charitable contribution and a $1 million salary. Thus, Gavin lost out on what could have been his career break into the big-time. However, he did not lament the loss of the role. If he had been a more successful actor, it "might have prevented me from fulfilling my real childhood dream: to be U.S. ambassador to Mexico."During the 1970s, Gavin made some more movies, toured in summer stock in a production of The Fantasticks (Gavin has a fine baritone voice), and appeared on Broadway and in the touring show of the musical Seesaw (1973). He ended the decade by starring in TV mini-series Doctors' Private Lives (1979); he left show business to pursue business interests. The 1980s brought America a new president, and on May 7, 1981, Republican Gavin was appointed Ambassador to Mexico by President Reagan, serving until June 10, 1986. The American diplomatic mission in Mexico, one of the largest in the world, employed more than 1,000 American and Mexican employees tasked by over a dozen U.S. government agencies in consulates and offices throughout Mexico.Gavin married the former stage and television actress Constance Towers in 1974. Each partner had two children from previous marriages. Gavin's daughter, Christina Gavin, followed in his footsteps and became an actress.Since leaving government service, Gavin has become a successful businessman and civic leader, co-founding and managing successful ventures in the U.S. and Latin America. In 1986, Gavin was named president of Univisa Satellite Communications, a subsidiary of Univisa, Inc. He is founder/chairman of Gamma Holdings and serves on the boards of Apex Mortgage Capital, International Wire Holdings, and KKFC. Inc, and is a trustee and director of certain Merrill Lynch mutual funds. He is also a member of the Latin America Strategy Board of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst. Previously he was a managing director and partner of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (Latin America) as well as a director of Atlantic Richfield (where he had served as vice president of federal and international relations). He also served on the boards of Dresser Industries, Claxson and several other major corporations. Gavin also serves on the boards of several non-profit corporations, pro bono, including The Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, Loyola Marymount University, and the California Community Foundation. Gavin also is a member of the Congressional Policy Advisory Board as a defense and foreign policy expert.Gavin served as founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Century Council's from May 1991 until December 1994, then served on the Council's Advisory Board until 1996. The Century Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting alcohol abuse, focuses on drunk driving and underage drinking problems and is supported by America's leading distillers.John died on February 9, 2018 in Beverly Hills.
John Gavin is a member of Actor

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Actor, Soundtrack
Birth Day April 08, 1931
Birth Place  Los Angeles, California, United States
Age 89 YEARS OLD
Died On February 9, 2018(2018-02-09) (aged 86)\nBeverly Hills, California, U.S.
Birth Sign Taurus
President Ronald Reagan
Preceded by Julian Nava
Succeeded by Charles J. Pilliod Jr.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Cecily Evans (m. 1957; div. 1965) Constance Towers (m. 1974–2018) (his death)
Children 2
Alma mater Stanford University
Occupation Actor, diplomat
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service 1951–1955
Rank Lieutenant
Battles/wars Korean War

💰 Net worth: $250,000 (2024)

John Gavin is an American actor and soundtrack artist whose net worth is estimated to reach $250,000 by 2024. Known for his impressive performances on screen, Gavin has established a notable career in both acting and contributing to soundtracks. With his versatile talent and undeniable charisma, he has managed to captivate audiences across the United States. As he continues to excel in his endeavors, John Gavin's star power and financial success are likely to soar in the coming years.

Famous Quotes:

Some people have inferred from what I said in the past I'm a rich boy, which I'm not, and that I'm doing this for a lark... Apparently you're either born in abject poverty and rise above it or else you're enormously wealthy. The fact that I went to a nice prep school and Stanford University has something to do with it... I went on a scholarship. I have been on my own ever since I got commissioned in the Navy. I never came into an estate or anything like that.

Biography/Timeline

1920

"Pedro broke the mould," he added. "I had to break it. All the trash I've done. I just couldn't do it anymore". While filming in Mexico, Gavin heard Universal was making an expensive 1920s-era Julie Andrews musical Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) for George Roy Hill, again for Producer Ross Hunter. He lobbied for the role of Mary Tyler Moore's stuffy boyfriend to Hunter and Universal production head Ed Muhl. "This is a square, square guy so I told them it would be such type casting that they just couldn't get anyone else but me", said Gavin.

1951

During the Korean War, Gavin was commissioned in the U.S. Navy serving aboard the USS Princeton offshore Korea where he served as an air intelligence officer from 1951 until the end of the war in 1953. Due to Gavin's fluency in both Spanish and Portuguese, he was assigned as Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Milton E. Miles until he completed his four-year tour of duty in 1955. He received an award due to his work in the Honduras floods of 1954.

1956

Universal groomed Gavin as a virile, strapping leading man in the mould of Rock Hudson. They gave him roles in the films Behind the High Wall (1956), Four Girls in Town (1957), and Quantez (also 1957). He was meant to star in The Female Animal (1958) but was too busy on other projects and was replaced by George Nader. Gavin later recalled, "When I started out in front of the cameras I was green – raw, scared and just plain awful".

1957

Gavin married Actress Cicely Evans in 1957. They had two children and lived in Dennis O'Keefe's former house in Beverly Hills. Gavin's first marriage ended in divorce in 1965. While making No Roses for Robert in Italy in 1967 he dated co star Luciana Paluzzi.

1958

Gavin's first big break was being given the lead in A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958), directed by Douglas Sirk from the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. This drew comparisons with the casting of the similarly-inexperienced Lew Ayres in Universal's film version of All Quiet on the Western Front (1931).

1960

In 1960, Hedda Hopper claimed she suggested Gavin play the lead in Back Street over william Holden or Gregory Peck as he was "a better actor than either of them."

1961

Gavin was cultural adviser to the Organization of American States from 1961 to 1965.

1962

Gavin left Universal in 1962 to freelance. He signed to make several movies in Europe including The Assassins, The Challenge and Night Call. However he pulled out of The Assassins (which became Assassins of Rome (1965), Night Call was never made and The Challenge kept getting pushed back and was eventually permanently shelved.

1964

In September 1964, Gavin signed a new contract with Universal which gave him the option to take work outside the studio. He tried another TV series, Convoy which only had a short run before being cancelled. Gavin then appeared in a Mexican film Pedro Páramo (1967), based on the novel by Juan Rulfo. "I had to do something I was proud of", said Gavin of the latter movie.

1965

Gavin had been on the Board of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1965. He served one term as Third Vice-President, and two terms as First Vice-President. He was President from 1971-73. According to the SAG website:

1966

In June 1966, Gavin signed a new non-exclusive contract with Universal, for five years at one film per year. Gavin did not regain his former prominence but was cast in the lead in OSS 117 – Double Agent (1968), then titled No Roses for Robert, replacing Frederick Stafford (who was filming Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz). He won good supporting roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969) and Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You (1970), in which he parodied his own image).

1968

Gavin was also President of Gamma Holdings, a global capital and consulting company which he helped found in 1968. He was chairman of Gamma Services International from January 1990.

1970

In the late 1970s Gavin concentrated on TV and his growing Business interests. His best-known performance around this time was playing Cary Grant in the TV movie Sophia Loren: Her Own Story (1980).

1971

Gavin was signed for the role of James Bond in the film Diamonds Are Forever (1971) after George Lazenby (Bond in the previous series entry) left the role. "Time was getting awfully short", said Producer Albert Broccoli. "We had to have someone in the bullpen". Head of United Artists, David Picker, however, wanted the box-office insurance of Sean Connery, and made Connery a highly lucrative offer to return as Bond. Gavin's contract was still honored in full. According to Roger Moore's James Bond Diary, Gavin also was slated to play Bond in Live and Let Die (1973), but Harry Saltzman insisted on a British actor for the role and Roger Moore played the role instead.

1973

In 1973, Gavin replaced Ken Howard in the Broadway musical, Seesaw opposite Michele Lee, beating out Tab Hunter who also auditioned because, according to the producers, Gavin "sings and dances better than Hunter and looks great on stage with Michele". (Gavin later claimed he was offered the musical from the beginning but turned it down because the book was not up to scratch, then changed his mind when Michael Bennett asked him to join the cast later.) He played the role for seven months, then stayed in it when the show toured the United States with Lucie Arnaz. Both the Broadway and touring production were directed by Michael Bennett. The Los Angeles Times said he gives a "solid performance".

1974

Gavin was married to Constance Towers, a stage and television Actress, from 1974 until his death. The couple first met in 1957 at a party when his godfather, Jimmy McHugh, introduced them. Towers had two children from her previous marriage to Eugene McGrath. Gavin's elder daughter, Cristina, followed in his footsteps and became an Actress. His younger daughter, Maria, also followed in Gavin's footsteps, with a master's degree from Stanford, and has a successful career in television production.

1986

Gavin had numerous Business interests parallel to his acting career. In June of 1986 following his work as ambassador to Mexico, Gavin became vice-president of Atlantic Richfield in the field of federal and international relations. In 1987 he resigned to become President of Univisa Satellite Communications, a new subsidiary of Univisa, the Spanish language broadcasting empire. He worked with them until December 1989.

1991

In 1991, Gavin was sounded out about running for the Senate for the Republican Party but decided not to.

2001

He was Senior Counselor to Hicks Trans American Partners (a division of Hicks Holdings) from 2001, a Managing Director and partner of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (Latin America) from 1994 to 2001. He was an Independent Trustee of Causeway International Value Fund since September 2001.

2013

Before A Time to Love and a Time to Die had been released, Gavin had already been cast by Douglas Sirk in another important role – supporting Lana Turner in Imitation of Life (1959). Unlike A Time to Love and a Time to Die, this was a spectacular success at the box office, and Gavin was voted most promising male newcomer for his performance in the film by the Motion Picture Exhibitor.

2018

Gavin died at his home in Beverly Hills, California on February 9, 2018 of complications from pneumonia. He was also reported to have been fighting leukemia for an undisclosed period of time. Gavin was 86.

Some John Gavin images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.