Jack Doyle & Movita Castaneda

JACK DOYLE d1978. Irish boxer, actor and accomplished tenor singer of the 30s-40s known as "The Gorgeous Gael". He travelled to America in 1934 and soon carried on his high living of gambling, ladies and drink. His good looks and deep pockets opened up the party circuit to him and he even managed to land the starring role in two movies ; McGlusky The Sea Rover (1934) and Navy Spy (1937). While in the States he continued to box, taking on one Buddy Baer in August 1935. Like his fight against Jack Peterson, it is said that Doyle had consumed the best part of a bottle of brandy before the bell rang and was in no fit state to stand. He was knocked down loaded in the first round. He returned to Ireland with this new girlfriend Movita Castaneda, a member of the Mexican aristocracy and Hollywood starlet. Following a celebrity wedding in Dublin's Westland Row Church they toured both sides of the Irish Sea, selling out music halls and opera houses. Around this time he fought his last professional fight, against a journeyman called Chris Cole in front of 23,000 in Dublin. He arrived late for the bout after a stop at The Clarence Hotel for refreshments ; an inebriated Doyle went down in the first. In 1944 after five years of marriage, Movita packed up and moved back to Hollywood where she later became the second wife of Marlon Brando (1960-62). Shortly after he moved to England, he spiralled downwards into alcoholism and bankruptcy followed. He found his friends deserted him as fast as his bank balance which he spent (in his own words) on "slow horses and fast women". In later life his only source of income became an allowance he received from Movita. He died in 1978 at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington and was buried in his native Cobh in the Old Church Cemetery.