Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904 â November 29, 1986) was a British-American actor, celebrated for his debonair charm, impeccable comic timing, and sophisticated screen presence. He became one of Hollywoodâs most iconic leading men, starring in classics such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), Notorious (1946), and North by Northwest (1959). Grant had a difficult childhood, marked by his motherâs institutionalization and his fatherâs alcoholism. At 16, he joined the Pender Troupe, a group of acrobats, which led him to New York City, where he built a career in vaudeville before transitioning to...