John Howard; Movie Hero Earned Honors During WWII

John Howard, hero of low-budget action films of the 1930s and 1940s who segued in later years into character roles for television, has died. He was 82.

Howard died Feb. 19 of heart failure at his home in Santa Rosa, his son Dale Howard said last week.

The actor is probably best remembered for his roles as Ronald Colman’s brother in “Lost Horizon” in 1937 and as Katharine Hepburn’s wealthy fiance in “Philadelphia Story” in 1940.

He was also well known for his series of half a dozen Bulldog Drummond episodes in the late 1930s including “Bulldog Drummond Comes Back,” “Bulldog Drummond’s Peril” and “Arrest Bulldog Drummond.”

Howard’s early television roles included the character Cliff Patterson in NBC’s soap opera “Days of Our Lives.”

He also appeared in the television series “Dr. Hudson’s Secret Journal” and “Adventures of Seahawk” in the mid-1950s.

Born John R. Cox Jr. in Cleveland, Howard was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Ohio’s Western Reserve University.

Howard became a real-life hero during World War II, earning the Navy Cross and the Croix de Guerre for valor.

He began his acting career on stage in Cleveland and made his film debut in 1935 with “Annapolis Farewell” and “Four Hours to Kill.”

Howard is survived by his wife, Eva Ralf, a former soloist with the Berlin State Opera Ballet, and two sons and two daughters, Dale of Los Angeles, Daniel of San Diego, Deborah of San Francisco and Deirdre of Minneapolis.