The distinctive scar on George Macready's right cheek bears the marks of a car accident he suffered during his university years. According to his son Michael Macready, George and his fraternity brothers were traveling in a Model T Ford when they came upon an icy stretch of road. The vehicle struck a telephone pole, and George was thrown through the windshield, injuring his face. The only doctor available in the area was a veterinarian; the wound became infected while his cheek was being stitched, and he contracted scarlet fever. This event left a scar that Macready carried for the rest of his life and that added depth to his character roles.
Although Macready was known for the unforgettable villains he portrayed on screen, in real life he was a collector with a deep devotion to art and culture. He shared this passion with his close friend Vincent Price, who was also a renowned art collector. The two ran an art gallery together in Los Angeles, an venture that reinforced not only their acting careers but also their influence in the art world. In this respect, Macready was, contrary to his screen image, part of an elegant and intellectual circle.
In the spring of 1943, George Macready and Vincent Price opened an art gallery called Little Gallery in Beverly Hills. According to the memoirs of Vincent's daughter Victoria Price, the gallery's regulars included such famous names of the era as Charles Laughton, Tallulah Bankhead, Barbara Hutton, Fanny Brice, Katharine Hepburn and Greta Garbo. Vincent described Garbo's visits to the gallery as follows: "She would stop by to look, and if someone else was looking, she would leave at once." The actress Jane Wyatt described the gallery as "a wonderful and fun place where people met and mingled, unlike anything else around." The gallery quickly became a haunt for art lovers.
Among the hobbies with which Macready occupied his free time, pursuits that challenged his mental faculties stood out. Solving cryptograms and creating his own crossword puzzles were activities that fed his analytical intelligence. He was also greatly interested in collecting paintings. His taste in art was highly selective; he counted pioneers of modern art such as Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent van Gogh among his favorites. These hobbies show that he was not only an actor but also an intellectual with a deep cultural background.
George Macready claimed to be descended from the famous 19th-century Shakespearean actor William Macready. This claim was most likely true and may explain the origins of Macready's interest in the theater. William Macready was one of the most respected stage artists of his time, and this lineage made George's place in the art world all the more meaningful. This connection also added depth to his acting career and nourished his passion for the stage.
The friendship between George Macready and Vincent Price sprouted during the period when both appeared on stage with Helen Hayes in the play "Victoria Regina." In a letter home, Price spoke of George with praise, saying, "The boy who plays my brother and takes my place is a wonderful person; I thank God for him." These heartfelt words were a sign of the strong bond and mutual respect between the two actors. This friendship continued to deepen over the years, both personally and professionally.
When George Macready died of emphysema in July 1973, his body was donated to science in accordance with his will. His body was given to the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. This donation showed his desire to contribute to medical education even after his death. Macready's gesture reveals that he was not only an artist but also an individual who cared about being of service to society.
Macready was an avid reader with a particular interest in mystery novels. His interest was so intense that he was known to read a mystery novel and listen to a mystery program on the radio at the same time. This habit lays bare his fondness for storytelling and mysterious events. Macready's use of multiple media at once shows that he made the best possible use of the technological possibilities of his time.
In George Macready's home there was a housekeeper who embroidered the titles of all his films into a knitted blanket. This meticulous and patient work was, in a sense, a visual archive of Macready's career. The housekeeper's gesture was an expression of the respect and devotion she felt for his acting life. This blanket has presumably remained a personal memento proudly displayed in Macready's home.
George Macready's film career began and ended with a strange coincidence. In his first film, "Commandos Strike at Dawn" (1942), he played a teacher, and among his first lines were the words "I'm writing a novel too." In his last film, "The Return of Count Yorga" (1971), he played a professor, and his last line was "You didn't read my book!" These two roles were details that reinforced his intellectual image on screen and established an interesting parallel between the beginning and the end of his career.
George Macready was a name in whose family art and sport were intertwined. He was the grandfather of the American gymnast John Macready and of the actor Oliver Macready, whose full name is Oliver George Macready. That his grandson Oliver carried his name was a sign of George's influence on his family and of his being a source of inspiration to them. These family ties show that Macready's legacy was not limited to his own career but was passed on to later generations.
Orson Welles wore a tailcoat and trousers borrowed from George Macready at his 1934 wedding. Welles's mother-in-law wanted him to wear formal attire, but Welles had no suitable clothes and could not afford to buy any. He therefore asked Macready, with whom he had worked on stage, for help. The trousers look slightly short in the wedding photograph because Welles was heavier than Macready. The episode went down in history as a heartfelt example of the friendship and solidarity between the two artists.
George Macready was the father of three children: Michael (born 1932), Marcia (born 1934) and Elizabeth (born 1938). His children held an important place in both his private life and his career. Despite his busy acting career, Macready did not neglect to make time for his family and played an active role in raising his children. This family structure shows that he led a balanced life, not only through his success on stage but also as a father.
George Macready began his education at Classical High School in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island. He then went on to Brown University, also in Providence, and graduated from there in 1921. Brown University played an important role in his academic and social development; the experiences he gained there also laid the foundation for his later acting career. Macready's being an educated individual shaped his intellectual background and his perspective on art.
George Macready had the honour of appearing in two films regarded as among the most important productions in American cinema history. The first of these was the 1946 masterpiece "Gilda" and the other was the 1957 anti-war classic "Paths of Glory". Both films were selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically" significant. Macready's roles in these productions cemented his lasting place in cinema history.
In a 1960 interview, George Macready named his two favourite roles from his television career. The first was the character he played in the "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" (1955) episode of the series Kraft Mystery Theatre (1947). The second was his role in the "Thunder in the Night" (1960) episode of the series Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958). These choices reveal the importance Macready attached to television acting and his versatility in the field.
While a student at Brown University, George Macready earned a varsity letter in football in 1920. This achievement, however, was won not by playing on the field but as the team's manager. The role demonstrated his organisational skills and his aptitude for teamwork. This experience laid the foundation for his disciplined and orderly approach to work in his later career.
In the 1934 issue of the Brown University alumni bulletin, there was an interesting note about George Macready's life at the time. The report stated that Macready was still touring the provinces with Katharine Cornell in the plays "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Barretts of Wimpole Street". His wife, Elizabeth Dana, was also part of the company, and the couple's child was staying in New York under the care of George's aunt, Mary Macready. The report shows Macready's intense theatre life at the time and how his family kept up with that pace.
In 1918, while a student at Brown University, George Macready was accepted into the Beta chapter of the Delta Phi fraternity. The fraternity was an important part of his social circle during his university years. Delta Phi was known as an organisation that valued academic achievement and character development. Macready's joining the fraternity strengthened his leadership qualities and his standing within the community.