In the 1940s, Alan Ladd became one of the most prominent names in Hollywood. A man who, for all intents and purposes, wasn’t born to be a star. Ladd’s path to stardom was anything but smooth sailing. Battered and bruised, both physically and mentally, Ladd still managed to take Hollywood by storm, leaving behind a legacy that is as tragic as it is impressive. 1. He Had A Traumatizing ChildhoodTragedy struck the Ladd household early on. In 1917, at four years old, Ladd experienced loss far too soon. He watched his father, who he shares a name with, collapse and succumb to a heart attack, leavin…