John Agar was born in Chicago, the eldest of
four children. In World
War II, Sgt. John Agar was a United States Army Air Force physical
instructor. His 1945 marriage at the Wilshire Memorial Church to
"America's Sweetheart" Shirley Temple put
him in the public eye for the first time, and a movie contract with
independent producer David O. Selznick
quickly ensued.
Agar debuted opposite John Wayne,
Henry Fonda and Temple in
John Ford's
Bis zum letzten Mann (1948), initial film in
the famed director's "Cavalry Trilogy".
His marriage to Shirley Temple ended in
1949, while his movie career continued.
Popular with fans of Westerns and sci-fi flicks, Agar was a staple at
film conventions and autograph shows.
