William John Muir Lowe, later known as John Loder, was a British-American actor born on January 3, 1898, in London. His father, General W. H. M. Lowe, was a British officer who played a significant role in the Irish 1916 Rising in Dublin, where he accepted the surrender of the leader, Patrick Pearse. John Loder's father and he were both present at the surrender.
Loder was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, and he followed in his father's footsteps by joining the army. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 15th Hussars on March 17, 1915, and went on to serve in the Gallipoli Campaign. During his time in the army, he was imprisoned by the Germans, but was later released.
After his release, Loder stayed in Germany, where he developed an interest in acting and began appearing in bit-parts in German films. He eventually left Germany and returned to England, where he co-starred in plush musicals and intrigue films, such as Love Life and Laughter and Sabotage. He also appeared in the 1937 original film version of King Solomon's Mines, playing the male romantic interest.
When World War II broke out, Loder returned to America, where he began a career in 'B' movie roles, typically playing upper-class characters. He occasionally appeared in major 'A' films, such as How Green Was My Valley, in which he played the role of one of Roddy McDowall's brothers and Donald Crisp's sons.
In 1947, Loder became an American citizen, and he continued to act in films until his last screen appearance in 1971. In 1959, he also became a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom, due to his uncertain nationality.
