Mel Ferrer

A handsome and often tragic leading man in features during the 1950s, Mel Ferrer rose to fame as the dashing star of "Scaramouche" (1952), "Lili" (1953), "War and Peace" (1956) and "The Sun Also Rises" (1957). But Ferrer's true passion was behind the scenes, and he directed several features, including "Vendetta" (1950) and "Every Day is a Holiday" (1965) while scoring a professional triumph with 1967's "Wait Until Dark," which starred his wife, Audrey Hepburn. Ferrer was unable to parlay the film's success into more projects, and after a health setback following his divorce from Hepburn in 1968, settled into a steady diet of television guest appearances and turns in European features, including several crass horror and exploitation titles. One of Hollywood's most reluctant stars, Mel Ferrer's early roles, buoyed by his dignified carriage and soulful looks, kept him a filmgoer favorite long after his own career had come to an end.