#john rodney

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Robert Mitchum as Jeb Rand in a scene from Pursued (1947). As a boy Jeb comes to live with Teresa Wright and John Rodney as siblings Thor and Adam Callum.

John was born in Brooklyn and made his film debut in Pursued (1947). He had 20 acting credits to a 1964 tv episode. His entry among my best 1001 is Key Largo. Only his first four credits were for feature films, all others were guest shots on tv.

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The Double Elopement

Here's another curious story from Georgian England with a slight naval connection: how two of Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney's (c. 1718-1792) children went 'missing' (don't worry, their disappearance was voluntary and rather enthusiastic) within days of each other.

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona London, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny...

Once upon a time, there were Romeo and Juliet- and then, there were Sir John Rodney (1765-1847), second son of the aforementioned admiral, and Lady Catherine Nugent (c. 1765-1794).

Both were approximately 19 and very, very much in love. The only problem was, Catherine's father Thomas Nugent, 6th Earl of Westmeath (1714-1792) didn't quite take as enthusiastically to young Rodney as his daughter and vetoed their plan to get married. It also appears the Admiral wasn't too fond of Catherine, either.

Matters looked grim, but Catherine and John wouldn't give up quite so easily. The two decided to run away to get married across the border in the Scottish town of Gretna Green, where marriage laws at the time were a lot more accomodating to minors (seeing as both weren't 21 yet) and all sorts of people who wanted a quick, unbureaucratic union with next to no questions asked. The two were married on 4 July 1784 in Gretna Green.

Smug they had succeeded, they were in for a surprise on their way back as they met none other but John's older sister Jane and her boyfriend George Chambers travelling in the opposite direction. The two couples stopped for a moment to say hello and John assured his sister he wouldn't get in the way of her happiness- it appears that his elopement had given Jane the courage to pursue her own happiness and defy their father's wishes. Jane and George were also married in Gretna Green on 6 July, two days after Catherine and John.

Apparently, John's and Jane's father found out Jane had disappeared on the same day word reached him of John's whereabouts.

Enraged, Admiral Rodney was in no way, shape or form willing to recognise John and Catherine as family and cut them off until the birth of their first child, George Brydges Rodney (b. 1788) (quite likely strategically named after the admiral), which appears to have softened the new grandfather's heart.

Here's a contemporary article from the Weekly Entertainer relating the particulars of the Double Elopement:

The Weekly Entertainer, Monday, 20 September 1784 [accessed 11 July 2021].

[ozu-teapot]

Key Largo | John Huston | 1948

Edward G. Robinson, John Rodney, Harry Lewis