From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Robert Downing Ames March 23 1889 November 27 1931 was an American stage and film actor whose career was cut short by his death at age 42 After a brief stint in vaudeville Ames moved to Hollywood in the mid 1920s to concentrate on film work though on occasion he would return to perform on the New York stage He costarred in several early talkies including The Trespasser 1929 with Gloria Swanson A Lady to Love 1930 with Vilma Bánky and Edward G Robinson and the 1930 version of Holiday opposite Ann Harding in the role later taken by Cary Grant in the betterremembered 1938 remake