Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904 – November 29, 1986) was a British-American actor, celebrated for his debonair charm, impeccable comic timing, and sophisticated screen presence. He became one of Hollywood’s 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 mother’s institutionalization and his father’s alcoholism. At 16, he joined the Pender Troupe, a group of acrobats, wh…