Rags Ragland was a popular comedian and character actor who appeared in many MGM light comedies and musicals in the 1940s. He was known for his good-natured oafishness and his knack for fracturing the English language. He was also a friend of many Hollywood celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Phil Silvers, and Orson Welles. But his life was cut short by a fatal illness that was caused by years of alcohol abuse. This is the story of how Rags Ragland died of uremia after a bender with Orson Welles.
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Rags Ragland’s Early Life and Career
Rags Ragland was born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland on August 23, 1905, in Louisville, Kentucky. His parents were Adam Joseph Ragland and Stella Petty. As a youth, he worked as a truck driver, boxer, and movie projectionist in Kentucky. He was briefly married to Sabina Elizabeth Vanover and they had one child, a son named John Griffin Ragland, before they divorced in 1926.
In 1927, at the age of 22, Ragland moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in show business. He started as a comedian in burlesque, where he quickly became known for his wild ad-libs, unpredictable intrusions into other comics’ acts, and a “healthy off-stage libido”. He eventually became the “top banana” at Minsky’s, the dominant burlesque house according to Wikipedia.
After burlesque died out, Ragland made his way to Broadway theatre and films. He debuted on Broadway in 1940 in the musical Panama Hattie, starring Ethel Merman. He reprised his role as the boisterous sailor Rags in the film adaptation in 1942, co-starring Ann Sothern.
He became a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player and appeared in around two dozen MGM films. He gained popularity as Red Skelton’s cohort in the “Whistling” movies (Whistling in the Dark, Whistling in Dixie, and Whistling in Brooklyn). He also co-starred with Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Betty Grable, and other MGM stars. His final film appearance was in the drama The Hoodlum Saint in 1946.
Rags Ragland’s Illness and Death
In 1946, Ragland went on an alcoholic bender with Orson Welles in Mexico. Welles was a famous actor, director, writer, and producer who had made Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons. He was also known for his lavish lifestyle and his love of drinking.
According to LA Explorer, when Ragland returned from Mexico, he was scheduled to revive his New York nightclub act with his friend Phil Silvers at the Copacabana. Silvers was another comedian who had worked with Ragland in burlesque and Broadway. He later became famous for his role as Sergeant Bilko on TV.
However, Ragland began experiencing pain in his abdomen and was hospitalized. His good friend Frank Sinatra called in a specialist, but the doctors determined that Ragland’s liver and kidneys had been destroyed by years of alcohol abuse. He had developed uremia, a condition where waste products build up in the blood due to kidney failure. It can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, confusion, seizures, coma, and death.
Ragland fell into a coma and died three days before his 41st birthday on August 20, 1946. Silvers and Sinatra were by his bedside. Many Hollywood celebrities attended Ragland’s funeral. Sinatra sang at the service and Silvers delivered the eulogy.
Rags Ragland’s Legacy
Ragland’s film career was very short but his talent endures. He is remembered as one of the funniest comedians of his era and a beloved figure in Hollywood. His films are still enjoyed by fans of classic comedy and musicals.
One of his most memorable scenes is from Girl Crazy (1943), where he plays a ranch hand named Rags who listens to Judy Garland sing But Not for Me. His tearful reaction is genuine and touching.
Ragland also inspired other comedians who admired his style and skill. Phil Silvers called him “my favorite comic” in his autobiography according to Wikipedia. Jerry Lewis said that he learned from watching Ragland’s films how to be funny without being mean or vulgar.
Ragland’s son John Griffin Ragland followed his father’s footsteps and became an actor as well. He appeared in several TV shows and movies in the 1950s and 1960s.
Ragland’s life was tragic but also full of laughter and friendship. He left behind a legacy of humor and joy that still lives on today.
