Alan Ladd was a performer.
Alan Walbridge Ladd ( September 3 , 1913 -- January 29 , 1964 ) was an American actor and film and television producer . His popularity diminished in the late 1950s , though he continued to appear in popular films until his accidental death due to a lethal combination of alcohol , a barbiturate , and two tranquilizers . This Gun for Hire . The film stars Veronica Lake , Robert Preston , Laird Cregar , and Alan Ladd .