How did John Huston’s parents’ divorce shape his childhood?

Following his parents' divorce, John Huston’s childhood was characterized by a transient lifestyle, as he spent his formative years moving between his father, Walter Huston, and his mother, Reah.1

His father, who had returned to vaudeville after a brief stint as a civil engineer, provided one environment, while his mother, a journalist, provided another. His mother’s influence was particularly notable, as she taught him to both ride and bet on horses, interests that would remain with him throughout his life. Despite suffering from health issues during his youth—including kidney disease and an enlarged heart—Huston eventually overcame his frail, often bedridden state to become a robust teenager and an amateur lightweight boxing champion in California.1