American film actor of English origin, whose true name was Alexander Archibald Leach.

He was born in Bristol board, England. After crossing the United States in 1920 with a British theater company, he worked in the vodevil, with which one became an outstanding actor of musical comedies in New York. In 1932 he was transferred to Hollywood and he took part in seven films, including This is the night, of Frank Tutle.

Later he appeared in one long series of refined romantic comedies that laid the foundations their fame like one of the main actors of Hollywood. American in 1942 nationalized itself.

Between the most important films that it carried out they emphasize: The invisible pair (1937, of Norman Z. McLeod), the fierce one of my girl (1938), New Moon (1940), the fiancèe was he (1949) and I feel to rejuvenecer (1952), of Howard Hawks; To live to enjoy (1938) and Histories Filadelfia (1940), both of George Cukor, with Katharine Hepburn; Suspicion (1941), Chained (1946) and With the death in the heels (1959), of Alfred Hitchcock; Arsenic by compassion (1944, of Frank Capra) and Apartment for three (1966, of Charles the Walters). In 1970 it received a special Oscar by his professional trajectory and its contribution to the cinematography.