Born in Dawson City, Yukon, to American parents, he was the boxing and wrestling champion of the U.S. Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique.

[3] Jory toured with theatre troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930.

He initially played romantic leads, but later was mostly cast as the villain, probably due to his distinctive, seemingly coal-black eyes that might be perceived as 'threatening'.

[6][7] He also portrayed Oberon in Max Reinhardt's film adaptation of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)[2] starring James Cagney, Dick Powell and Olivia de Havilland.

He also played Helen Keller's father in The Miracle Worker,[2] for which his co-stars Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke won Academy Awards.

[13] The High Chaparral television episode "The Peacemaker" in 1968 featured Jory as a peace envoy attempting to negotiate a treaty with Apache Native American chief Cochise.

[17] Jory died on February 12, 1982, at the age of 79, from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California.

[1] For his contribution to the motion-picture industry, Victor Jory was honored in 1960 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

[20] His daughter Jean Jory Anderson was a public-relations director of the theater department at Utah State University in Logan.