Q&A with Lon Davis

Q&A with Lon Davis regarding his new book (with his wife and co-author Debra Davis), -The Unfractured Fairy Tale Life of Edward Everett Horton (BearManor Media, 202?).

Q: So, why Edward Everett Horton?

A: Why not? Eddie (that’s what Deb and I call him) is one of the most recognizable names and faces in Hollywood history. He led a fascinating life, and he’s never had a book written about him before now.

Q: I take it you and Deb are fans of Mr. Horton?

A: Of course! We first became aware of him as the offscreen narrator of “Fractured Fairy Tales” on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in the 1960s. There’s just something about his voice … it was unique. He had a clipped, almost British-sounding delivery, with precise enunciation. Balancing that erudite quality was an underlying cynicism that makes virtually everything he says funny. His humor was really quite subtle.

Q: Oh, “Fractured Fairy Tales”! That explains the odd title of your book.

A: Well, yes, partially. The fact is, Eddie led something of a charmed existence, at least that’s how it appears from our perspective. He had a sixty-year career, and during that time, he never seemed to have a dry spell—he was always working, whether it was onstage, in movies, radio, or on TV; he was the original king of all media! He was also very well off. He had a peculiar relationship with money. He loved to acquire it, but he didn’t like to spend it—well, that’s not entirely true. He spent quite a bit on acquiring antiques; that was one of his passions. He told his accountant that he didn’t want to know exactly how wealthy he was; he wanted to believe he had to keep working out of necessity. As a result, he seemed to take every offer that came along.

Q: Besides that cartoon show, what else is he known for?

A: He appeared in several films that are justifiably called “classics.” Trouble in Paradise, Arsenic and Old Lace, Lost Horizon, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and three of the Astaire-Rogers movies made at RKO. He was famous for his double (and sometimes triple) takes. His timing was superb.

Q: What type of roles did he play?

A: Although he was capable of much more, he usually played nervous, hesitant individuals who worry constantly. In almost every film, he was likely to say, “Oh, dear,” or “Oh, my,” which is how he expressed his sense of despair. He was most often cast as the leading man’s best friend, or some put-upon gentleman’s gentleman type. He was also passionate about the stage; he loved it. He began his career in his early twenties as the protégé of a famous Broadway star named Louis Mann. Even when Eddie’s film career took off in the early talkies, he continued touring in plays. One particular play, Springtime for Henry, was his go-to favorite. He performed in that show a reported 2,700 times all over the United States, over a period of more than thirty years. In fact, he continued working right up to the time of his passing, at age eighty-four.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this book?

A: That Edward Everett Horton was a class act, a thorough professional, and a very kind gentleman. There aren’t all that many show business personalities that can be said about.