My family recently took the TCM Classic Films Tour at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California. When our guide asked if there were any particular shows, films, or actors about which we wanted to learn more, my sister responded with John Garfield and Errol Flynn. The guide blithely skipped over the first name to inform us she knew many stories about Errol Flynn. Despite being a largely unremembered star in the Warner firmament, Garfield was one of the studio’s biggest stars from the late 1930s through the mid-'40s, particularly in the crime and gangster genres.
Garfield started out as a stage actor. His screen career began auspiciously with the film “Four Daughters” (1938). This film not only catapulted the young actor to stardom but also spawned a successful trilogy. Meanwhile, a spin-off, “Daughters Courageous” (1939), featured almost the same cast in a different story.
