Richard Dix

Richard Dix was born Ernst Carlton Brimmer on July 18^th, 1892 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although his father had high hopes that Richard would become a surgeon, it became clear during his teen years that he had performance in his blood. While in high school Dix joined his high school's drama club, where he would get his first taste as a leading man. After graduating high school, Dix would go on to spend some time at the University of Minnesota, where he would continue to study acting.

More interested in practical experience than academic, Dix left school after a year to join a local stock company. He continued to build his reputation through stock companies and eventually landed in New York where, in 1914, he made his Broadway debut in the play The Hawk. From there, Dix remained working/traveling with stock companies. In 1917 he joined Oliver Morosco's Los Angeles stock company. It was then that Dix made his first film appearance in One of Many. He then returned to New York, appearing in the Broadway way plays The Little Brother, I Love You and First is Last. He then returned to Hollywood in 1921.

Upon his return to Hollywood, taking small roles in films such as Not Guilty and All's Fair in Love before being sighed to Paramount Pictures. In 1923 Dix starred in what is considered to be his breakout role, The Christian. Later that year he gave one of his most memorable performances in the Cecil B. DeMille film The Ten Commandments. Dix quickly rose to the Hollywood hierarchy, becoming on of the silent screens biggest stars with some of his most remembered titles being The Vanishing American and The Quarterback. Thanks to his natural athleticism, Dix excelled in sports film such as Knockout Reilly and Warming Up. Unlike many silent stars, Dix was able to make the successful traction from the silent screen to talkies. In 1931 he was even nominated for an Academy Awards for his role as Yancey Cravat in Cimarron.  

Although his days as one of Hollywood's biggest stars ended with the coming of sound, Dix was able to transform his on screen image from leading man to character actor. Throughout the 1930's he appeared in a myriad of films such as Hell's Highway, The Arizonian, Yellow Dust, and Man of Conquest. In 1941 Dix got his chance to star as the legendary Wyatt Earp in Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die. In the mid-1940's Dix starred in the film-noir mystery film The Whistler directed by William Castle. He would go on to star in more 6 Whistler films, his final being The Secret of the Whistler in 1946. The next Dix would appear in his final film, The Thirteenth Hour. He would then retire from show business in 1947. Richard Dix died on September 20^th, 1949 of a heart attack. He was 56 years old.