John Carroll died in Hollywood, California, on April 24, 1979, at the age of 72, from leukemia. He was laid to rest in Hollywood Hills, California’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Carroll was born on July 17, 1906, in the city of New Orleans. Until 1935, when he first used the name John Carroll in the movie Hi, Gaucho!, he appeared in several tiny roles in films under his birth name. In the 1930s, he starred in several Western films, notably Zorro in Zorro Rides Again in 1937. In 1940, he starred as the male protagonist in the Marx Brothers’ Western comedy Go West.
His most well-known part was as Woody Jason in John Wayne’s 1942 film Flying Tigers. He was well known for his role as Wolf, a Cajun soldier in the 1945 comedy A Letter for Evie. During World War II, he served as a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot in North Africa, interrupting his film career. In a car accident, he shattered his back. He made a full recovery and returned to acting.
John Carroll was a well-known actor, and his wife Lucille worked at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a casting director (MGM). Marilyn Monroe, a budding movie star, moved into their home in 1948. They provided emotional and financial assistance to her during her difficult transition. Her success as an actor would not have been possible without their help.
Carroll married Lucille Ryman twice, first to Steffi Duna (with whom he had a daughter, Julianna Benito) and later to Steffi Duna.
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