Jonas Lamont

(1900   -  1982)

Birthplace:  Brussels, Belgium

Bio:

A Danish immigrant whose family came to the united states at the turn of the century.  In summer 1916, Lamont, along with fellow comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle,  joined the East Coast-based Comique Film Corporation as star and director at an annual income of more than $1 million.  By October 1917 Lamont had transferred his filmmaking back to the West Coast.  Along with two brothers; both swervy, underhanded characters; Lamont, with his successes from the Comique Film Corporation, was able to brand his own production company, Lamont 3, at the incredible age of 18.  Success hit big, so big that both brothers at one time or another tried to swindle earnings from Lamont and flee the country.  The savvy former comedian squashed their attempts and eventually had them imprisoned, deservedly, yet unjustly, as no proof of any embezzlement existed.  But Lamont was connected to George Ranfit and other Hollywood mobsters who "owed" him for services that are still today only speculated on (some claim that Lamont was single-handedly responsible for the downfall of the Hollywood studio system that ruled the MGM heyday).  Dozens of films later, Lamont wed actress Midge Temple, who bore his first and only child in 1947, Jacqueline Marie Lamont.  They purchased an emorous mansion in the Hollywood Hills but Lamont never gave up his philandering ways.  The temptation of other women - younger women - was much too much for the aging producer. When Midge died, Lamont was only too happy to continue his parade of women, until he met his fourth and final bride, Lola Beauchamp-Rydell, a former USO girl in the war with moderate acting credits to her name. Lamont's associations with Nathan Blackthorne and Alex Reynolds catapulted him to the position of most coveted film producer of all time. It was his keen insight that led to the substantial careers that followed Blackthorne and Reynolds for many years.  In 1982, Lamont passed away of a heart attack.   His home was later purchased by James Blackthorne, nephew of Lamont's protoge, Nathan Blackthorne; and his vast estate was split between Jacquline and Lola.