🎭 Fredric March: The Dual-Faced Genius of Classic Hollywood
Publicity photo of Fredric March
Fredric March was more than a matinee idol—he was a shape-shifter, a craftsman, and a man who never feared complexity. In an era when leading men were expected to be either charming rogues or steadfast heroes, March carved out a niche by being both... and neither. He could play God, a devil, a doctor, or a drunk—and make you believe every frame of it. His career, which straddled both the silent and sound eras, remains a masterclass in versatility.
March's name is often spoken in the same breath as the greats—Bogart, Gable, Tracy—but his path was markedly different. Rather than rely on a single persona, he challenged the audience with layered, often morally conflicted characters. His dual role in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) didn’t just win him an Oscar—it revealed the extremes he was willing to explore on screen. He didn’t just perform; he transformed.
Behind the scenes, he was equally admired. Known for his professionalism and refusal to chase stardom at the cost of substance, March maintained a rare balance between popular appeal and critical respect. Whether on Broadway or in Hollywood, his name was synonymous with quality. By the time he passed in 1975, Fredric March had collected two Academy Awards and the respect of an entire generation of actors who followed in his formidable footsteps.
👶 Early Life
Fredric March was born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel on August 31, 1897, in Racine, Wisconsin. The son of a devout Presbyterian mother and a hardworking father who ran a wholesale hardware business, March grew up in a stable, middle-class household. His upbringing emphasized discipline, education, and personal responsibility—values that would remain with him throughout his life and career.
He attended Racine High School, where he showed early signs of leadership and charisma, though not yet on the stage. March initially had no aspirations of becoming an actor. Instead, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, majoring in economics with the goal of entering the banking industry. His early academic path reflected both his family's expectations and the safe, respectable career tracks common to young men of his era.
During college, March became a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and took part in campus theatricals more as a diversion than a calling. Still, he made an impression. His strong presence and commanding voice didn’t go unnoticed, though it would take a serious health scare to shift his path entirely. After graduating in 1920, he began work as a banker in New York, but an unexpected bout of appendicitis would soon reroute his trajectory.
While recovering from surgery, March reconsidered his future. He took a job as a film extra to pass the time and quickly discovered an affinity for performing. Within a year, he abandoned finance altogether in favor of acting, enrolling in drama classes and making his stage debut by the mid-1920s. That twist of fate would set Fredric March on a course to become one of the most lauded performers of the 20th century.
🎭 Before settling on the stage, Fredric March briefly worked as a model for magazine ads and print promotions in New York—his strong jawline and polished look made him a favorite for early 1920s fashion spreads.
🎬 Movie Career
Fredric March on What's My Line?
Fredric March's film career officially began in the silent era, but it was the advent of sound that truly allowed his talents to shine. After early roles in silent films like The Dummy (1929) and The Royal Family of Broadway (1930)—the latter earning him his first Academy Award nomination—he quickly emerged as a major star capable of balancing charm with gravitas. March’s ability to bring complexity to every role made him a favorite among directors seeking more than just a pretty face.
He earned his first Oscar win in 1932 for the dual role of the virtuous Dr. Henry Jekyll and the monstrous Mr. Edward Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The performance, now considered one of the most iconic of early horror cinema, showcased March’s range in terrifying detail. His chilling transformation scenes, which predated CGI by decades, stunned audiences and solidified his reputation as a serious actor willing to take risks.
Wally Westmore's make-up transformed Fredric March's Doctor Jekyll into the grotesquely simian Mr Hyde.
Throughout the 1930s and '40s, March became a consistent box-office draw, starring opposite screen legends like Greta Garbo in Anna Karenina (1935), Norma Shearer in Smilin’ Through (1932), and Carole Lombard in Nothing Sacred (1937)—one of the earliest Technicolor screwball comedies. His chemistry with female leads was palpable, but unlike many actors of the day, he never let his co-stars outshine the depth of his own performance.
Fredric March was never content to stay in one lane. He played presidents, pastors, and tragic literary figures with equal finesse. In Death Takes a Holiday (1934), he played Death himself with such sensitivity that it turned a supernatural concept into a poignant meditation on love and mortality. In 1940’s The Westerner, he faced off against Gary Cooper, holding his own in a gritty, noir-tinged Western that remains a genre standout.
One of his most celebrated performances came in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), where he portrayed a returning World War II veteran struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Starring alongside Dana Andrews and Harold Russell, March’s heartfelt portrayal earned him a second Academy Award and resonated deeply with post-war audiences. The film swept the Oscars, including Best Picture, and is still considered one of Hollywood’s finest achievements.
March also starred in adaptations of great literary works, including Les Misérables (1935), where he took on the role of Jean Valjean, and Christopher Columbus (1949), again demonstrating his comfort in period roles. He played opposite Katharine Hepburn in Mary of Scotland (1936) and later went toe-to-toe with Spencer Tracy in Inherit the Wind (1960), where the two legends clashed onscreen in a dramatized version of the Scopes Monkey Trial.
In a remarkable twist of casting, March portrayed both Satan and a crusading preacher—sometimes in the same film. His ability to embody polar opposites, such as in The Iceman Cometh (1973) or A Lion Is in the Streets (1953), kept his career vibrant even as younger actors emerged. Despite the changing tastes of cinema, March remained in demand, often choosing roles that challenged conventional morality or exposed human frailty.
Whether sharing the screen with Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, or Claudette Colbert, or tackling weighty subjects like war, death, and social change, Fredric March never phoned it in. He brought a classical stage actor's discipline to the unpredictable world of film, leaving behind a portfolio that rivals any of his contemporaries. His influence extended to generations that followed—including actors like Marlon Brando and Paul Newman—who admired his fearless commitment to craft.
🎬 Fredric March turned down several big roles during his career, including the lead in Gone with the Wind. Though he was considered for Rhett Butler, the part eventually went to Clark Gable—cementing Gable’s legacy but leaving March with no regrets.
🎨 Design for Living (The Criterion Collection) – Art, Love & Lubitsch’s Wit
Fredric March, Gary Cooper, and Miriam Hopkins shine in this bold pre-Code romantic comedy from legendary director Ernst Lubitsch. Based on a play by Noël Coward and adapted by Ben Hecht, the film explores the tangled emotions of three creative Americans in Paris caught in an unconventional love triangle.
Fredric March and Gary Cooper square off for the affections of Miriam Hopkins in this daring 1933 comedy.
Witty, racy, and ahead of its time, Design for Living walks a fine line between romance and rebellion. It’s a story of love without limits, featuring smart dialogue, stylish direction, and three stars at the peak of their screen presence.
Blu-ray Features:
📀 Restored high-definition digital transfer
🎞️ Interviews, archival footage, and new essays
🎬 Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, screenplay by Ben Hecht
🖼️ Criterion packaging with collectible artwork
More than a love story—it’s a Lubitsch masterpiece with flair, fire, and freedom.
Though celebrated for his acting, Fredric March’s legacy became clouded in later years by controversy over his early involvement with a college group that used the name “Ku Klux Klan.” While attending the University of Wisconsin in the 1910s, March was a member of an interfraternity society that bore the infamous name—though historical records suggest the group was not affiliated with the white supremacist organization known nationally.
Nevertheless, in the modern era, this association sparked criticism, and his name was removed from some campus honors in the 2010s. Historians and biographers have since clarified that March’s later life and career showed no evidence of racism, and in fact, he publicly supported civil rights and liberal causes, suggesting the early affiliation was likely naive rather than ideological.
Outside of acting, Fredric March was politically active and vocal about his beliefs. During the rise of fascism in Europe, he stood against authoritarianism and lent his support to organizations promoting democratic values. Alongside his wife, actress Florence Eldridge, he supported progressive causes and campaigned for civil liberties throughout the 1930s and ’40s. He also served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), further emphasizing his commitment to individual rights and freedoms.
March was no stranger to political risk during the Red Scare, when many in Hollywood were blacklisted or accused of Communist sympathies. He was outspoken in his criticism of McCarthyism, defending fellow actors and writers under investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Despite the climate of fear, March held his ground, refusing to let paranoia overshadow principle.
In his personal life, March was a devoted husband and father, married to Florence Eldridge from 1927 until his death. The two frequently appeared onstage together, often championing productions with strong social themes. Their artistic partnership was rare in Hollywood, marked by mutual respect and shared values. Outside the spotlight, March largely avoided the scandal and excess that plagued many of his peers, preferring to focus on his craft and the causes he believed in.
🏆 Legacy
Fredric March's legacy stands as a towering example of what it means to be a serious, versatile actor in both stage and screen history. One of the few performers to win both an Academy Award and a Tony Award multiple times, he bridged the worlds of Hollywood and Broadway with seamless grace. His two Oscar wins—for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)—serve not just as trophies, but as milestones in the evolution of American cinema itself.
Fredric March is remembered not only for the depth of his performances, but for the sheer range of his roles. In an era that often typecast its stars, he broke free, portraying presidents, outcasts, romantics, monsters, and working-class heroes with equal conviction. His work in Inherit the Wind (1960), with Harry Morgan, and Spencer Tracy, capped off a career that refused to coast on reputation. Even late in life, he gravitated toward parts that provoked thought and demanded gravitas.
Actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, Dustin Hoffman, and Edward Norton have all been compared to March for their ability to vanish into roles. But March did it first—before method acting became fashionable, before actors were celebrated for transformation. He wasn’t chasing fame or celebrity; he was chasing truth. And in doing so, he raised the bar for what movie acting could be.
Though modern audiences may not immediately recognize his name, film scholars and actors alike continue to revere his body of work. Retrospectives of his films are often featured in classic cinema programming, and his contributions to early Hollywood are still studied in film schools today. For those who admire integrity, intelligence, and range in performance, Fredric March remains a benchmark—quietly towering over many of his flashier contemporaries.
ML Lamp is the owner of Kilroy Was Here. After his 20 years of working in Las Vegas in the entertainment promotions field, Mr. Lamp retired in 2002 from his job to pursue his passion for collectibles. Now as a guest speaker and author he’s living the dream, and sharing his warmth with You.
