Gorgeous Vintage Photos of a Young Cary Grant in the 1930s

After moving to Hollywood and successfully landing a contract with Paramount Studios, young Archie Leach changed his name to Cary Grant at the studio’s request. He made his debut film in the comedy This is the Night (1932) as an Olympic javelin thrower, a role for which he disliked and threatened to leave Hollywood.

Grant made Douglas Fairbanks his first role model, determining to establish himself as the “epitome of masculine glamour,” according to biographer Graham McCann. Even though he had a series of commercial failures throughout the decade, by the late 1930s, Grant had become a well-known leading man in town and was in high demand.

His notable films in this decade are: Blonde Venus (1932), She Done Him Wrong (1933), I’m No Angel (1933), Sylvia Scarlett (1935), Suzy (1936), When You’re In Love (1937), Topper (1937), The Awful Truth (1937), Bring Up Baby (1938), and Holiday (1938).

1933. (Robert Coburn)

Take a look back at the gorgeous actor during the 1930s through 25 charming vintage photographs below:

On the Paramount Pictures Studio lot, 1932. (John Engstead)

1933. (John Engstead)

Bidding Virginia Cherrill a fond bon voyage before she sailed aboard the S.S. Champlain, 1933. (Bettmann)

At NBC, 1933. (NBCU)

At the premiere of 'I'm No Angel' with Virginia Cherrill, 1933. (Bettmann)

Visiting his old secondary school at Bristol, 1933. (Hulton)

Vacationing at the Desert Inn at Palm Springs with Virginia Cherrill, 1933. (Bettmann)

With Virginia Cherrill after their wedding at Caxton Hall Registry office in London, 1934. (Popperfoto)

With Frances Drake in the film 'Ladies Should Listen,' 1934. (Hans von der Hardt)

Playing with a ball at the beach house he shared with Randolph Scott, 1935. (John Kobal Foundation)

A servant pouring tea for Cary Grant and Randolph Scott in the beach house they shared, 1935. (John Kobal Foundation)

Training the fine points of boxing with Joe Lynch at Palm Springs, 1935. (Bettmann)

With Carole Lombard, Marlene Dietrich, and Richard Bartholomew at Lombard's party in the Fun House, California, 1935. (Bettmann)

Having lunch with an old friend, Jane Serlin, wife of Oscar Serlin, Paramount talent scout, New York, 1935. (Bettmann)

On a slide with Toby Wing, Mitchell Leisen, Cesar Romero, and others, 1935. (Jerome Zerbe)

At the Trocadero with Marlene Dietrich, Michael Brook, and Phyllis Brook, 1935. (Hulton)

Smoking, 1936. (Popperfoto)

Playing music with friends, 1937. (Bettmann)

In a duet with Skippy, famous movie dog, for the film 'The Awful Truth,' 1937. (Bettmann)

On the set of 'Bringing Up Baby' with director Howard Hawks and Katharine Hepburn, 1937. (Pictorial Parade)

Making a phone call from the floor in a scene from 'Bringing Up Baby,' 1938. (John Springer Collection)

Katharine Hepburn standing on Cary Grant's shoulders during the filming of 'Holiday,' 1938. (ullstein bild)

With Katharine Hepburn in a promotional photo for the film 'Holiday,' 1938. (Sunset Boulevard)

In the gardens of the Hotel de Paris, 1939. (Bettmann)