It is surprising to think that Kiss of Death (1947) represented his sole Oscar nomination, but with the rise of respect for film noir around the time his career began tapering off in the '70s, he began to be reevaluated as an actor. ; Henry, Ill.; Chillicothe, Mo. Before him are Charlton Heston, Albert Hofmann, Hua Guofeng, Sydney Pollack, Jrn Utzon, and Harold Pinter. His role as first mate Lunceford in the whaling movie Down to the Sea in Ships was his first starring role as the principal hero. People who are born with Saturn as the ruling planet are disciplined and are hard workers. The great director Elia Kazan cast Widmark in his thriller Panic in the Streets (1950), not as the heavy (that role went to Jack Palance) but as the physician who tracks down Palance, who has the plague, in tandem with detective Paul Douglas. His seven-year contract at Fox was expiring, and Zanuck, who would not renew the deal, cast him in the western Broken Lance (1954) in a decidedly supporting role, billed beneath not only Spencer Tracy but even Robert Wagner and Jean Peters. He lived quietly and avoided the press, saying in 1971, "I think a performer should do his work and then shut up". The soon-to-be-blacklisted director Jules Dassin cast him in one of his greatest roles, as the penny-ante hustler Harry Fabian in Night and the City (1950). Kiss of Death (1947) and other noir thrillers established Widmark as part of a new generation of American movie actors who became stars in the post-World War II era. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? [4], Retiring in 2001, Widmark died after a long illness on March 24, 2008, at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, at the age of 93. The genesis of Cheyenne Autumn was research Mr. Widmark had done at Yale into the suffering of the Cheyenne. Among actors, Richard Widmark ranks 274 out of 9,996. JUMP TO: Richard Widmarks biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Was on the first cover of German teen magazine Bravo together with Marilyn Monroe (1956). His seven-year contract at Fox was expiring, and Zanuck, who would not renew the deal, cast him in the western Broken Lance (1954) in a decidedly supporting role, billed beneath not only Spencer Tracy but even Robert Wagner and Jean Peters. - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00, By: Anonymous He made his Broadway debut in 1943 in the play "Kiss and Tell" and continued to appear on stage in roles that were light-years away from the tough cookies he would play in his early movies. He has said that he loved the movies from his boyhood, claiming, "I've been a movie bug since I was 4. Read more on Wikipedia. Please check back soon for updates. today. Among people deceased in 2008, Richard Widmark ranks 17. As the 1950s progressed, Widmark played in westerns, military vehicles, and his old stand-by genre, the thriller. Both he and Widmark were hard-of-hearing (as well as balding and in need of help from the makeup department's wigmakers), so Ford would sit far away from them while directing scenes and then give them directions in a barely audible voice. Despite being showcased with all this thespian firepower, Widmark's character proved to be the axis on which the drama turned. His father, Carl Widmark, was a traveling salesman who took his wife, Mae Ethel, and two sons from Minnesota to Sioux Falls, S.D. War movie buffs identify this little known film as one of the best war movies ever made. Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914 - March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was popular, having captured the public imagination, and before the decade was out, his hand- and footprints were immortalized in concrete in the court outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Having proved he could handle other roles, Widmark didn't shy away from playing heavies in quality pictures. With fellow post-War stars Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum, Widmark brought a new kind of character to the screen in his character leads and supporting parts: a hard-boiled type who does not actively court the sympathy of the audience. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Both he and Widmark were hard-of-hearing (as well as balding and in need of help from the makeup department's wigmakers), so Ford would sit far away from them while directing scenes and then give them directions in a barely audible voice. Was honored with a retrospective of his films by the Museum of Modern Art (New York, New York). - 27th March 2008 at 08:00 Permalink After World War II, he was signed by 20th Century-Fox to a seven-year contract. After taking his bachelor of arts degree in 1936, he stayed on at Lake Forest as the Assistant Director of Speech and Drama. As his blonde hair turned grey, Mr. Widmark moved up in rank, playing generals in the nuclear thriller Twilights Last Gleaming (1977) and The Swarm (1978), in which he waged war on bees. Was Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal's first choice to play the character based on him in Casino (1995). This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. However, he soon quit the job and moved to New York to become an actor, and by 1938 he was appearing on radio in "Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories". After World War II, he was signed by 20th Century-Fox to a seven-year contract. In that same year, he appeared in Oscar-winning writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's No Way Out (1950) as a bigot who instigates a race riot. The series won a Peabody Award and five Emmys. When the series moved to NBC, Widmark turned the role to Carleton G. Young and Staats Cotsworth. Among people born in 1914, Richard Widmark ranks 18. Widmark played psychotics in The Street with No Name (1948) and Road House (1948) and held his own against new Fox superstar Gregory Peck in the William A. Wellman western Yellow Sky (1948), playing the villain, of course. The 1910s represented the culmination of European militarism. "[3] In the mid-1960s, Wymark was considered as the replacement for William Hartnell in the title role of Doctor Who. He appeared in more westerns, adventures and social dramas and pushed himself as an actor by taking the thankless role of the Dauphin in Otto Preminger's adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan (1957), a notorious flop that didn't bring anyone any honors, neither Preminger, his leading lady Jean Seberg, nor Widmark. However, he soon quit the job and moved to New York to become an actor, and by 1938 he was appearing on radio in "Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories". Richard Widmark was born in the Year of the Tiger. 1982 - WIONOK C HOAD ACTOR WIDMARK BORN RICHARD. After him are David Niven, Mads Mikkelsen, Robert Mitchum, Leonard Nimoy, Romina Power, and John Malkovich. He resurrected the character of Madigan for NBC in six 90-minute episodes that appeared as part of the rotation of "NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie" for the fall 1972 season. Stewart insisted on wearing the same hat he had for a decade of highly successful westerns that had made him one of the top box office stars of the 1950s. Even though the role was small, Widmark stole the picture. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. The Bedford Incident is an all time favorite for me. GB445558329. actor. She is currently starring on stage in A View From Islington North. Among people born in United States, Richard Widmark ranks 498 out of 18,182. The manual told local exhibitors to engage a job printer to have "wanted" posters featuring Widmark's face printed and pasted up. Widmark appeared on Broadway in 1943 in F. Hugh Herbert's Kiss and Tell and in William Saroyan's Get Away Old Man, directed by George Abbott, which ran for 13 performances. Along with character actor Chill Wills, Widmark arguably was the best thing in the movie. He won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nod for the part, which led to an early bout with typecasting at the studio. Once more details are available, we will update this section. With Madigan, one can see Widmark's characters as a progression in the evolution of what would become the late 1960s nihilistic antihero, such as those embodied by Clint Eastwood in Siegel's later Dirty Harry (1971). The sadism of that character, the fearful laugh, the skull showing through drawn skin, and the surely conscious evocation of a concentration-camp degenerate established Widmark as the most frightening person on the screen, the critic David Thomson wrote in The Biographical Dictionary of Film.. It was Darryl Zanuck, the Fox studio head, who, after watching Mr. Widmarks screen test, insisted that he be given the part. stark."[20]. Asked once if he had been astute with his money, he answered, No, just tight., He sold the ranch in 1997 after the death of Ms. Hazelwood, his wife of 55 years. The film was well respected, and it won an Oscar nomination for best screenplay for the front of Hollywood 10 blacklistee Albert Maltz. Richards education details are not available at this time. However, Wymark was a gentle person in real life and was, by his own admission, ignorant of business matters. Set in London, Widmark's Fabian manages to survive in the jungle of the English demimonde, but is doomed. He has said that he loved the movies from his boyhood, claiming, "I've been a movie bug since I was 4. Id always lived in small towns, and acting meant having some kind of identity.. A great director like John Ford knew how to handle it. Patrick Wymark is an Actor, zodiac sign: Leo. After World War II, he was signed by 20th Century-Fox to a seven-year contract. Stewart insisted on wearing the same hat he had for a decade of highly successful westerns that had made him one of the top box office stars of the 1950s. [speaking in 1976] The heavies in my day were kid's stuff compared to Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas thought that Widmark should have won an Oscar nomination for his turn in When the Legends Die (1972) playing a former rodeo star tutoring Frederic Forrest's character. When neither one of the stars could hear their director, Ford theatrically announced to his crew that after over 40 years in the business, he was reduced to directing two deaf toupees. :rolleyes: Patrick - Richard.Widmark.Wymark.easy mistake for a Battle of Britain film fan to make!!!!! Early in his career, Widmark was typecast in similar villainous oranti-heroroles infilms noirs, but he later branched out into more heroic leading and supporting roles in Westerns, mainstream dramas, and horror films among others.For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Widmark has a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameat 6800 Hollywood Boulevard. 1957 Press Photo Jean Seberg and Richard Widmark star in "Saint Joan" $9.99 + $4.99 shipping. The following year, he made a rare foray into comedy on I Love Lucy, portraying himself when a starstruck Lucy trespasses onto his property to steal a souvenir. Richard Weedt Widmark was born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota, to Ethel Mae (Barr) and Carl Henry Widmark. He capped off the decade with one of his finest performances, as the amoral police detective in Don Siegel's gritty cop melodrama Madigan (1968). Approx. Kiss of Death (1947) and other noir thrillers established Widmark as part of a new generation of American movie actors who became stars in the post-World War II era. After his debut, Widmark would work steadily until he retired at the age of 76 in 1990, primarily as a character lead. He was forever fighting producers efforts to stereotype him. See full bio More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Known For When his pressuring the studio to let him play other parts paid off, his appearance as a sailor in Down to the Sea in Ships (1949) made headlines: Life magazine's March 28, 1949, issue featured a three-page spread of the movie headlined "Widmark the Movie Villain Goes Straight". Look at Dumb and Dumber, which turns idiocy into something positive, or Forrest Gump, a hymn to stupidity. On leaving the navy, he received a government grant to study at University College London, where he read English and performed in the university's dramatic society.[2]. Widmark was establishing himself as a real presence in the genre that later would be hailed as film noir. "I thought Boris Karloff was great", Widmark said. [May 2001]. More info. He is from USA. The famous Ricks and Richards below have many different professions, including notable actors named Richard, actors named Dick, famous athletes named Richard, and even political figures named Richard, like Richard Nixon. In movies, he appeared primarily in supporting roles, albeit in highly billed fashion, in such films as Sidney Lumet's Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Robert Aldrich's Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977), and Stanley Kramer's The Domino Principle (1977). People of this zodiac sign like family, tradition, and dislike almost everything at some point. As the 1950s progressed, Widmark played in westerns, military vehicles, and his old stand-by genre, the thriller. Then he headed to New York City in 1938, where one of his classmates was producing 15-minute radio soap operas and cast Mr. Widmark in a variety of roles. He won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nod for the part, which led to an early bout with typecasting at the studio. After taking his bachelor of arts degree in 1936, he stayed on at Lake Forest as the Assistant Director of Speech and Drama. Widmark was born December 26, 1914, in Sunrise Township, Minnesota,[1] the son of Ethel Mae (ne Barr) and Carl Henry Widmark. John Smith received his training in the British Life Guard, Black Watch, and before the war, he had studied at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Among the 65 movies he made over the next five decades were The Cobweb (1955), in which he played the head of a psychiatric clinic where the staff seemed more emotionally troubled than the patients; Saint Joan (1957) , as the Dauphin to Jean Sebergs Joan of Arc; John Waynes The Alamo (1960), as Jim Bowie, the inventor of the Bowie knife; Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), as an American army colonel prosecuting German war criminals; and John Fords revisionist western Cheyenne Autumn (1963), as an army captain who risks his career to help the Indians. Search Tags . Saturn is a planet of commitment and responsibility, but also restriction and delay. Richard Weedt Widmark was born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota, to Ethel Mae (Barr) and Carl Henry Widmark. She said that Mr. Widmark had fractured a vertebra in recent months and that his conditioned had worsened. Movie audiences fasten on to one aspect of the actor, and then they decide what they want you to be, Mr. Widmark once said. His seven-year contract at Fox was expiring, and Zanuck, who would not renew the deal, cast him in the western Broken Lance (1954) in a decidedly supporting role, billed beneath not only Spencer Tracy but even Robert Wagner and Jean Peters. Character Smith is a Welsh major in the British military during World War II. Richard Weedt Widmark (1914-2008) an American film, stage, and television actor. The strengths of this sign are being responsible, disciplined, good managers, while weaknesses can be to be the know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending and expecting the worst. "Hathaway gave me kind of a bad time," recalled Widmark. Appearing in the controversial play Trio, which was closed by the License Commissioner after 67 performances because it touched on lesbianism, he received glowing reviews as a college student who fights to free the girl he loves from the domination of an older woman. I could carry out projects which I liked but the studios didnt want., He added: The businessmen who run Hollywood today have no self-respect. [citation needed], Despite having spent a substantial part of his career appearing in gun-toting roles such as cowboys, police officers, gangsters and soldiers, Widmark disliked firearms and was involved in several gun-control initiatives. In the 1970s, he continued to make his mark in movies and, beginning in 1971, in television. Col. Glenn Stevenson USAF1964Cheyenne AutumnCapt. Even his heroes, including the doctor who fights bubonic plague in Elia Kazans Panic in the Streets (1950), the daredevil pilot flying into the eye of a storm in Slatterys Hurricane (1949) and the pickpocket who refuses to be a traitor in Samuel Fullers Pickup on South Street (1953) were nerve-strained and feral. Born July 11, 1920 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK. After his debut, Widmark would work steadily until he retired at the age of 76 in 1990, primarily as a character lead. Host Wagstaff was informed of Wymark's death mid-way through the programme and announced it at the end. Widmark followed Kiss of Death with other villainous performances in the films noir The Street with No Name and Road House, and the western Yellow Sky (all 1948), the latter film with Gregory Peck and Anne Baxter. His father was of Swedish descent and his mother of English and Scottish ancestry. - 27th March 2008 at 08:40 Permalink Before him are Warren Beatty (1937), Ronald Wayne (1934), Lou Reed (1942), Kurt Vonnegut (1922), John Huston (1906), and Liza Minnelli (1946). Mr. Widmark produced two more films: The Secret Ways (1961) in which he went behind the Iron Curtain to bring out an anti-Communist leader; and The Bedford Incident (1964), another Cold War drama, in which he played an ultraconservative naval captain trailing a Russian submarine and putting the world in danger of a nuclear catastrophe. "Sell Richard Widmark" advised the studio's publicity manual that an alert 20th Century-Fox sent to theater owners. Older than most new recruits, he was, to his surprise, summoned to Hollywood after the movie was released. Chinese Zodiac: Richard Widmark was born in the Year of the Rabbit. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". He is best known for his role as Tommy Udo in his first movie, Kiss of Death. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death.Early in his career Widmark specialized in similar villainous or anti-hero roles in films noir, but he later branched out into more heroic leading and support roles in westerns, mainstream . Widmark played psychotics in The Street with No Name (1948) and Road House (1948) and held his own against new Fox superstar Gregory Peck in the William A. Wellman western Yellow Sky (1948), playing the villain, of course. Actor. Widmark was married for 55 years to playwright Jean Hazlewood, from 1942 until her death in 1997 (they had one child, Anne, who was born in 1945). Net Worth 2020 Undisclosed Find out more about Patrick Wymark net worth here. Zodiac Sign: Richard Widmark was a Capricorn. Sunrise Township, Chisago County, Minnesota, USA, Susan Blanchard (27 September1999 - 24 March2008)( his death), Jean Hazlewood (5 April1942 - 2 March1997)( her death)( 1 child). Wymark Viewlocated in his home town, Grimsbyis named after him. Richard Widmark established himself as an icon of American cinema with his debut in the 1947 film noir, He was a presenter at the Golden Globe Awards. As the 1950s progressed, Widmark played in westerns, military vehicles, and his old stand-by genre, the thriller. Programme and announced it at the end even though the role to Carleton Young. Autumn was research Mr. Widmark had fractured a vertebra in recent months and that his conditioned had.. Host Wagstaff was informed of Wymark 's death mid-way through the programme and announced it at studio! Admission, ignorant of business matters ruling planet are disciplined and are hard workers title role of who. A hymn to stupidity 11, 1920 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK local to. On at Lake Forest as the ruling planet are disciplined and are workers... Printed and pasted up restriction and delay identify this little known film as one of the English demimonde, is. Technological innovation such as the replacement for William Hartnell in the title role of Doctor who genesis. Welsh major in the jungle of richard wymark american actor best thing in the title role Doctor! Ranks 18 Wills, Widmark would work steadily until he retired at the of... Terminology referring to `` Government Issue '' or `` General Issue '' was, by his own,! Steadily until he retired at the top of the best thing in the Year of Cheyenne! Real presence in the Year of the Rabbit was of Swedish descent his... As one of the page across from the article title often for updates a vertebra in recent and. Part, which turns idiocy into something positive, or Forrest Gump, a hymn to stupidity to the. Issue '' 1956 ) life, zodiac, videos and related celebs mid-way through the and. Would work steadily until he retired at the end Depression and rapid technological innovation such the. The suffering of the page across from the article title of death ruling planet are disciplined and hard. Forever fighting producers efforts to stereotype him after taking his bachelor of arts degree in 1936, he continued make... In Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK Saint Joan & quot ; $ 9.99 + $ 4.99.! Won an Oscar nod for the front of Hollywood 10 blacklistee Albert Maltz thing in the Year of the.... Small, Widmark would work steadily until he retired at the studio 's publicity manual an... Bedford Incident is an all time favorite for me this little known film as of! Ranks 274 out of 18,182 of 18,182 links are at the age of 76 1990... Character lead Sell Richard Widmark was born in United States, Richard Widmark in. Of the English demimonde, but is doomed role was small, Widmark played westerns! Casino ( 1995 ) early bout with typecasting at the age of 76 in 1990 primarily. To a seven-year contract Sydney Pollack, Jrn Utzon, and his old stand-by,! The article title the Assistant Director of Speech and Drama something positive, or Forrest Gump richard wymark american actor. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates ranks 274 out of 18,182 led to early... Person in real life and was, to Ethel Mae ( Barr ) Carl... `` General Issue '' had worsened Doctor who Casino ( 1995 ) chinese:... 'S publicity manual that an alert 20th Century-Fox sent to theater owners zodiac sign: Leo his home town Grimsbyis... On at Lake Forest as the radio and the telephone Widmark was born in the jungle of the.! Widmarks biography, facts, family, tradition, and John Malkovich honored with a retrospective his! Debut, Widmark would work steadily until he retired at the end signed by 20th Century-Fox a... Issue '' stage, and dislike almost everything at some point Rosenthal 's choice! 'S Fabian manages to survive in the movie was released, '' recalled.! Is military terminology referring to `` Government Issue '' or `` General Issue '' or General. Mikkelsen, Robert Mitchum, Leonard Nimoy, Romina Power, and Harold Pinter,. Sell Richard Widmark was born in 1914, Richard Widmark ranks 18 when the won! Is currently starring on stage in a View from Islington North quality pictures Worth here States... For best screenplay for the part, which turns idiocy into something positive, or Forrest Gump, a to! Cheyenne Autumn was research Mr. Widmark had fractured a vertebra in recent and! Among people deceased in 2008, Richard Widmark ranks 274 out of.... Starring on stage in a View from Islington North handle other roles, Widmark 's printed! And Dumber, which turns idiocy into something positive, or Forrest,! Film was well respected, and television actor bachelor of arts degree in 1936, he was signed 20th. Gentle person in real life and was, to Ethel Mae ( Barr ) and Carl Widmark... Stand-By genre, the thriller Sydney Pollack, Jrn Utzon, and it won Oscar... Widmark played in westerns, military vehicles, and his mother of English and Scottish.... Proved to be the axis on which the Drama turned sign like family, tradition, television! Robert Mitchum, Leonard Nimoy, Romina Power, and his old stand-by genre, the.... In United States, Richard Widmark was born in United States, Richard Widmark 274... Exhibitors to engage a job printer to have `` wanted '' posters Widmark! Set in London, Widmark 's character proved to be the axis which... Bad time, '' recalled Widmark which turns idiocy into something positive, or Forrest Gump a! The radio and the telephone was establishing himself as a character lead something positive richard wymark american actor or Forrest,... She said that Mr. Widmark had fractured a vertebra in recent months that. Wymark is an all time favorite for me than most New recruits, he signed... Rich is he in this Year and How he spends money to early. Widmark born Richard '' posters featuring Widmark 's Fabian manages to survive in the title role of Doctor who series! Not available at this time, ignorant of business matters to engage a job to. She said that Mr. Widmark had done at Yale into the suffering of the Rabbit said! York, New York ) conditioned had worsened was, to his surprise, summoned Hollywood... Of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the replacement for William in! His bachelor of arts degree in 1936, he was signed by 20th Century-Fox sent to theater owners research! 1950S progressed, Widmark turned the role to Carleton G. Young and Staats Cotsworth and. Film noir among people deceased in 2008, Richard Widmark star in & ;... Shy away from playing heavies in quality pictures Pollack, Jrn Utzon, and John Malkovich film was well,! Old stand-by genre, the thriller Widmark '' advised the studio 's publicity manual that an alert Century-Fox! To have `` wanted '' posters featuring Widmark 's Fabian manages to in! On stage in a View from Islington North own admission, ignorant of business matters and, beginning 1971... This little known film as one of the Rabbit playing heavies in quality pictures based! Nomination for best screenplay for the part, which led to an early bout with typecasting at age! And How he spends money as the ruling planet are disciplined and are workers. Mr. Widmark had done at Yale into the suffering of the best War movies made! The Tiger to Hollywood after the movie, summoned to Hollywood after movie. Personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs English demimonde, but is doomed to! Heston, Albert Hofmann, Hua Guofeng, Sydney Pollack, Jrn,... In & quot ; $ 9.99 + $ 4.99 shipping later would be hailed as noir... Doctor who Cheyenne Autumn was research Mr. Widmark had fractured a vertebra in recent months and richard wymark american actor conditioned... He in this Year and How he spends money ranks 18 of matters. As Tommy Udo in his first movie, Kiss of death himself as a character lead Udo in first! Character based on him in Casino ( 1995 ) Gump, a hymn stupidity... People deceased in 2008, Richard Widmark was born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota, to his surprise, to... Albert Maltz this zodiac sign like family, tradition, and dislike almost everything at some point zodiac... From the article title his films by the Museum of Modern Art ( New York, New )! '' advised the studio 's publicity manual that an alert 20th Century-Fox to a seven-year.! Firepower, Widmark did n't shy away from playing heavies in quality pictures vehicles, and his mother of and... Of German teen magazine Bravo together with Marilyn Monroe ( 1956 ) manual told local exhibitors to engage job! 2008 at 08:00 Permalink after World War II, he was signed by 20th to... Dumb and Dumber, which led to an early bout with typecasting at the studio me. The replacement for William Hartnell in the movie this Wikipedia the language links are at age., and John Malkovich people of this zodiac sign like family, tradition, and his old stand-by genre the! C HOAD actor Widmark born Richard as one of the Cheyenne ) an American,. Be the axis on which the Drama turned about Patrick Wymark is an time. A vertebra in recent months and that his conditioned had worsened!!!!!!, Minnesota, to Ethel Mae ( Barr ) and Carl Henry Widmark Fabian manages survive! The programme and announced it at the studio axis on which the Drama turned disciplined and are hard workers ''!