birth name	Jeanette Helen Morrison
birth date	July 06, 1927
birth place	Merced, California, US
death date	October 03, 2004
death place	Los Angeles, California, US
occupation	Actress
years active	1947–2004
spouse	John Carlisle(1943; annulled)Stanley Reames(1946–48; divorced)Tony Curtis(1951–62; divorced)Robert Brandt(1962–2004; her death)
children	Kelly CurtisJamie Lee Curtis }}

Janet Leigh (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), born Jeanette Helen Morrison, was an American actress. She was the wife of actor Tony Curtis from June 1951 to September 1962 and the mother of Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Discovered by actress Norma Shearer, Leigh secured a contract with MGM and began her film career in the late 1940s. She appeared in several popular films over the following decade, including Alfred Hitchcock's ''Psycho'' (1960) and ''Living It Up'' (a Martin and Lewis-film from 1954).

From the end of the 1950s, she played more dramatic roles in such films as ''Safari'' (1958) ''Touch of Evil'' (1958) and ''The Manchurian Candidate'' (1962), but she achieved her most lasting recognition for her performance as the doomed Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Psycho'' (1960). For this role she was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She continued to appear occasionally in films and television, including two performances with her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis in ''The Fog'' (1980) and ''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' (1998).

Early life

The only child of Helen Lita (née Westergaard) and Frederick Robert Morrison, Leigh was born as Jeanette Helen Morrison in Merced, California, and grew up in Stockton, California. In winter 1945, she was discovered by actress Norma Shearer, whose late husband Irving Thalberg had been a senior executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Shearer showed talent agent Lew Wasserman a photograph she had seen of Leigh while vacationing at Sugar Bowl, the ski resort where the girl's parents worked. Shearer later recalled that "that smile made it the most fascinating face I had seen in years. I felt I had to show that face to somebody at the studio." Leigh left the University of the Pacific, where she was studying music and psychology, after Wasserman secured a contract with MGM, despite having no acting experience. She was placed under the tutelage of drama coach Lillian Burns.

Career

Leigh made her film debut in the big budget film ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' in 1947, as the romantic interest of Van Johnson's character. She got the role when performing Phyllis Thaxter's long speech in ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' (1944) for the head of the studio talent department in 1946. During the shooting, Leigh's name was first changed to 'Jeanette Reames', then to 'Janet Leigh' and finally back to her birth name 'Jeanette Morrison', because 'Janet Leigh' resembled Vivien Leigh too much. However, Johnson did not like the name and it was finally changed back to 'Janet Leigh'. Leigh initially left college for a film career, but enrolled in night school at the University of Southern California in 1947.

Immediately after the film's release, Leigh was cast opposite Walter Pidgeon and Deborah Kerr in ''If Winter Comes'' (1947) in the summer of 1947. Furthermore, due to the box office success of ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'', Leigh and Johnson were teamed up again in a film project called ''The Life of Monty Stratton'' in August 1947. The project was eventually shelved and released in 1949 as ''The Stratton Story'', starring James Stewart and June Allyson. Another film that Leigh was set to star in, before being replaced, was ''Alias a Gentleman'', in which she was cast in April 1947. By late 1947, Leigh was occupied with the shooting of the Lassie film ''Hills of Home'' (1948), the first film in which she received star billing.

In late 1948, Leigh was hailed the 'No. 1 glamor girl' of Hollywood, although known for her polite, generous and down-to-earth persona.

Many movies followed, notably the title role in the musical comedy ''My Sister Eileen'', co-starring Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett and Dick York. She proved versatile, starring in films as diverse as the baseball farce ''Angels in the Outfield'' in 1951 and the tense western ''The Naked Spur'' in 1953.

Her initial roles were ingenues based on characters from historical literature, for example in ''Scaramouche'' opposite Stewart Granger. By 1958, she moved to more complex roles.

Leigh's best-known role was as the morally ambiguous Marion Crane in the Alfred Hitchcock film ''Psycho'' (1960), featuring its iconic shower murder scene. She received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Leigh had starring roles in many other films, including the Orson Welles film-noir classic ''Touch of Evil'', 1962's ''The Manchurian Candidate'' with Frank Sinatra and the 1963 musical ''Bye Bye Birdie'' based on the hit Broadway show.

She co-starred with third husband Tony Curtis in five films, ''Houdini'' (1953), ''The Black Shield of Falworth'' (1954), ''The Vikings'' (1958), ''The Perfect Furlough'' (1959) and ''Who Was That Lady?'' (1960).

In 1975, Leigh played a retired Hollywood song and dance star opposite Peter Falk and John Payne in the ''Columbo'' episode ''Forgotten Lady''. The episode utilizes footage of Leigh in the (1953) film ''Walking My Baby Back Home''. She also appeared in two horror films with her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, playing a major role in ''The Fog'' (1980), and making a brief appearance in ''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' (1998).

Leigh is also the author of four books. Her first, the memoir "There Really Was a Hollywood", was a NY Times bestseller. This was followed by the novels "House of Destiny" and "The Dream Factory", and the non-fiction book "Psycho: Behind the Scenes of the Classic Thriller". Interestingly, daughter Jamie Lee Curtis is also an actress and popular author.

Personal life

At the age of 16, Leigh married John Kenneth Carlisle in 1943. The marriage was annulled the same year. She married Stanley Reames in 1946 and they were divorced in 1948.

Leigh married her third husband, Tony Curtis, on June 4, 1951. They had two children, Kelly and Jamie Lee, both who subsequently became actresses. Following their divorce in 1962, Leigh married stockbroker Robert Brandt in Las Vegas. They remained married until her death.

She served on the board of directors of the Motion Picture and Television Foundation, a medical-services provider for actors.

Leigh was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California on May 14, 2004.

Death

Leigh died at her home on October 3, 2004, after suffering cardiac arrest. She suffered from vasculitis and peripheral neuropathy, which caused her right hand to become gangrenous.

Filmography

{| class=wikitable ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Other notes |- |rowspan=2| 1947 | ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' | Lissy Anne MacBean | MGM film |- | ''If Winter Comes'' | Effie Bright | MGM film |- |rowspan=3|1948 | ''Hills of Home'' | Margit Mitchell | MGM film |- | ''Words and Music'' | Dorothy Feiner Rodgers | MGM film |- | ''Act of Violence'' | Edith Enley | MGM film |- |rowspan=5|1949 | ''Little Women'' | Margaret 'Meg' March/Brooke | MGM film |- | ''The Red Danube'' | Olga Alexandrova aka Maria Buhlen | MGM film |- | ''The Doctor and the Girl'' | Evelyn 'Taffy' Heldon | MGM film |- | ''That Forsyte Woman'' | June Forsythe | MGM film |- | ''Holiday Affair'' | Connie Ennis | RKO film |- |rowspan=4|1951 | ''Strictly Dishonorable'' | Isabelle Perry | MGM film |- | ''Angels in the Outfield'' | Jennifer Paige | MGM film |- | ''Two Tickets to Broadway'' | Nancy Peterson | RKO film |- | ''It's a Big Country'' | Rosa Szabo Xenophon | MGM film |- |rowspan=3|1952 | ''Just This Once'' | Lucille 'Lucy' Duncan | MGM film |- | ''Scaramouche'' | Aline de Gavrillac de Bourbon | MGM film |- | ''Fearless Fagan'' | Abby Ames | MGM film |- |rowspan=4|1953 | ''The Naked Spur'' | Lina Patch | MGM film |- | ''Confidentially Connie'' | Connie Bedloe | MGM film |- | ''Houdini'' | Bess Houdini | Paramount film |- | ''Walking My Baby Back Home'' | Chris Hall | Universal film |- |rowspan=4|1954 | ''Prince Valiant'' | Princess Aleta | Fox film |- | ''Living It Up'' | Wally Cook | Paramount film |- | ''The Black Shield of Falworth'' | Lady Anne | Universal film |- | ''Rogue Cop'' | Karen Stephanson | MGM film |- |rowspan=2|1955 | ''Pete Kelly's Blues'' | Ivy Conrad | WB film |- | ''My Sister Eileen'' | Eileen Sherwood | Columbia film |- | 1956 | ''Safari (film)'' | Linda Latham | Columbia film |- | 1957 | ''Jet Pilot'' | Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon/Olga Orlief | Made by RKO, released by Universal |- |rowspan=3|1958 | ''Touch of Evil'' | Susan 'Susie' Vargas | Universal film |- | ''The Vikings'' | Morgana | UA film |- | ''The Perfect Furlough'' | Lt. Vicki Loren | Universal film |- |rowspan=3|1960 | ''Who Was That Lady?'' | Ann Wilson | Columbia filmNominated - Golden Laurel for Top Female Comedy Performance |- | ''Psycho'' | Marion Crane | Paramount film (later sold to Universal)Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressWon - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture2nd place - Golden Laurel for Top Female Supporting Performance |- | ''Pepe'' | Herself | Columbia filmCameo appearanceWon - Golden Laurel for Top Female Comedy Performance |- | 1962 | ''The Manchurian Candidate'' | Eugenie Rose Chaney | UA film |- |rowspan=2|1963 | ''Bye Bye Birdie'' | Rosie DeLeon | Columbia film |- | ''Wives and Lovers'' | Bertie Austin | Paramount film |- |rowspan=4|1966 | ''Kid Rodelo'' | Nora | Paramount film |- | ''Harper'' | Susan Harper | WB film |- | ''Three on a Couch'' | Dr. Elizabeth Acord | Columbia film |- | ''An American Dream'' | Cherry McMahon | WB film |- | 1967 | ''Grand Slam'' | Mary Ann | Paramount filmOriginal title: ''Ad ogni costo'' |- |rowspan=2| 1969 | ''Hello Down There'' | Vivian Miller | Paramount film |- | ''The Monk'' | Janice Barnes | made-for-television movie |- |rowspan=2| 1972 | ''One Is a Lonely Number'' | Gert Meredith | MGM film |- | ''Night of the Lepus'' | Gerry Bennett | MGM film |- | 1975 | ''Columbo: Forgotten Lady'' | Grace Wheeler Willis | Universal TV |- | 1979 | ''Boardwalk'' | Florence Cohen | AR film |- | 1980 | ''The Fog'' | Kathy Williams | AVCO film |- | 1998 | ''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' | Norma Watson | Dimension film |- | 2004 | ''Bad Girls from Valley High'' | Mrs. Witt | Direct-to-video film filmed in 2000 |- |}

Books

''There Really Was a Hollywood'' (Autobiography) (Doubleday, 1984)

''Psycho: Behind the Scenes of the Classic Thriller'' (Harmony, 1995)

''The Dream Factory'' (novel) (Mira, 2002)

References

External links

Janet Leigh at TVGuide.com

Reelclassics.com Page

Category:Actors from California Category:American film actors Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Cardiovascular disease deaths in California Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:People from Merced, California Category:University of the Pacific (United States) alumni Category:1927 births Category:2004 deaths

az:Canet Li bg:Джанет Лий ca:Janet Leigh cy:Janet Leigh da:Janet Leigh de:Janet Leigh es:Janet Leigh eo:Janet Leigh eu:Janet Leigh fa:جنت لی fr:Janet Leigh hr:Janet Leigh id:Janet Leigh is:Janet Leigh it:Janet Leigh he:ג'נט לי lb:Janet Leigh hu:Janet Leigh mk:Џенет Ли nl:Janet Leigh ja:ジャネット・リー no:Janet Leigh pl:Janet Leigh pt:Janet Leigh ru:Джанет Ли sh:Janet Leigh fi:Janet Leigh sv:Janet Leigh tl:Janet Leigh th:เจเน็ต ลีห์ tr:Janet Leigh

birth date	November 22, 1958
birth place	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
occupation	ActressAuthorBlogger
years active	1977–present
spouse	Christopher Guest (1984–present) }}

Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress and author. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in several horror films early in her career, such as ''Halloween'', ''The Fog'', ''Prom Night'' and ''Terror Train'', Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many genres, and has won BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. Her 1998 book, ''Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day'', made the best-seller list in ''The New York Times''. Curtis has appeared in advertisements, and is a blogger for The Huffington Post online newspaper. She is married to actor, screenwriter, and director Christopher Guest.

Early life

Curtis was born in Los Angeles, to actor Tony Curtis and actress Janet Leigh. Her paternal grandparents were Hungarian Jewish immigrants. Curtis's parents divorced in 1962, after which her mother married Robert Brandt. Curtis has an older sister, Kelly Curtis, who is also an actress, and several half-siblings (all from her father's remarriages), Alexandra, Allegra, Ben, and Nicholas Curtis (who died in 1994 of a drug overdose). Curtis attended Westlake School in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills High School, and graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall. Returning to California in 1976, she attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. She considered majoring in social work, but quit after one semester to pursue an acting career.

Career

Film

Curtis's film debut occurred in the 1978 horror film ''Halloween'', in which she played the role of Laurie Strode. The film was a major success and was considered the highest grossing independent film of its time, earning accolades as a classic horror film. Curtis was subsequently cast in several horror films, garnering her the title, "scream queen"

Her next film was the horror film, ''The Fog'', which was helmed by ''Halloween'' director John Carpenter. The film opened in February 1980 to mixed reviews but strong box office, further cementing Curtis as a horror film starlet. Her next film, ''Prom Night'', was a low-budget Canadian slasher film released in July 1980. The film, for which she earned a Genie Award nomination for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress, was similar in style to ''Halloween'', yet received negative reviews which marked it as a disposable entry in the then-popular "slasher film" genre. That year, Curtis also starred in ''Terror Train'', which opened in October and met with a negative reviews akin to ''Prom Night''. Both films performed only moderately well at the box office. Curtis had a similar function in both films - the main character whose friends are murdered, and is practically the only protagonist to survive. Film critic Roger Ebert, who had given negative reviews to all three of Curtis' 1980 films, said that Curtis "is to the current horror film glut what Christopher Lee was to the last one-or Boris Karloff was in the 1930s". Curtis later appeared in ''Halloween II'', ''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' and ''Halloween: Resurrection'', as well as giving an uncredited voice role in ''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''.

Her role in 1983's ''Trading Places'' helped Curtis shed her horror queen image, and garnered her a BAFTA award as best supporting actress. 1988's ''A Fish Called Wanda'' achieved near cult status – while showcasing her as a comedic actress; she was nominated for a BAFTA as best leading actress. She won a Golden Globe for her work in 1994's ''True Lies''. Her recent film roles include Disney's ''Freaky Friday'' (2003), opposite Lindsay Lohan, filmed at Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California, near where Curtis and Guest live with their children. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for this film.

In October 2006, Curtis told ''Access Hollywood'' that she had closed the book on her acting career to focus on her family. She returned to acting after being cast in June 2007 in Disney's live-action-animated film, ''Beverly Hills Chihuahua'', co-starring opposite Piper Perabo as one of three live-action characters in the film. She also starred in the 2010 comedy film ''You Again'', opposite Kristen Bell and Sigourney Weaver.

Television

Curtis made her television debut in an episode of ''Columbo'', but her first starring TV role was opposite Richard Lewis in the situation comedy ''Anything But Love'', which ran for four seasons from 1989 through 1992. Her performance as Hannah Miller received both a Golden Globe and People's Choice Award. She appeared as nurse Lt. Duran in the short-lived television series, ''Operation Petticoat''; based on the big-screen version which starred her real-life father.

She starred in the 1981 TV film, ''Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story'', playing the part of the eponymous doomed Playmate. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her work in TNT's adaptation of the Wendy Wasserstein play ''The Heidi Chronicles''. More recently, Curtis starred in the CBS television movie ''Nicholas' Gift,'' for which she received an Emmy nomination. Curtis also appeared in the science fiction series, ''Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', and an early episode of ''The Drew Carey Show''. Jamie Lee Curtis was a game-show panelist on several episodes of ''Match Game''.

Children's books

Working with illustrator Laura Cornell, Curtis has written a number of children's books, all published by HarperCollins Children's Books.

''When I Was Little: A Four-Year Old's Memoir of Her Youth'', 1993.

''Tell Me Again About The Night I was Born'', 1996.

''Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day'', 1998; listed on the ''New York Times'' best-seller list for 10 weeks.

''Where Do Balloons Go?: An Uplifting Mystery'', 2000.

''I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem'', 2002.

''It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel'', 2004.

''Is There Really a Human Race?'', 2006.

''Big Words for Little People'', ISBN 9780061127595, 2008.

''My Friend Jay'', 2009, edition of one, presented to Jay Leno

''My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story'', 2010.

Invention

In 1987, Curtis filed a US patent application that subsequently issued as Patent No. 4,753,647. This is a modification of a diaper with a moisture proof pocket containing wipes that can be taken out and used with one hand. Curtis refused to allow her invention to be marketed until companies started selling biodegradable diapers, although the full statutory term of this patent expired February 20, 2007 and is now in the public domain.

Personal life

Curtis married actor Christopher Guest on December 18, 1984, becoming Lady Haden-Guest when her husband inherited the Barony of Haden-Guest in 1996, upon the death of his father. The couple has two adopted children (Annie, b. 1986; Thomas b. 1996). Curtis is actor Jake Gyllenhaal's godmother.

On her website, Curtis tells her young readers that she "moonlights as an actor, photographer, and closet organizer." She takes time to support various philanthropic groups. Curtis was Guest of Honor at the 11th annual Gala and Fundraiser in 2003 for Women in Recovery, Inc., a Venice, California-based non-profit organization offering a live-in, twelve-step program of rehabilitation for women in need. Past honorees of this organization include Sir Anthony Hopkins and Angela Lansbury. Curtis is also involved in the work of the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, serving as the annual host for the organization's "Dream Halloween" event in Los Angeles, launched every year in October.

Curtis appeared on the cover of the May/June 2008 issue of ''AARP Magazine,'' with gray hair and in water up to her chest.

Curtis was an alcoholic who was once addicted to pain killers that she began using after a routine cosmetic surgical procedure. She became sober in 1999 and maintains that recovery is the greatest achievement of her life.

Curtis has appeared in advertisements for Activia since 2007, and is a blogger for The Huffington Post online newspaper. During California's 2008 General Election, Curtis appeared in the "YES on Prop 3" TV advertisements.

Filmography

border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9;>

Film appearances
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978		Laurie Strode
	''The Fog''	Elizabeth Solley
	Kim Hammond
''Terror Train''	Alana Maxwell	Nominated — Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign ActressNominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress
	''Escape from New York''	Narrator, computer voice
''Roadgames''	Pamela 'Hitch' Rushworth
''Halloween II''	Laurie Strode
1982	''Halloween III: Season of the Witch''	Phone Operator	voice only, uncredited
1983	''Trading Places''	Ophelia	BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
		Anna Winter
''The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension''	Sandra Banzai	featured in DVD extended version
''Grandview, U.S.A.''	Michelle 'Mike' Cody
		Jessie
1986	''As Summers Die''	Whitsey
1987		"Amazing Grace and Chuck"
	''Dominick and Eugene''	Jennifer Reston
''A Fish Called Wanda''	Wanda Gershwitz	Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading RoleNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1990		Megan Turner	Festival du Film Policier de Cognac
	''[[Queens Logic''	Grace
	Shelly DeVoto
1992		Claire Cooper
1994	''My Girl 2''	Shelly DeVoto Sultenfuss
1994	''Mother's Boys''	Judith 'Jude' Madigan
1994	''True Lies''	Helen Tasker	American Comedy Awards
1996		Janet Beindorf
1997	''[[Fierce Creatures''	Willa Weston
	''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later''	Laurie Strode/Keri Tate
''Nicholas' Gift''	Maggie Green	Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Miniseries or a Movie
1999		Kelly Foster
2000	''Drowning Mona''	Rona Mace
	''The Tailor of Panama''	Louisa Pendel
''Daddy and Them''	Elaine Bowen
2002	''Halloween: Resurrection''	Laurie Strode
2003		Tess Coleman/Anna Coleman	Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyNominated — Saturn Award for Best ActressNominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2004	''Christmas with the Kranks''	Nora Krank
2005	''The Kid & I''	Herself
2008	''Beverly Hills Chihuahua''	Aunt Viv
2010	''You Again''	Gail

border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9;> ''The Love Boat'' ''Operation Petticoat'' ''Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series) ''She's in the Army Now'' ''Callahan'' ''Tall Tales & Legends'' ''As Summers Die'' ''Anything But Love'' ''The Heidi Chronicles'' ''The Drew Carey Show'' ''Nicholas' Gift'' ''Pigs Next Door'' ''A Home for the Holidays'' ''NCIS (TV series)

colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;"	Television appearances
Year	Title	Role	Notes
rowspan="3"	1977	''Quincy M.E.''	Girl in Dressing Room
''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries''	Mary
''Columbo''	WaitressWaitress
rowspan="2"	1978	|	Linda	Episode: Till Death Do Us Part, Maybe/Chubs/Locked Away
''Charlie's Angels''	Linda Frey
1978–1979	|	Lt. Barbara Duran	23 Episodes
1979	Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' ||	Jen Burton	Episode: Unchained Woman
rowspan="2"	1981	|	Pvt. Rita Jennings	TV Movie
''Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story''	Dorothy Stratten
rowspan="2"	1982	|	Rachel Bartlett	TV Movie
''Money on the Side''	Michelle Jamison
1985	|	Annie Oakley	Episode: Annie Oakley
1986	|	Whitsey Loftin	TV Movie
1989–1992	|	Hannah Miller	Series Regular	Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, 1989 Nominated —Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, 1991
1995	|	Heidi Holland	TV Movie	Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film>Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
1996	|	Sioux	Episode: Playing a Unified Field
1998	|	Maggie Green	TV Movie
2000	|	Clara	Voice
2005	|	TV Program Host	TV Movie
2011	NCIS'' ||	TBA	2 episodes

References

External links

for Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell books Jamie Lee Curtis interview

Category:1958 births Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California Category:American people of Jewish descent Category:American children's writers Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners Category:British baronesses Category:Choate Rosemary Hall alumni Category:Living people Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:Saturn Award winners Category:University of the Pacific (United States) alumni Category:American activists Category:American philanthropists ar:جيمي لي كروتس an:Jamie Lee Curtis bg:Джейми Лий Къртис ca:Jamie Lee Curtis cs:Jamie Lee Curtis da:Jamie Lee Curtis de:Jamie Lee Curtis es:Jamie Lee Curtis eo:Jamie Lee Curtis fr:Jamie Lee Curtis fy:Jamie Lee Curtis hr:Jamie Lee Curtis io:Jamie Lee Curtis id:Jamie Lee Curtis ia:Jamie Lee Curtis is:Jamie Lee Curtis it:Jamie Lee Curtis he:ג'יימי לי קרטיס lv:Džeimija Lī Kērtisa hu:Jamie Lee Curtis ms:Jamie Lee Curtis nah:Jamie Lee Curtis nl:Jamie Lee Curtis ja:ジェイミー・リー・カーティス no:Jamie Lee Curtis nds:Jamie Lee Curtis pl:Jamie Lee Curtis pt:Jamie Lee Curtis ro:Jamie Lee Curtis ru:Кёртис, Джейми Ли simple:Jamie Lee Curtis sr:Џејми Ли Кертис fi:Jamie Lee Curtis sv:Jamie Lee Curtis th:เจมี ลี เคอร์ติส tr:Jamie Lee Curtis vi:Jamie Lee Curtis zh:潔美·李·寇蒂斯

name	Tony Curtis
birth name	Bernard Schwartz
birth date	June 03, 1925
birth place	Bronx, New York, U.S.
death date	September 29, 2010
death place	Henderson, Nevada, U.S.
death cause	Cardiac arrest
nationality	American
education	The City College of New York
alma mater	The New School
years active	1948–2010
occupation	Actor
spouse	Janet Leigh(m. 1951–1962; divorced)Christine Kaufmann(m. 1963–1968; divorced)Leslie Allen(m. 1968–1982; divorced)Lisa Deutsch(m. 1993–1994; divorced)Jill Vandenberg(m. 1998–2010; his death)
Children	6, including Kelly Curtis, Jamie Lee Curtis }}

Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz on June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010) was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama. In his later years, Curtis made numerous television appearances.

Although his early film roles were partly the result of his good looks, by the later half of the 1950's he became a notable and strong screen presence. He began proving himself to be a “fine dramatic actor,” having the range to act in numerous dramatic and comedy roles. In his earliest parts he acted in a string of "mediocre" films, including swashbucklers, westerns, light comedies, sports films, and a musical. However, by the time he starred in ''Houdini'' (1953) with his wife Janet Leigh, "his first clear success," notes critic David Thomson, his acting had progressed immensely.

He won his first serious recognition as a skilled dramatic actor in ''Sweet Smell of Success'' (1957) with co-star Burt Lancaster. The following year he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in another drama, ''The Defiant Ones'' (1958). Curtis then gave what many believe was his best acting, in a completely different role, the comedy ''Some Like It Hot'' (1959). Thomson calls it an "outrageous film," and it was voted the number 1 funniest film in history from a survey done by the American Film Institute. It costarred Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, and was directed by Billy Wilder. That was followed by Blake Edwards’ comedy ''Operation Petticoat'' (1959) with Cary Grant. They were both “frantic comedies,” and displayed "his impeccable comic timing." He often collaborated with Edwards on later films.

His most significant serious part came in 1968 when he starred in the true-life drama ''The Boston Strangler'', which some consider his "last major film role." The part reinforced his reputation as a serious actor with his "chilling portrayal" of serial killer Albert DeSalvo. He gained 30 pounds and had his face "rebuilt" with a false nose to look like the real DeSalvo.

Curtis was the father of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis by his first wife, actress Janet Leigh.

Early life

Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in the Bronx, New York, one of three sons of Emanuel Schwartz and Helen Klein. His parents were Hungarian Jewish immigrants from Mátészalka, Hungary. Hungarian was Curtis' only language until he was five or six, postponing his schooling. His father was a tailor and the family lived in the back of the shop — the parents in one corner and Curtis and his brothers Julius and Robert in another. His mother once made an appearance as a participant on the television show ''You Bet Your Life'', hosted by Groucho Marx. Curtis said, "When I was a child, Mom beat me up and was very aggressive and antagonistic." His mother was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. His brother Robert was also institutionalized with the same mental illness.

When Curtis was eight, he and his brother Julius were placed in an orphanage for a month because their parents could not afford to feed them. Four years later, Julius was struck and killed by a truck. Curtis joined a neighborhood gang whose main crimes were playing hooky from school and minor pilfering at the local dime store. Aged 11, a friendly neighbor saved him from what he felt would have led to a life of delinquency by sending him to a Boy Scout camp where he was able to work off his energy and settle down. He attended Seward Park High School. At 16, he had his first small acting part in a school stage play.

Curtis enlisted in the United States Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor and war was declared. After being inspired by Cary Grant's role in ''Destination Tokyo'' and Tyrone Power in ''Crash Dive'' (1943), he joined the Pacific submarine force. Curtis served aboard a submarine tender, the USS ''Proteus'' until the end of the Second World War. On September 2, 1945, Curtis witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay from his ship's signal bridge about a mile away.

Following his discharge from US Navy, Curtis attended City College of New York as a result of the G.I. Bill. He then studied acting at the The New School in Greenwich Village under the influential German stage director Erwin Piscator. Fellow contemporaries included Elaine Stritch, Walter Matthau, and Rod Steiger. While still at college, Curtis was discovered by Joyce Selznick, the notable talent agent, casting director, and niece of film producer David O. Selznick. He later claimed it was because he "was the handsomest of the boys."

In 1948, Curtis arrived in Hollywood aged 23. When he was placed under contract at Universal Pictures, he changed his name from Bernard Schwartz to Tony Curtis. The first name was from the novel ''Anthony Adverse'' and "Kurtz" from a surname in his mother's family. Although Universal Pictures taught him fencing and riding, in keeping with the cinematic themes of the era, Curtis admitted he was at first only interested in girls and money. Neither was he hopeful of his chances of becoming a major star. Curtis biggest fear was having to return home to the Bronx as a failure:

I was a million-to-one shot, the ''least'' likely to succeed. I wasn't low man on the totem pole, I was ''under'' the totem pole, in a sewer, tied to a sack.

Career

Curtis's uncredited screen debut came in ''Criss Cross'' (1949) playing a rumba dancer. In his second film, ''City Across the River'' (also in 1949), he was credited as "Anthony Curtis". Later, as "Tony Curtis", he cemented his reputation with breakthrough performances such as in the role of the scheming press agent Sidney Falco in ''Sweet Smell of Success'' (1957) with Burt Lancaster (who also starred in ''Criss Cross'') and an Oscar-nominated performance as a bigoted escaped convict chained to Sidney Poitier in ''The Defiant Ones''.

He did both screen comedy and drama, and became one of the most sought after stars in Hollywood. Curtis' comedies include ''Some Like It Hot'' (1959), ''Sex and the Single Girl'' (1964) and ''The Great Race'' (1965), and his dramas included playing the slave Antoninus in Stanley Kubrick's ''Spartacus'' (1960) co-starring Kirk Douglas and Sir Laurence Olivier, ''The Outsider'' (1961), the true story of WW II veteran Ira Hayes, and ''The Boston Strangler'' (1968), in which he played the self-confessed murderer of the film's title, Albert DeSalvo. The latter film was praised for Curtis' performance. He was also part of the all-star ensemble in Elia Kazan's 1976 drama ''The Last Tycoon''. Curtis was nominated for a Golden Globe for Supporting actor for his performance in Spartacus (1960) alongside co star Kirk Douglas.

Curtis appeared frequently on television; he co-starred with Roger Moore in the TV series ''The Persuaders!''. Later, he co-starred in ''McCoy'' and ''Vega$''. In the early 1960s, he was immortalized as "Stony Curtis," a voice-over guest star on ''The Flintstones''.

Throughout his life, Curtis enjoyed painting, and since the early 1980s, painted as a second career. His work commands more than $25,000 a canvas now. In the last years of his life, he concentrated on painting rather than movies. A surrealist, Curtis claimed "Van Gogh, [Paul] Matisse, Picasso, Magritte" as influences. "I still make movies but I'm not that interested in them any more. But I paint all the time." In 2007, his painting ''The Red Table'' was on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His paintings can also be seen at the Tony Vanderploeg Gallery in Carmel, California.

Curtis spoke of his disappointment at never being awarded an Oscar. In March 2006, Curtis received the Sony Ericsson Empire Lifetime Achievement Award. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and received the ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) from France in 1995.

Personal life

Marriages and children

Curtis was married five times. His first wife was actress Janet Leigh, to whom he was married from 1951 to 1962, and with whom he fathered actresses Kelly and Jamie Lee Curtis. "For a while, we were Hollywood's golden couple," he said. "I was very dedicated and devoted to Janet, and on top of my trade, but in her eyes that goldenness started to wear off. I realized that whatever I was, I wasn't enough for Janet. That hurt me a lot and broke my heart."

The studio he was under contract with, Universal-International, generally stayed out of their stars' love lives. However, when they chose to get married, studio executives spent three days trying to talk him out of it, telling him he would be "poisoning himself at the box office." They threatened "banishment" back to the Bronx and the end of his budding career. In response, Curtis and Leigh decided to defy the studio heads and instead eloped and were married by a local judge in Greenwich Connecticut. Comedian and close friend Jerry Lewis came as a witness.

It was Leigh's third marriage. They divorced in 1962, and in 1963, Curtis married Christine Kaufmann, the 17-year old German co-star of his latest film, ''Taras Bulba.'' He stated that his marriage with Leigh had effectively ended "a year earlier". They had two daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and Allegra (born July 11, 1966). They divorced in 1968. Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage.

Curtis was also married to:

Leslie Allen (April 20, 1968 – 1982); divorced, two sons: Nicholas Curtis (1970-1994) and Benjamin Curtis (born May 2, 1973)

Lisa Deutsch (February 28, 1993 – 1994); divorced

Jill Vandenberg Curtis (November 6, 1998 – September 29, 2010; his death)

His last wife was 42 years his junior. They met in a restaurant in 1993 and married in 1998. "The age gap doesn't bother us. We laugh a lot. My body is functioning and everything is good. She's the sexiest woman I've ever known. We don't think about time. I don't use Viagra either. There are 50 ways to please your lover."

His son Nicholas (December 31, 1970 — April 2, 1994, with Leslie Allen) died of a heroin overdose at the age of 23. On his son's death, Curtis remarked, "You never get over that. The death of a child. No. Can't talk about it," and that it's "a terrible thing when a father loses his son."

According to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, Curtis, who had a problem with alcoholism and drug abuse, went though the treatment center of the Betty Ford Clinic in the mid 1980s, which was successful for him.

Philanthropy

Beginning in 1990, Curtis and his daughter Jamie Lee Curtis took a renewed interest in their family's Hungarian-Jewish heritage, and helped finance the rebuilding of the "Great Synagogue" in Budapest, Hungary.(photo) The largest synagogue in Europe today, it was originally built in 1859 and suffered damage during World War II. In 1998, he also founded the Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture, and served as honorary chairperson. The organization works for the restoration and preservation of synagogues and 1300 Jewish cemeteries in Hungary. He dedicated this to the 600,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust in Hungary and lands occupied by the Hungarian Army. He also helped promote Hungary's national image in commercials.

Books and appearances

In 1994, a mural featuring his likeness, painted by the artist George Sportelli, was unveiled on the Sunset Boulevard overpass of the Hollywood Freeway Highway 101 in California.

In 2004, he was inducted into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Hall of Fame. A street is named after him in the Sun City Anthem development in Henderson, Nevada.

In 2008, he was featured in the documentary ''The Jill & Tony Curtis Story'' about his efforts with his wife to rescue horses from slaughterhouses.

In October 2008, Curtis's autobiography ''American Prince: A Memoir'', was published. In it, he describes his encounters with other Hollywood legends of the time including Frank Sinatra and James Dean, as well as his hard-knock childhood and path to success. It was followed by the publication of his next book, ''The Making of Some Like it Hot: My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie'' (2009). Curtis shared his memories of the making of the movie, in particular about Marilyn Monroe, whose antics and attitude on the set made everyone miserable.

On May 22, 2009, Curtis apologized to the BBC radio audience after he used three profanities in a six-minute interview with BBC presenter William Crawley. The presenter also apologized to the audience for Curtis's "Hollywood realism". Curtis explained that he thought the interview was being taped, when it was in fact live.

Later years and death

In 1984 Curtis was rushed to hospital suffering from advanced cirrhosis as a result of his alcoholism and cocaine addiction. He then entered the Betty Ford Clinic and vowed to overcome his "various illnesses". He underwent heart bypass surgery in 1994.

Curtis nearly died when he contracted pneumonia in December 2006 and was in a coma for several days. As a result he used a wheelchair and could only walk short distances.

On July 8, 2010, Curtis, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was hospitalized in Las Vegas after suffering an asthma attack during a book signing engagement in Henderson, Nevada at Costco.

Curtis died at his Henderson, Nevada home on September 29, 2010, of a cardiac arrest. In a release to the Associated Press, his daughter, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, stated:

"My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages. He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world. He will be greatly missed."

He was interred at Palm Memorial Park Cemetery in Green Valley, Nevada on October 4, 2010. His memorial service was attended by his daughters, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ron Jeremy, Rich Little, and Vera Goulet, Robert Goulet's widow. Investor Kirk Kerkorian, actor Kirk Douglas and singer Phyllis McGuire were among the honorary pallbearers.

Filmography

''Criss Cross'' (1949)

''City Across the River'' (1949)

''The Lady Gambles'' (1949)

''Take One False Step'' (1949) (scenes deleted)

''Johnny Stool Pigeon'' (1949)

''How to Smuggle a Hernia Across the Border'' (1949) (short subject)

''Woman in Hiding'' (1950)

''Francis'' (1950)

''I Was a Shoplifter'' (1950)

''Sierra'' (1950)

''Winchester '73'' (1950) (Credited as Anthony Curtis)

''Kansas Raiders'' (1950)

''The Prince Who Was a Thief'' (1951)

''Meet Danny Wilson'' (1952) (cameo)

''Flesh and Fury'' (1952)

''No Room for the Groom'' (1952)

''Son of Ali Baba'' (1952)

''Houdini'' (1953)

''The All-American'' (1953)

''Forbidden'' (1953)

''Beachhead'' (1954)

''Johnny Dark'' (1954)

''The Black Shield of Falworth'' (1954)

''Six Bridges to Cross'' (1955)

''So This Is Paris'' (1955)

''The Purple Mask'' (1955)

''The Rawhide Years'' (1955)

''The Square Jungle'' (1955)

''Trapeze'' (1956)

''Mister Cory'' (1957)

''Sweet Smell of Success'' (1957)

''The Midnight Story'' (1957)

''The Vikings'' (1958)

''Kings Go Forth'' (1958)

''The Defiant Ones'' (1958)

''The Perfect Furlough'' (1958)

''Some Like It Hot'' (1959)

''Operation Petticoat'' (1959)

''Who Was That Lady?'' (1960)

''The Rat Race'' (1960)

''Spartacus'' (1960)

''Pepe'' (1960) (cameo)

''The Great Impostor'' (1961)

''The Outsider'' (1961), as Ira Hayes

''Taras Bulba'' (1962)

''40 Pounds of Trouble'' (1962)

''The List of Adrian Messenger'' (1963) (cameo)

''Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963)

''Paris, When It Sizzles'' (1964) (cameo)

''Wild and Wonderful'' (1964)

''Goodbye Charlie'' (1964)

''Sex and the Single Girl'' (1964)

''The Great Race'' (1965)

''Boeing Boeing'' (1965)

''The Flintstones'' (1965) (voice)

''Chamber of Horrors'' (1966) (cameo)

''Not with My Wife, You Don't!'' (1966)

''Arrivederci, Baby!'' (1966)

''Don't Make Waves'' (1967)

''On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...'' (1968)

''Rosemary's Baby'' (1968) (voice)

''The Boston Strangler'' (1968)

''Monte Carlo or Bust'' (1969)

''You Can't Win 'Em All'' (1970)

''Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'' (1970)

''The Persuaders!'' (1971–1972)

''Mission: Monte Carlo'' (1974)

''Lepke'' (1975)

''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (1975)

''London Conspiracy'' (1976)

''The Last Tycoon'' (1976)

''Casanova & Co.'' (1977)

''Sextette'' (1978)

''The Manitou'' (1978)

''The Bad News Bears Go to Japan'' (1978)

''The Users'' (1978)

''Electric Light Orchestra'' ''Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley'' (1978)

''Double Take'' (1979)

''Title Shot'' (1979)

''Little Miss Marker'' (1980)

''It Rained All Night the Day I Left'' (1980)

''The Mirror Crack'd'' (1980)

''Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara War'' (1980)

''Othello, the Black Commando'' (1982)

''Where Is Parsifal?'' (1983)

''BrainWaves'' (1983)

''The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal'' (1985) (documentary)

''Club Life'' (1985)

''Insignificance'' (1985)

''The Last of Philip Banter'' (1986)

''Balboa'' (1986)

''The Passenger - Welcome to Germany'' (1988)

''Lobster Man From Mars'' (1989)

''Midnight'' (1989)

''Tarzan in Manhattan'' (1989)

''Walter & Carlo In America'' (1989)

''Prime Target'' (1991)

''Center of the Web'' (1992)

''Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time'' (1992) (documentary)

''Naked in New York'' (1993)

''The Mummy Lives'' (1993)

''A Century of Cinema'' (1994) (documentary)

''The Immortals'' (1995)

''The Celluloid Closet'' (1995) (documentary)

''Roseanne'' - TV Series (1996) (role as Hal, ballroom dance studio instructor)

''Hardball'' (1997)

''Brittle Glory'' (1997)

''Elvis Meets Nixon'' (1997)

''Alien X Factor'' (1997)

''Stargames'' (1998)

''Louis & Frank'' (1998)

''Play It to the Bone'' (1999) (cameo)

''Reflections of Evil'' (2002) (narrator)

''Where's Marty?'' (2006)

''The Blacksmith and the Carpenter'' (2007) (voice)

''David & Fatima'' (2008)

''The Jill & Tony Curtis Story'' (2008) (documentary feature)

References

Further reading

The book includes Tony Curtis's prose, poetry, and artwork.

External links

CBS news: Tony Curtis 1925-2010 video: 1.5 minutes

Biography and naval service from the California Center for Military History website

Tony Curtis' Famous Friends - slideshow by ''Life magazine''

2009 interview with Dodd Vickers for the Magic Newswire

2007 interview by Nick Thomas in ''Nevada Magazine''

Tony Curtis and Nehemiah Persoff talk about ''Some Like it Hot''

John Patterson, "Some like it very hot", ''The Guardian'', 18 April 2008

Alison Jackson, ''Some tormented Hollywood souls still like their gossip hot, Profile: Tony Curtis,'' ''Sunday Times'', 20 April 2008

Documentary film, ''The Jill & Tony Curtis Story''

Photographs and literature

Tony Curtis: Life and Times - slideshow by ''Life magazine''

''The Telegraph'' obituary

Interview by Michael Hainey for ''GQ Magazine''

Category:1925 births Category:2010 deaths Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from California Category:Actors from Nevada Category:Actors from New York City Category:American activists Category:American people of Hungarian descent Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent Category:American television actors Category:Cardiovascular disease deaths in Nevada Category:Deaths from heart failure Category:Jewish activists Category:Jewish actors Category:American Jews Category:People from the Bronx Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:Writers from California Category:Writers from Nevada Category:Writers from New York City Category:United States Navy sailors

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name	John Wayne
birth name	Marion Robert Morrison
birth date	May 26, 1907
birth place	Winterset, Iowa, U.S.
death date	June 11, 1979
death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
other names	Marion Mitchell Morrison; "The Duke"; Duke Morrison
occupation	Actor, director, producer
education	Glendale High School
alma mater	University of Southern California
home town	Glendale, California
party	Republican
religion	Roman Catholic convert from Presbyterian
years active	1926–76
death cause	Stomach cancer
spouse
website	http://www.johnwayne.com }}

Marion Mitchell Morrison (born Marion Robert Morrison; May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive voice, walk and height. He was also known for his conservative political views and his support, beginning in the 1950s, for anti-communist positions.

A Harris Poll, released January 2011, placed Wayne third among America's favorite film stars, the only deceased star on the list and the only one who has appeared on the poll every year since it first began in 1994.

In June of 1999, the American Film Institute named Wayne 13th among the Greatest Male Screen Legends of All Time.

Early life

Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa. His middle name was soon changed from Robert to Mitchell when his parents decided to name their next son Robert.

Wayne's father, Clyde Leonard Morrison (1884–1937), was the son of American Civil War veteran Marion Mitchell Morrison (1845–1915). Wayne's mother, the former Mary "Molly" Alberta Brown (1885–1970), was from Lancaster County, Nebraska. Wayne was of Presbyterian Scots-Irish descent through his second great-grandfather Robert Morrison, who was born in County Antrim, Ireland and emigrated to the United States in 1782.

Wayne's family moved to Palmdale, California, and then in 1911 to Glendale, California, where his father worked as a pharmacist. A local fireman at the station on his route to school in Glendale started calling him "Little Duke" because he never went anywhere without his huge Airedale Terrier, Duke. He preferred "Duke" to "Marion", and the name stuck for the rest of his life.

As a teen, Wayne worked in an ice cream shop for a man who shod horses for Hollywood studios. He was also active as a member of the Order of DeMolay, a youth organization associated with the Freemasons. He attended Wilson Middle School in Glendale. He played football for the 1924 champion Glendale High School team. Wayne applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, but was not accepted. He instead attended the University of Southern California (USC), majoring in pre-law. He was a member of the Trojan Knights and Sigma Chi fraternities. Wayne also played on the USC football team under legendary coach Howard Jones. An injury curtailed his athletic career; Wayne later noted he was too terrified of Jones's reaction to reveal the actual cause of his injury, which was bodysurfing at the “Wedge” at the tip of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. He lost his athletic scholarship and, without funds, had to leave the university.

Wayne began working at the local film studios. Prolific silent western film star Tom Mix had gotten him a summer job in the prop department in exchange for football tickets. Wayne soon moved on to bit parts, establishing a longtime friendship with the director who provided most of those roles, John Ford. Early in this period, Wayne appeared with his USC teammates playing football in ''Brown of Harvard'' (1926), ''The Dropkick'' (1927), and ''Salute'' (1929) and Columbia's ''Maker of Men'' (filmed in 1930, released in 1931). Also, it is during this period that Wayne is reputed to have met the legendary gunfighter and lawman Wyatt Earp.

Film career

While working for Fox Film Corporation in bit roles, he was given on-screen credit as "Duke Morrison" only once, in ''Words and Music'' (1929). In 1930, director Raoul Walsh cast him in his first starring role in ''The Big Trail'' (1930). For his screen name, Walsh suggested "Anthony Wayne", after Revolutionary War general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. Fox Studios chief Winfield Sheehan rejected it as sounding "too Italian". Walsh then suggested "John Wayne". Sheehan agreed, and the name was set. Wayne himself was not even present for the discussion. His pay was raised to $105 a week.

''The Big Trail'' was to be the first big-budget outdoor spectacle of the sound era, made at a staggering cost of over $2 million, using hundreds of extras and wide vistas of the American southwest, still largely unpopulated at the time. To take advantage of the breathtaking scenery, it was filmed in two versions, a standard 35mm version and another in "Grandeur", a new process using innovative camera and lenses and a revolutionary 70mm widescreen process. Many in the audience who saw it in Grandeur stood and cheered. Unfortunately, only a handful of theaters were equipped to show the film in its widescreen process, and the effort was largely wasted. The film was considered a huge flop. After the failure of ''The Big Trail'', Wayne was relegated to small roles in A-pictures, including Columbia's ''The Deceiver'' (1931), in which he played a corpse. He appeared in the serial ''The Three Musketeers'' (1933), an updated version of the Alexandre Dumas novel in which the protagonists were soldiers in the French Foreign Legion in then-contemporary North Africa. He appeared in many low-budget "Poverty Row" westerns, mostly at Monogram Pictures and serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. By Wayne's own estimation, he appeared in about eighty of these horse operas between 1930 - 1939. In ''Riders of Destiny'' (1933) he became one of the first singing cowboys of film, albeit via dubbing. Wayne also appeared in some of the ''Three Mesquiteers'' westerns, whose title was a play on the Dumas classic. He was mentored by stuntmen in riding and other western skills. He and famed stuntman Yakima Canutt developed and perfected stunts still used today.

Wayne's breakthrough role came with director John Ford's classic ''Stagecoach'' (1939). Because of Wayne's non-star status and track record in low-budget westerns throughout the 1930s, Ford had difficulty getting financing for what was to be an A-budget film. After rejection by all the top studios, Ford struck a deal with independent producer Walter Wanger in which Claire Trevor—a much bigger star at the time—received top billing. ''Stagecoach'' was a huge critical and financial success, and Wayne became a star. He later appeared in more than twenty of John Ford's films, including ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' (1949), ''The Quiet Man'' (1952), ''The Searchers'' (1956), ''The Wings of Eagles'' (1957), and ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962).

Wayne's first color film was ''Shepherd of the Hills'' (1941), in which he co-starred with his longtime friend Harry Carey. The following year, he appeared in his only film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, the Technicolor epic ''Reap the Wild Wind'' (1942), in which he co-starred with Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard; it was one of the rare times he played a character with questionable values.

In 1949, director Robert Rossen offered the starring role of ''All the King's Men'' to Wayne. Wayne refused, believing the script to be un-American in many ways. Broderick Crawford, who eventually got the role, won the 1949 Oscar for best male actor, ironically beating out Wayne, who had been nominated for ''Sands of Iwo Jima.'' He lost the leading role in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950) to Gregory Peck due to his refusal to work for Columbia Pictures because its chief, Harry Cohn, had mistreated him years before when he was a young contract player. Cohn had bought the project for Wayne, but Wayne's grudge was too deep, and Cohn sold the script to Twentieth Century Fox, which cast Peck in the role Wayne badly wanted but for which he refused to bend.

One of Wayne's most popular roles was in ''The High and the Mighty'' (1954), directed by William Wellman, and based on a novel by Ernest K. Gann. His portrayal of a heroic copilot won widespread acclaim. Wayne also portrayed aviators in ''Flying Tigers (1942),'' ''Flying Leathernecks'' (1951), ''Island in the Sky'' (1953), ''The Wings of Eagles'' (1957), and ''Jet Pilot'' (1957).

''The Searchers'' (1956) continues to be widely regarded as perhaps Wayne's finest and most complex performance. In 2006, ''Premiere Magazine'' ran an industry poll in which Wayne's portrayal of Ethan Edwards was rated the 87th greatest performance in film history. He named his youngest son Ethan after the character. John Wayne won a Best Actor Oscar for ''True Grit'' (1969). Wayne was also nominated as the producer of Best Picture for ''The Alamo'' (1960), one of two films he directed. The other was ''The Green Berets'' (1968), the only major film made during the Vietnam War to support the war. During the filming of ''Green Berets'', the Degar or Montagnard people of Vietnam's Central Highlands, fierce fighters against communism, bestowed on Wayne a brass bracelet that he wore in the film and all subsequent films. His last film was ''The Shootist'' (1976), whose main character, J. B. Books, was dying of cancer—the illness to which Wayne himself succumbed three years later.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Wayne played the lead in 142 of his film appearances.

Batjac, the production company co-founded by Wayne, was named after the fictional shipping company Batjak in ''Wake of the Red Witch'' (1948), a film based on the novel by Garland Roark. (A spelling error by Wayne's secretary was allowed to stand, accounting for the variation.) Batjac (and its predecessor, Wayne-Fellows Productions) was the arm through which Wayne produced many films for himself and other stars. Its best-known non-Wayne production was the highly acclaimed ''Seven Men From Now'' (1956), which started the classic collaboration between director Budd Boetticher and star Randolph Scott.

In the ''Motion Picture Herald'' Top Ten Money- Making Western Stars poll, Wayne was listed in 1936 and 1939. He appeared in the similar ''Box Office'' poll in 1939 and 1940. While these two polls are really an indication only of the popularity of series stars, Wayne also appeared in the ''Top Ten Money Makers Poll'' of all films from 1949 to 1957 and 1958 to 1974, taking first place in 1950, 1951, 1954 and 1971 . With a total of 25 years on the list, Wayne has more appearances than any other star, beating Clint Eastwood (21) into second place.

In later years, Wayne was recognized as a sort of American natural resource, and his various critics, of his performances and his politics, viewed him with more respect. Abbie Hoffman, the radical of the 1960s, paid tribute to Wayne's singularity, saying, "I like Wayne's wholeness, his style. As for his politics, well—I suppose even cavemen felt a little admiration for the dinosaurs that were trying to gobble them up." Reviewing ''The Cowboys'' (1972), Vincent Canby of the ''New York Times'', who did not particularly care for the film, wrote: "Wayne is, of course, marvelously indestructible, and he has become an almost perfect father figure."

Filmography

1964 illness

Wayne had been a chain-smoker of cigarettes since young adulthood. In 1964, Wayne was diagnosed with lung cancer, and underwent successful surgery to remove his entire left lung and four ribs. Despite efforts by his business associates to prevent him from going public with his illness (for fear it would cost him work), Wayne announced he had cancer and called on the public to get preventive examinations. Five years later, Wayne was declared cancer-free. Despite the fact that Wayne's diminished lung capacity left him incapable of prolonged exertion and frequently in need of supplemental oxygen, within a few years of his operation he chewed tobacco and began smoking cigars until the day he died.

Politics

Wayne claimed in his ''Playboy'' interview to have been a socialist during his years at college, and he admitted voting for Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. In the same interview, he also expressed admiration for Democratic President Harry S Truman. For most of his career, however, he was a vocally conservative Republican. He took part in creating the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals in February 1944 and was elected president of that organization in 1947. He was an ardent anti-communist and vocal supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1952, he made ''Big Jim McLain'' to show his support for the anti-communist cause. A supporter of Vice President Richard Nixon's candidacy in the United States presidential election in 1960, he expressed his vision of patriotism when John F. Kennedy won the election: "I didn't vote for him but he's my president, and I hope he does a good job."

Wayne used his iconic status to support conservative causes, including rallying support for the Vietnam War by producing, co-directing, and starring in the critically panned ''The Green Berets'' in 1968. In the mid-1970s, however, he went against many fellow conservatives in supporting the Panama Canal Treaty.

Due to his enormous popularity, and his status as the most famous Republican star in Hollywood, wealthy Texas Republican Party backers asked Wayne to run for national office in 1968, as had his friend and fellow actor, Senator George Murphy. He declined, joking that he did not believe the public would seriously consider an actor in the White House. However, he did support his friend Ronald Reagan's runs for Governor of California in 1966 and 1970. He was also asked to be the running mate for Democratic Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968. Wayne vehemently rejected the offer. Wayne actively campaigned for Richard Nixon, and addressed the Republican National Convention on its opening day in August 1968. Wayne also was a member of the conservative and anti-communist John Birch Society.

Wayne openly differed with the Republican Party over the issue of the Panama Canal. Conservatives wanted America to retain full control, but Wayne, believing that the Panamanians had the right to the canal, sided with President Jimmy Carter and the Democrats to win passage of the treaty returning the canal in the Senate. Mr. Wayne was a close friend of the late Panamanian leader, Brig. Gen. Omar Torrijos Herrera. Mr. Wayne's first wife, Josephine, whom he divorced in 1946, was a native of Panama.

Soviet documents released in 2003 revealed, despite being a fan of Wayne's movies, Joseph Stalin ordered Wayne's assassination due to his strong anti-communist politics. Stalin died before the killing could be accomplished. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, reportedly told Wayne during a 1959 visit to the United States that he had personally rescinded the order.

Controversy

Military service

America's entry into World War II resulted in a deluge of support for the war effort from all sectors of society, and Hollywood was no exception. Many established stars rushed to sign up for military service.

As the majority of male leads left Hollywood to serve overseas, John Wayne saw his just-blossoming stardom at risk. Despite enormous pressure from his inner circle of friends, he put off enlisting. Wayne was exempted from service due to his age (34 at the time of Pearl Harbor) and family status, classified as 3-A (family deferment). Wayne's secretary recalled making inquiries of military officials on behalf of his interest in enlisting, "but he never really followed up on them". He repeatedly wrote to John Ford, asking to be placed in Ford's military unit, but consistently postponed it until "after he finished one more film", Republic Studios was emphatically resistant to losing Wayne, especially after the loss of Gene Autry to the Army.

Correspondence between Wayne and Herbert J. Yates (the head of Republic) indicates Yates threatened Wayne with a lawsuit if he walked away from his contract, though the likelihood of a studio suing its biggest star for going to war was minute. Whether or not the threat was real, Wayne did not test it. Selective Service records indicate he did not attempt to prevent his reclassification as 1-A (draft eligible), but apparently Republic Pictures intervened directly, requesting his further deferment. In May, 1944, Wayne was reclassified as 1-A (draft eligible), but the studio obtained another 2-A deferment (for "support of national health, safety, or interest"). He remained 2-A until the war's end. Thus, John Wayne did not illegally "dodge" the draft, but he never took direct positive action toward enlistment.

Wayne was in the South Pacific theater of the war for three months in 1943–44, touring U.S. bases and hospitals, as well as doing some work for OSS commander William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan, who "hoped that a celebrity like Wayne could provide information denied his own operatives. Donovan was particularly interested in Wayne's assessment of MacArthur himself. Wayne's mission was only partly successful. He never met MacArthur, and although he filed a report with Donovan when he got back to the States, he had nothing substantial to offer Donovan." Donovan gave him a plaque and commendation for serving with the OSS, but Wayne dismissed it as meaningless.

The foregoing facts influenced the direction of Wayne's later life. By many accounts, Wayne's failure to serve in the military during World War II was the most painful experience of his life. Some other stars, for various reasons, did not enlist, but Wayne, by virtue of becoming a celluloid war hero in several patriotic war films, as well as an outspoken supporter of conservative political causes and the Vietnam War, became the focus of particular disdain from both himself and certain portions of the public, particularly in later years. While some hold Wayne in contempt for the paradox between his early actions and his later attitudes, his widow suggests Wayne's rampant patriotism in later decades sprang not from hypocrisy but from guilt. Pilar Wayne wrote, "He would become a 'superpatriot' for the rest of his life trying to atone for staying home."

Statements to ''Playboy'' magazine

In an interview with ''Playboy'' magazine published on May 1, 1971, Wayne made several controversial remarks about race and class in the United States. The interview became a hot topic and many stores had trouble keeping the issue in stock. He noted that, as someone living in the 20th century, he was not responsible for the way people who lived one hundred years before him had treated Native Americans, stating:

I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them if that's what you're asking. Our so called stealing of this country was just a question of survival. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.... Look, I'm sure there have been inequalities. If those inequalities are presently affecting any of the Indians now alive, they have a right to a court hearing. But what happened 100 years ago in our country can't be blamed on us today. I'm quite sure that the concept of a Government-run reservation... seems to be what the socialists are working for now – to have everyone cared for from cradle to grave.... What happened between their forefathers and our forefathers is so far back – right, wrong or indifferent – that I don't see why we owe them anything. I don't know why the government should give them something that it wouldn't give me.

Wayne responded to questions about whether social programs like Medicare and Social Security were good for the country:

I know all about that. In the late Twenties, when I was a sophomore at USC, I was a socialist myself – but not when I left. The average college kid idealistically wishes everybody could have ice cream and cake for every meal. But as he gets older and gives more thought to his and his fellow man's responsibilities, he finds that it can't work out that way – that some people just won't carry their load.... I believe in welfare – a welfare work program. I don't think a fella should be able to sit on his backside and receive welfare. I'd like to know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them a living. I'd like to know why they make excuses for cowards who spit in the faces of the police and then run behind the judicial sob sisters. I can't understand these people who carry placards to save the life of some criminal, yet have no thought for the innocent victim.

In the interview he previously had discussed race relations, including his response to Angela Davis's assertion that her removal from a position as an assistant professor in the UCLA philosophy department on the grounds that she was an active member the Communist party was actually because she was black:

With a lot of blacks, there's quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so. But we can't all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.

When asked how blacks could address their perceived lack of leadership experience and the inequities of the past, Wayne replied:

It's not my judgment. The academic community has developed certain tests that determine whether the blacks are sufficiently equipped scholastically. But some blacks have tried to force the issue and enter college when they haven't passed the tests and don't have the requisite background.... By going to school. I don't know why people insist that blacks have been forbidden to go to school. They were allowed in public schools wherever I've been. Even if they don't have the proper credentials for college, there are courses to help them become eligible. But if they aren't academically ready for that step, I don't think they should be allowed in. Otherwise, the academic society is brought down to the lowest common denominator.... What good would it do to register anybody in a class of higher algebra or calculus if they haven't learned to count? There has to be a standard. I don't feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves. Now, I'm not condoning slavery. It's just a fact of life, like the kid who gets infantile paralysis and has to wear braces so he can't play football with the rest of us. I will say this, though: I think any black who can compete with a white today can get a better break than a white man. I wish they'd tell me where in the world they have it better than right here in America.

Wayne later made controversial pro-war comments when asked why a North-South joint election in Vietnam could not have been administered in lieu of armed conflict:

That would be no more practical than if France, after coming to help us in the Revolution, suggested having an election to decide what we wanted to do. It would be an exact parallel. The majority of those living in the Colonies didn't want war at that time. If there had been a general election then, we probably wouldn't be here today. As far as Vietnam is concerned, we've made mistakes. I know of no country that's perfect. But I honestly believe that there's as much need for us to help the Vietnamese as there was to help the Jews in Germany. The only difference is that we haven't had any leadership in this war. All the liberal senators have stuck their noses in this, and it's out of their bailiwick. They've already put far too many barriers in the way of the military. Our lack of leadership has gone so far that now no one man can come in, face the issue and tell people that we ought to be in an all-out war.

Personal life

Wayne was married three times and divorced twice. His wives, all of them Hispanic women, were Josephine Alicia Saenz, Esperanza Baur, and Pilar Pallete. He had four children with Josephine:

Michael Wayne (film producer) - Born November 23, 1934 / Died April 2, 2003

Mary Antonia "Toni" Wayne LaCava - Born February 25, 1936 / Died December 6, 2000

Patrick Wayne (actor) - Born July 15, 1939

Melinda Wayne Munoz - Born December 3, 1940

and three with Pilar:

Aissa Wayne (actress, now attorney) - Born March 31, 1956

John Ethan Wayne (actor) - Born February 22, 1962

Marisa Wayne (actress) - Born February 22, 1966

Heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison alleges that Wayne is his great-uncle. Wayne's son Ethan was billed as John Ethan Wayne in a few films, and played one of the leads in the 1990s update of the ''Adam-12'' television series.

His stormiest divorce was from Esperanza Baur, a former Mexican actress. She convinced herself that Wayne and co-star Gail Russell were having an affair. The night the film ''Angel and the Badman'' (1947) wrapped, there was the usual party for cast and crew, and Wayne came home very late. Esperanza was in a drunken rage by the time he arrived, and she attempted to shoot him as he walked through the front door.

Wayne's hair began thinning in the 1940s, and he started wearing a hairpiece by the end of that decade (though his receding hairline is quite evident in ''Rio Grande''). He was occasionally seen in public without the hairpiece (notably, according to ''Life Magazine'' photos, at Gary Cooper's funeral). The only time he unintentionally appeared on film without it was for a split second in ''North to Alaska.'' On the first punch of the climactic fistfight, Wayne's hat flies off, revealing a brief flash of his unadorned scalp. Wayne also has several scenes in ''The Wings of Eagles'' where he is without his hairpiece. (During a widely noted appearance at Harvard University, Wayne was asked by a student, "Is your hair real?" Wayne responded in the affirmative, then added, "It's not mine, but it's real!")

Wayne had several high-profile affairs, including one with Marlene Dietrich that lasted for three years. In the years prior to his death, Wayne was romantically involved with his former secretary Pat Stacy (1941–1995). She wrote a biography of her life with him, ''DUKE: A Love Story'' (1983).

A close friend of Wayne's, California Congressman Alphonzo Bell, wrote of him, "Duke's personality and sense of humor were very close to what the general public saw on the big screen. It is perhaps best shown in these words he had engraved on a plaque: 'Each of us is a mixture of some good and some not so good qualities. In considering one's fellow man it's important to remember the good things. . . We should refrain from making judgments just because a fella happens to be a dirty, rotten SOB.'"

During the early 1960s, John Wayne traveled extensively to Panama. During this time, the actor reportedly purchased the island of Taborcillo off the main coast of Panama. It was sold by his estate at his death and changed hands many times before being opened as a tourist attraction.

Wayne was a Freemason, a Master Mason in Marion McDaniel Lodge #56 F&AM;, in Tucson. He became a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and later joined the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple in Los Angeles. He became a member of the York Rite.

Wayne biographer Michael Munn writes of Wayne's love of alcohol. According to Sam O'Steen's memoir, ''Cut to the Chase'', studio directors knew to shoot Wayne's scenes before noon, because by afternoon Wayne "was a mean drunk".

John Wayne's height has been perennially described as at least 6'4" (193 cm), but claims abound that he was shorter. However, Wayne's high school athletic records indicate he was 6'3" at age 17, and his University of Southern California athletic records state that by age 18, he had grown to 6'4".

Death

Although he enrolled in a cancer vaccine study in an attempt to ward off the disease, John Wayne died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979, at the UCLA Medical Center, and was interred in the Pacific View Memorial Park cemetery in Corona del Mar. According to his son Patrick, he converted to Roman Catholicism shortly before his death. He requested his tombstone read "Feo, Fuerte y Formal", a Mexican epitaph Wayne described as meaning "ugly, strong and dignified". However, the grave, unmarked for twenty years, is now marked with a quotation from his controversial 1971 ''Playboy'' interview: "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."

Among the 220 or so cast and crew who filmed the 1956 film, ''The Conqueror'', on location near St. George, Utah, 91 at various times developed some form of cancer (41%), including stars Wayne, Susan Hayward, and Agnes Moorehead, and director Dick Powell. The film was shot in southwestern Utah, east of and generally downwind from where the U.S. Government had tested nuclear weapons in southeastern Nevada. Although the 41% incidence of cancer in the cast and crew is identical to that of the general population, many contend radioactive fallout from these tests contaminated the film location and poisoned the film crew working there. Despite the suggestion Wayne’s 1964 lung cancer and his 1979 stomach cancer resulted from this nuclear contamination, he himself believed his lung cancer to have been a result of his six-pack-a-day cigarette habit.

Legacy

Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom

John Wayne's enduring status as an iconic American was formally recognized by the United States Congress on May 26, 1979, when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Hollywood figures and American leaders from across the political spectrum, including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Mike Frankovich, Katharine Hepburn, General and Mrs. Omar Bradley, Gregory Peck, Robert Stack, James Arness, and Kirk Douglas, testified to Congress of the merit and deservedness of this award. Most notable was the testimony of Robert Aldrich, then president of the Directors Guild of America: "It is important for you to know that I am a registered Democrat and, to my knowledge, share none of the political views espoused by Duke. However, whether he is ill disposed or healthy, John Wayne is far beyond the normal political sharp shooting in this community. Because of his courage, his dignity, his integrity, and because of his talents as an actor, his strength as a leader, his warmth as a human being throughout his illustrious career, he is entitled to a unique spot in our hearts and minds. In this industry, we often judge people, sometimes unfairly, by asking whether they have paid their dues. John Wayne has paid his dues over and over, and I'm proud to consider him a friend and am very much in favor of my Government recognizing in some important fashion the contribution that Mr. Wayne has made."

Maureen O'Hara, Wayne's close friend, initiated the petition for the medal and requested the words that would be placed onto the medal: "It is my great honor to be here. I beg you to strike a medal for Duke, to order the President to strike it. And I feel that the medal should say just one thing, 'John Wayne, American.'" The medal crafted by the United States Mint has on one side John Wayne riding on horseback, and the other side has a portrait of Wayne with the words, "John Wayne, American". This Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the family of John Wayne in a ceremony held on March 6, 1980, at the United States Capitol. Copies were made and sold in large numbers to the public.

On June 9, 1980, Wayne was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter (at whose inaugural ball Wayne had appeared "as a member of the loyal opposition", as Wayne described it in his speech to the gathering). Thus Wayne received the two highest civilian decorations awarded by the United States government.

American icon

Wayne rose beyond the typical recognition for a famous actor to that of an enduring icon who symbolized and communicated American values and ideals. By the middle of his career, Wayne had developed a larger-than-life image, and as his career progressed, he selected roles that would not compromise his off-screen image. By the time of his last film ''The Shootist'' (1976), Wayne refused to allow his character to shoot a man in the back as was originally scripted, saying "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it."

Wayne's rise to being the quintessential movie war hero began to take shape four years after World War II, when ''Sands of Iwo Jima'' (1949) was released. His footprints at Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood were laid in concrete that contained sand from Iwo Jima. His status grew so large and legendary that when Japanese Emperor Hirohito visited the United States in 1975, he asked to meet John Wayne, the symbolic representation of his country's former enemy.

Wayne was a popular visitor to the war zones in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. By the 1950s, perhaps in large part due to the military aspect of films such as the ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', ''Flying Tigers'', ''They Were Expendable'', and the Ford cavalry trilogy, Wayne had become an icon to all the branches of the U.S. Military, even in light of his actual lack of military service. Many veterans have said their reason for serving was in some part related to watching Wayne's movies. His name is attached to various pieces of gear, such as the P-38 "John Wayne" can opener, so named because "it can do anything", paper towels known as "John Wayne toilet paper" because "it's rough and it's tough and don't take shit off no one," and C-Ration crackers are called "John Wayne crackers" because presumably only someone as tough as Wayne could eat them. A rough and rocky mountain pass used by military tanks and jeeps at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County, California, is aptly named "John Wayne Pass".

Various public locations, named in memory of John Wayne, include John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, where his nine-foot bronze statue graces the entrance; the John Wayne Marina that Wayne bequeathed the land for, near Sequim, Washington; John Wayne Elementary School (P.S. 380) in Brooklyn, NY, which boasts a 38-foot mosaic mural commission by New York artist Knox Martin entitled "John Wayne and the American Frontier"; and a 100-plus-mile trail named the "John Wayne Pioneer Trail" in Washington state's Iron Horse State Park. A larger than life-size bronze statue of Wayne atop a horse was erected at the corner of La Cienega Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California at the former offices of the Great Western Savings & Loan Corporation, for whom Wayne had done a number of commercials. (The building now houses Larry Flynt Enterprises.)

In the city of Maricopa, Arizona, part of AZ State Highway 347 is named John Wayne Parkway, which runs right through the center of town.

On December 5, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver inducted Wayne into the California Hall of Fame, located at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts.

Celebrations and landmarks

Several celebrations took place on May 26, 2007, the centennial of John Wayne's birth.

At the John Wayne birthplace in Winterset, Iowa, the John Wayne Birthday Centennial Celebration was held on May 25–27, 2007. The celebration included chuck-wagon suppers, concerts by Michael Martin Murphey and Riders in the Sky, a Wild West Revue in the style of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, a Cowboy Symposium with John Wayne co-stars, Gregg Palmer, Ed Faulkner, and Dean Smith, along with Paramount producer A.C. Lyles and costumer Luster Bayless were all there to talk about their friendships with Wayne. They had cavalry and trick horse demonstrations, as well as many of John Wayne's films running at the local theater.

This event also included the groundbreaking for the New John Wayne Birthplace Museum and Learning Center at his birthplace house. Over 30 family members were there, including Melinda Wayne Munoz, Aissa, Ethan and Marisa Wayne. Several grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also present. An old gas station is being torn down to make way for the new museum. This groundbreaking was held with Ethan Wayne at the controls of the equipment.

In 2006, friends of Wayne's and his former Arizona business partner, Louis Johnson, inaugurated the "Louie and the Duke Classics" events benefiting the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. The weekend long event each fall in Casa Grande, Arizona includes a golf tournament, an auction of John Wayne memorabilia and a team roping competition.

Missed roles

John Wayne desperately wanted the role of "Jimmy Ringo" in the 1950 film ''The Gunfighter,'' directed by Henry King. But the role went to Gregory Peck instead. John Wayne's final film, ''The Shootist'' (1976), directed by Don Siegel was very similar to ''The Gunfighter.''

An urban legend has it that John Wayne was offered the leading role of Matt Dillon in the longtime favorite television show ''Gunsmoke,'' but he turned it down, recommending instead James Arness for the role. The only part of this story that is true is that Wayne did indeed recommend Arness for the part. Wayne introduced Arness in a prologue to the first episode of ''Gunsmoke''.

Wayne was approached by Mel Brooks to play the part of the Waco Kid in the film ''Blazing Saddles.'' After reading the script he said, "I can't be in this picture, it's too dirty ... but I'll be the first in line to see it."

He reportedly had initially strongly considered taking the role of Major Reisman in ''The Dirty Dozen'', even asking MGM to make changes to the script to accommodate him. But ultimately, he turned it down to make ''The Green Berets''. The role went to Lee Marvin.

Wayne had lobbied to play the lead in ''Dirty Harry'', but Warner Bros. felt that at age 63, he was too old for the role. The role eventually went to Clint Eastwood.

Prior to his death, Wayne had bought the film rights to Buddy Atkinson's novel, ''Beau John'', and was in the pre-production stage of the movie when he took ill. The film was a comedy set in Kentucky during the 1920s, and would have co-starred Ron Howard and Hal Linden.

Quotations

Movie quotations

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, I require the same from them." (''The Shootist'')

Speaking to his young cavalry lieutenants: "Don't apologize—it's a sign of weakness." (''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'')

"Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" (''True Grit'')

"That'll be the day!" (''The Searchers'' - Spoken several times; inspired Buddy Holly to write a song with that title.)

"Pilgrim". (''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' - Reportedly he used the expression "Pilgrim", as in "tenderfoot" or "dude" or "amateur", 23 times in that film, and once also in ''McLintock!''. It became a catchphrase for impressionists such as John Byner, and Rich Little)

"I haven't lost my temper in 40 years; but, Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got somebody killed; and somebody oughta belt you in the mouth. But I won't. I won't. ''The hell I won't!''" (He belts him in the mouth). (To Leo Gordon in ''McLintock!'')

"Out here, due process is a bullet!" (To anti-war journalist David Janssen in ''The Green Berets'')

"Not hardly!" (''Big Jake'' - used several times throughout the movie when told by others "Jacob McCandles?! I thought you were dead!")

"It's a hard life!" (''The Cowboys'' - in response to "The 'long-haired man'" played by Bruce Dern saying "You're a hard man!")

"We're burning daylight!" ("The Cowboys")

"You want that gun, pick it up...I wish you would" (Rio Bravo)

Famous quotations outside the movies

"I eat as much as I ever did, I drink more than I should, and my sex life is none of your goddamned business." (May 1971, ''Playboy'' interview)

"If I had known this, I would've put that patch on thirty-five years earlier." (1969, Academy Awards speech for Best Actor in ''True Grit''.)

"We had a pretty good time together, when she wasn't trying to kill me!" (1954, in an interview with Hedda Hopper regarding his marriage to Esperanza "Chata" Baur.)

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry. Wayne was nominated for three competitive awards and won once.

Actor

{| |- | The winner for each year is in bold face text against a | style="background:yellow;"| yellow | background. |}

[[1969 in film
! Actor	! Film	! Actor	! Film
	style="background:yellow;"	[[Richard Burton">1949 in film
	[[1969 in film
! Actor	! Film	! Actor	! Film
	style="background:yellow;"	[[Richard Burton	''Anne of the Thousand Days''
Kirk Douglas		Dustin Hoffman
Gregory Peck	''Twelve O'Clock High''	Peter O'Toole'''	''Goodbye, Mr. Chips''
Richard Todd	''The Hasty Heart''	Jon Voight'''
John Wayne	''Sands of Iwo Jima''		style="background:yellow;"

Producer

{| class=wikitable | style="text-align:center; background:lightsteelblue;" colspan="2"|- 1960 - |- ! Producer ! Film |- | Bernard Smith | ''Elmer Gantry'' |- | Jerry Wald | ''Sons and Lovers'' |- | John Wayne | ''The Alamo'' |- | style="background:yellow;"|Billy Wilder | style="background:yellow;"|''The Apartment'' Best Picture} |- | Fred Zinnemann | ''The Sundowners'' |}

Golden Globes

The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television. Wayne won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in "True Grit".

The Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures is an annual award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Globe Award ceremonies in Hollywood, California. It was named in honor of Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959), one of the industry's most successful filmmakers; John Wayne won this particular award in 1966.

See also

Hall of Great Western Performers

List of film director and actor collaborations

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Red Scare

References

Further reading

Baur, Andreas, and Bitterli, Konrad. "Brave Lonesome Cowboy. Der Mythos des Westerns in der Gegenwartskunst oder: John Wayne zum 100. Geburtstag". Verlag für moderne Kunst Nürnberg. Nuremberg 2007 ISBN 978-3-939738-15-2.

Roberts, Randy, and James S. Olson. ''John Wayne: American''. New York: Free Press, 1995 ISBN 978-0029238370.

Campbell, James T. "Print the Legend: John Wayne and Postwar American Culture". ''Reviews in American History'', Volume 28, Number 3, September 2000, pp. 465–477.

Shepherd, Donald, and Robert Slatzer, with Dave Grayson. ''Duke: The Life and Times of John Wayne''. New York: Doubleday, 1985 ISBN 0-385-17893-X.

Carey, Harry Jr. ''A Company of Heroes: My Life as an Actor in the John Ford Stock Company''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1994 ISBN 0-8108-2865-0.

Clark, Donald & Christopher Anderson. ''John Wayne's The Alamo: The Making of the Epic Film''. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1995 ISBN 0-8065-1625-9. (pbk.)

Eyman, Scott. ''Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999 ISBN 0-684-81161-8.

McCarthy, Todd. ''Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood''. New York: Grove Press, 1997 ISBN 0-8021-1598-5.

Maurice Zolotow., ''Shooting Star: A Biography of John Wayne''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1974 ISBN 0671829696.

Jim Beaver, "John Wayne". ''Films in Review'', Volume 28, Number 5, May 1977, pp. 265–284.

McGivern, Carolyn. ''John Wayne: A Giant Shadow''. Bracknell, England: Sammon, 2000 ISBN 0-9540031-0-1.

Davis, Ronald L. ''Duke: The Life and Times of John Wayne''. University of Oklahoma Press, 2001. ISBN 0806133295.

Raab, Markus, Beautiful Hearts, Laughers at the World, Bowlers. Worldviews of the Late Western; in: Baur/Bitterli: Brave Lonesome Cowboy. Der Myhos des Westerns in der Gegenwartskunst oder: John Wayne zum 100. Geburtstag, Nuremberg 2007, ISBN 978-3-939738-15-2.

External links

John Wayne Cancer Foundation

John Wayne Cancer Institute

FBI file on John Wayne

Birthplace of John Wayne official website

"On the Set of The Alamo": Behind-the-scenes footage from the production of the film, from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image.

Category:1907 births Category:1979 deaths Category:People from Winterset, Iowa Category:Former Presbyterians Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent Category:California Republicans Category:John Birch Society Category:Actors from Iowa Category:American anti-communists Category:American film actors Category:American football offensive linemen Category:American silent film actors Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients Category:Conservatism in the United States Category:Deaths from stomach cancer Category:Film serial actors Category:Liberty Records artists Category:Lung cancer survivors Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:USC Trojans football players Category:Western (genre) film actors

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name	Kirk Douglas
birth name	Issur Danielovitch
birth date	December 09, 1916
birth place	Amsterdam, New York, U.S.
nationality	American
occupation	Actor, producer, director, author
spouse	Diana Dill (1943–51; divorced)Anne Buydens (1954–present)
children	Michael DouglasJoel DouglasPeter DouglasEric Douglas (1958–2004)
relatives	Cameron Douglas (grandson)
years active	1942–present
education	St. Lawrence University
alma mater	American Academy of Dramatic Arts
other names	Izzy Demsky
religion	Conservative Judaism
signature	KirkDouglas.png }}

Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch, ; December 9, 1916) is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include ''Out of the Past'' (1947), ''Champion'' (1949), ''Ace in the Hole'' (1951), ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952), ''Lust for Life'' (1956), ''Paths of Glory'' (1957), ''Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957), ''Spartacus'' (1960), and ''Lonely Are the Brave'' (1962).

He is No.17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time. In 1996, he received the Academy Honorary Award "for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community."

Early life

Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York, the son of Bryna "Bertha" (née Sanglel) and Herschel "Harry" Danielovitch, a businessman. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Gomel, Belarus. His father's brother, who emigrated earlier, used the surname Demsky, which Douglas's family adopted in the United States. In addition to their surname, his parents also changed their given names, to Harry and Bertha. Douglas grew up as Izzy Demsky, and legally changed his name to "Kirk Douglas" when entering the Navy during World War II.

Coming from a poor family, as a boy, Douglas sold snacks to mill workers to earn enough to buy milk and bread. Later, he delivered newspapers and worked at more than forty jobs before becoming an actor. He found living in a family of six sisters to be stifling, stating, "I was dying to get out. In a sense, it lit a fire under me." During high school, he acted in school plays, and discovered "The one thing in my life that I always knew, that was always constant, was that I wanted to be an actor."

Unable to afford tuition, Douglas talked his way into St. Lawrence University and received a loan, which he paid back by working part-time as a gardener and a janitor. He was a standout on the wrestling team, and wrestled one summer in a carnival to make money.

Douglas's acting talents were noticed at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and he received a special scholarship. One of his classmates was Betty Joan Perske (later to become better known as Lauren Bacall), who would play an important role in launching his film career. Another classmate was aspiring Bermudian actress Diana Dill. While doing summer stock theater during a college term break, he began using the name Kirk Douglas, which he later legally adopted. He earned his first money as an actor that summer. Upon graduating from drama school, Douglas made his Broadway debut as a singing telegraph boy in ''Spring Again''.

Douglas enlisted in the United States Navy in 1941, shortly after the United States entered World War II. He was medically discharged for war injuries in 1944. On May 3, 1943, Diana Dill, his former classmate, appeared on the cover of ''Life'' magazine. Seeing the photograph, Douglas told his fellow sailors that he was going to marry her. He did, on November 2, 1943. The couple had two sons together (Michael in 1944 and Joel in 1947) before they divorced in 1951.

After the war, Douglas returned to New York City and found work in radio, theatre and commercials. His stage break occurred in ''Kiss and Tell'', which led to other roles. Douglas had planned to remain a stage actor but Lauren Bacall helped him get his first screen role in the Hal B. Wallis film ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946), starring Barbara Stanwyck. Wallis was on his way to New York to look for new talent when Bacall suggested he visit Douglas, who was rehearsing a play called ''The Wind Is Ninety''. Douglas finished the play's run and with no follow-up work in sight, headed to Hollywood. He was immediately cast in one of the leading roles in Wallis' film, and made his film acting debut as a weak man dominated by a ruthless woman, unlike his later roles where he often played dominating characters.

Career

Douglas established his image as a tough guy in his eighth film, ''Champion'', playing a selfish boxer. From then on, he made a career of playing "sons of bitches." From that film on, he decided that to succeed as a star, he needed to ramp up his intensity, overcome his natural shyness, and choose stronger roles. He later stated, "I don’t think I’d be much of an actor without vanity. And I’m not interested in being a 'modest actor'." Early in his Hollywood career, he demonstrated his independent streak and broke his studio contracts to gain total control over his projects, forming his own movie company "Bryna Productions", named after his mother.

Douglas made his Broadway debut in 1949 in the Anton Chekhov play "The Three Sisters," produced by Katharine Cornell.

Douglas was a major box office star in the 1950s and 60s, playing opposite some of the leading actresses of that era. Among his various roles, he played a frontier peace officer in his first western ''Along the Great Divide'' (1951). He quickly became comfortable with riding horses and playing gunslingers, and appeared in many westerns. In ''Lonely Are the Brave'' (1962), his own favorite of his performances, Douglas plays a cowboy trying to live by his own code, much as he did in real life.

In ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952), one of his three Oscar-nominated roles, Douglas plays Jonathan Shields, a hard-nosed film producer who manipulates and uses his actors, writers, and directors. In ''Young Man with a Horn'' (1950), Douglas portrays the rise and fall of a driven jazz musician, based on real-life horn player Bix Beiderbecke. Composer-pianist Hoagy Carmichael, playing the sidekick role, added realism to the film and gave Douglas insight into the role, being a friend of the real Beiderbecke. In 2011 he was the presenter at the Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, won by Melissa Leo.

In one of his early television appearances, Douglas was a musical guest (as himself) on ''The Jack Benny Program''. In the opening monologue, Benny reads the reviews of critics who liked his season premiere, while skipping the ones who did not. He then hurries home for his weekly jam session with Tony Martin (on clarinet), Fred MacMurray (saxophone), Dick Powell (trumpet), Dan Dailey (drums), and Douglas (four-string banjo). They avail themselves of the coin-operated vending machines in Benny's living room. The band plays ''Basin Street'' (Blues), but Douglas keeps going into ''Bye Bye Blues'', the only song he knows.

Douglas played many military men, with varying nuance, in ''Top Secret Affair'' (1957), ''Paths of Glory'' (1957) (his most famous role in that genre), ''Town Without Pity'' (1961), ''The Hook'' (1963), ''Seven Days in May'' (1964), ''Heroes of Telemark'' (1965), ''In Harm's Way'' (1965), ''Cast a Giant Shadow'' (1966), ''Is Paris Burning'' (1966), and ''The Final Countdown'' (1980).

His role as Vincent Van Gogh in ''Lust for Life'' (1956), filmed mostly on location in France, was noted not only for the veracity of his appearance but also for how he conveyed the painter’s internal turmoil. He won a Golden Globe award for his role. Director Vincente Minnelli stated, "Kirk Douglas achieved a moving and memorable portrait of the artist—a man of massive creative power, triggered by severe emotional stress, the fear and horror of madness. In my opinion, Kirk should have won the Academy Award." Douglas himself called his acting role as Van Gogh a "very painful experience." He writes, "Not only did I look like Van Gogh, I was the same age he was when he committed suicide."

Douglas played the lead with an all-star cast in ''Spartacus'' (1960). He was the executive producer as well, raising the $12 million production cost. He also played an important role in breaking the Hollywood blacklist by making sure that Dalton Trumbo's name was mentioned in the opening and ending credits of the film for the outstanding screenplay he did for the film. Douglas initially selected Anthony Mann to direct the movie, but dismissed him when he judged the initial shooting to be unsatisfactory. To replace Mann he chose Stanley Kubrick, who three years earlier had collaborated closely with Douglas in ''Paths of Glory'', where Douglas played one of his most notable roles as Colonel Dax, the commander of a French regiment during World War I. ''Spartacus'' was a huge success, but Kubrick, considering himself a mere employee of Douglas and since much of the footage (including Peter Ustinov's key scenes) was shot under Mann, did not consider it to be part of his own oeuvre.

In addition to serious, driven characters, Douglas was adept at roles requiring a comic touch, as in ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' (1954), an adaptation of the Jules Verne novel, wherein he plays a happy-go-lucky sailor who is the opposite in every way of the brooding Captain Nemo (James Mason). The film was one of Walt Disney's most successful live-action movies and a major box-office hit. He manages a similar comic turn in the western ''Man Without a Star'' (1955) and in ''For Love or Money'' (1963).

Douglas made seven films over the decades with Burt Lancaster; ''I Walk Alone'' (1948), ''Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957), ''The Devil's Disciple'' (1959), ''The List of Adrian Messenger'' (1963), ''Seven Days in May'' (1964), ''Victory at Entebbe'' (1976) and ''Tough Guys'' (1986), which fixed the notion of the pair as something of a team in the public imagination. Douglas was always second-billed under Lancaster in these movies but, with the exception of ''I Walk Alone'', in which Douglas played a villain, and ''The List of Adrian Messenger'', in which Lancaster played a brief part in disguise, their roles were more or less the same size. Both actors arrived in Hollywood at the same time, and first appeared together in the fourth film for each. They both became actor-producers who sought out independent Hollywood careers.

Douglas stated that the keys to acting success are determination and application, "You must know how to function and how to maintain yourself, and you must have a love of what you do. But an actor also needs great good luck. I have had that luck." Douglas had great vitality, "It takes a lot out of you to work in this business. Many people fall by the wayside because they don’t have the energy to sustain their talent." His intensity spilled over into all elements of his film-making. As an actor, he dove into every role, dissecting not only his own lines but all the parts in the script to measure the rightness of the role, and he was willing to fight with the director if he felt justified. According to his wife, he often brought home that intensity, "When he was doing ''Lust for Life'', he came home in that red beard of Van Gogh’s, wearing those big boots, stomping around the house—it was frightening." His distinctive acting style and delivery made him, like James Stewart, a favorite with impersonators, especially Frank Gorshin.

Unlike some actors such as Robert Mitchum, Douglas had a high opinion of actors, movies, and moviemaking, "To me it is the most important art form—it ''is'' an art, and it includes all the elements of the modern age." But he also stressed the entertainment value of films, "You can make a statement, you can say something, but it must be entertaining."

His first film as a director was ''Scalawag'' (1973). In his autobiography ''The Ragman’s Son'', he said "Since I was accused so often of trying to direct the films I was in, I thought I ought to really try my hand at directing." It was a difficult debut with many production problems, requiring his wife to act as producer. Douglas plays a charming scoundrel with one leg, a considerable challenge to his athleticism, and though he got credit for his role, the film received unimpressive reviews. Later in 1973, Douglas appeared in a made-for-TV musical version of ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''.

Douglas was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in ''Champion'', ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' and ''Lust for Life''. He was especially disappointed for not winning for the latter film, "I really thought I had a chance." Douglas did not win any competitive Oscars, but received a Honorary Academy Award in 1996 for "50 years as a moral and creative force in the motion picture community".

For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Douglas has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6263 Hollywood Blvd. He is one of the few personalities (along with James Stewart, Gregory Peck, and Gene Autry) whose star has been stolen and later replaced. In 1984, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, and he received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1991.

In October 2004, the avenue Kirk Douglas Way in Palm Springs, California was named in his honor by the Palm Springs International Film Society and Film Festival. Popular at home and around the world, Douglas received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981, the French Legion of Honor in 1985, and the National Medal of the Arts in 2001.

In March 2009, Douglas starred in an autobiographical one man show titled ''Before I Forget'' at the Center Theater Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, California. The four performances were filmed and turned into a documentary that was first screened in January 2010.

On February 27, 2011, Douglas appeared on the stage of the Kodak Theater for the 83rd Academy Awards to present the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Personal life

Douglas married twice, first to Diana Dill, on November 2, 1943. The couple had two sons, actor Michael Douglas and producer Joel Douglas. They divorced in 1951. He then married Anne Buydens on May 29, 1954. They had two sons, producer Peter Douglas and actor Eric Douglas. Eric Douglas died July 6, 2004 of a drug overdose.

In 1991, he survived a helicopter crash in which two people died. This sparked a search for meaning, which led him, after much study, to embrace the Judaism in which he was raised. He documented this spiritual journey in his book ''Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning'' (2001). In his earlier autobiography, ''The Ragman's Son'' (1988), he admits that "years back, I tried to forget that I was a Jew." However, in his later career, he notes that "coming to grips with what it means to be a Jew has been a theme in my life." In an interview in 2000, he explained this transition:

Judaism and I parted ways a long time ago, when I was a poor kid growing up in Amsterdam, N.Y. Back then, I was pretty good in cheder, so the Jews of our community thought they would do a wonderful thing and collect enough money to send me to a yeshiva to become a rabbi. Holy Moses! That scared the hell out of me. I didn't want to be a rabbi. I wanted to be an actor. Believe me, the members of the Sons of Israel were persistent. I had nightmares – wearing long payos and a black hat. I had to work very hard to get out of it. But it took me a long time to learn that you don't have to be a rabbi to be a Jew.

Douglas notes also that the underlying theme of some of his films, including ''The Juggler'' (1953), ''Cast a Giant Shadow'' (1966), and ''Remembrance of Love'' (1982), was about "a Jew who doesn't think of himself as one, and eventually finds his Jewishness." Although his children were only half Jewish, Douglas states that they were "aware culturally" of his "deep convictions," and he never tried to influence their own religious decisions. He notes, however, that Michael answered, "I'm a Jew," when once asked about what he was.

While Douglas has chosen to stay out of political affairs, he has on occasion written letters to politicians who were friends. He notes in his memoir, ''Let's Face It'' (2007), that he felt compelled to write former president Jimmy Carter in 2006 in order to stress that "Israel is the only successful democracy in the Middle East. . . . [and] has had to endure many wars against overwhelming odds. If Israel loses one war, they lose Israel."

In 1996, he suffered a stroke, partially impairing his ability to speak. On December 8, 2006, Douglas appeared on ''Entertainment Tonight'', where the entire staff wished him a happy 90th birthday the night before. His son and daughter-in-law Michael and Catherine Zeta-Jones, were among the many celebrities who attended his birthday celebration. On the show, he discussed the books he has written and the death of his son Eric. Douglas celebrated a second Bar-Mitzvah ceremony in 1999 at the age of eighty-three.

A portrait of Douglas, titled "The Great and the Beautiful," which encapsulated his film career, art collection, philanthropy and rehabilitation from the helicopter crash and the stroke, appeared in ''Palm Springs Life'' magazine in 1999. The article said "For years, this energetic performer could be seen jogging several miles to get his morning paper, playing tennis with locals or posing for snapshots and signing autographs for star-struck out-of-towners. He has been a veritable one-man tourist promotion over the past four decades, extolling the virtue of the city he loves to virtually anyone who'll listen".

Douglas blogs regularly on his Myspace account. At 94, he is the oldest celebrity blogger.

Family tree

Filmography

Films

''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946)

''Out of the Past'' (1947)

''Mourning Becomes Electra'' (1947)

''I Walk Alone'' (1948)

''The Walls of Jericho'' (1948)

''My Dear Secretary'' (1949)

''A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949)

''Champion'' (1949)

''Young Man with a Horn'' (1950)

''The Glass Menagerie'' (1950)

''Along the Great Divide'' (1951)

''Ace in the Hole'' (1951)

''Detective Story'' (1951)

''The Big Trees'' (1952)

''The Big Sky'' (1952)

''The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952)

''The Story of Three Loves'' (1953)

''The Juggler'' (1953)

''Act of Love'' (1953)

''The Jack Benny Program'' (television, 1954)

''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' (1954)

''The Racers'' (1955)

''Ulisse'' (U.S. title: ''Ulysses'', 1955)

''Man Without a Star'' (1955)

''The Indian Fighter'' (1955)

''Lust for Life'' (1956)

''Top Secret Affair'' (1957)

''Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957)

''Paths of Glory'' (1957)

''The Vikings'' (1958)

''Last Train from Gun Hill'' (1959)

''The Devil's Disciple'' (1959)

''Strangers When We Meet'' (1960)

''Spartacus'' (1960)

''Town Without Pity'' (1961)

''The Last Sunset'' (1961)

''Lonely Are the Brave'' (1962)

''Two Weeks in Another Town'' (1962)

''The Hook'' (1963)

''The List of Adrian Messenger'' (1963)

''For Love or Money'' (1963)

''Seven Days in May'' (1964)

''In Harm's Way'' (1965)

''The Heroes of Telemark'' (1965)

''Cast a Giant Shadow'' (1966)

''Is Paris Burning?'' (1966)

''The Way West'' (1967)

''The War Wagon'' (1967)

''Once Upon a Wheel'' (documentary, 1968)

''A Lovely Way to Die'' (1968)

''The Brotherhood'' (1968)

''The Arrangement'' (1969)

''There Was a Crooked Man...'' (1970)

''To Catch a Spy'' (1971)

''The Light at the Edge of the World'' (1971)

''A Gunfight'' (1971)

''A Man to Respect'' (1972)

''The Master Touch'' (1972)

''Scalawag'' (1973)

''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1973)

''Posse'' (1975) Also director

''Once Is Not Enough'' (1975)

''Holocaust 2000'' (1977)

''The Fury'' (1978)

''The Villain'' (1979)

''Saturn 3'' (1980)

''Home Movies'' (1980)

''The Final Countdown'' (1980)

''The Man from Snowy River'' (1982)

''Remembrance of Love'' (1982)

''Eddie Macon's Run'' (1983)

''Draw!'' (1984)

''Amos'' (1985)

''Tough Guys'' (1986)

''Queenie'' (television, 1987)

''Inherit the Wind'' (1988)

''Oscar'' (1991)

''Veraz'' (1991)

''The Secret'' (television, 1992)

''A Century of Cinema'' (documentary, 1994)

''Greedy'' (1994)

''Diamonds'' (1999)

''It Runs in the Family'' (2003)

''Illusion'' (2004)

''Meurtres à l'Empire State Building'' (U.S. title: ''Empire State Building Murders'', 2008)

''Before I Forget'' (documentary, 2010)

Short subjects

''Van Gogh: Darkness Into Light'' (1956)

''Rowan & Martin at the Movies'' (1968)

Awards

Academy Awards

1996 Honorary Award for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community

1995 nominated for Honorary Awards

1956 ''Lust for Life'' nominated for Best Actor

1952 ''Bad & the Beautiful'' nominated for Best Actor

1949 ''Champion'' nominated for Best Actor

Berlin International Film Festival

1975 ''Posse'' nominated for Competing Film

New York Film Critics Circle Award

1956 ''Lust for Life'' won for Best Actor

1951 ''Detective Story'' nominated for Best Actor

Bibliography

''Wisdom of the Elders''. 1986.

''The Ragman's Son''. Simon & Shuster, 1988. ISBN 0-671-63717-7.

''Dance With the Devil''. Random House, 1990. ISBN 0-394-58237-3.

The Gift''">The Gift''. Warner Books, 1992. ISBN 0-446-51694-5.

''Last Tango in Brooklyn''. Century, 1994. ISBN 0-7126-4852-6.

''The Broken Mirror: A Novella''. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1997. ISBN 0-689-81493-3.

''Young Heroes of the Bible''. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-689-81491-7.

''Climbing The Mountain: My Search For Meaning''. Simon and Schuster, 2001. ISBN 0-7432-1438-2.

''My Stroke of Luck''. HarperCollins, 2003. ISBN 0-06-001404-0.

''Let's Face It – 90 Years of Living, Loving, and Learning''. John Wiley & Sons, 2007. ISBN 0-470-08469-3.

See also

References

Further reading

Kress, Michael. ''Rabbis: Observations of 100 Leading and Influential Rabbis of the 21st Century''. (foreword by Kirk Douglas.) Universe, 2002. ISBN 978-0-7893-0804-7.

McBride, Joseph. ''Kirk Douglas''. Pyramid Publications, 1976. ISBN 0-515-04084-3.

Munn, Michael. ''Kirk Douglas''. St. Martin's Press, 1985. ISBN 0-312-45681-6.

Press, Skip. ''Michael and Kirk Douglas''. Silver Burdett Press, 1995. ISBN 0-382-24941-0.

External links

Guest of honor on "Dean Martin Show" Video, 3 min. (circa 1980)

Profile at Turner Classic Movies

An Interview with Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas, le champion de Hollywood

Kirk Douglas interviewed by Mike Wallace on ''The Mike Wallace Interview'' from November 2, 1957

Category:1916 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients Category:Actors from New York Category:American film actors Category:American film directors Category:American film producers Category:American Jews Category:American people of Belarusian-Jewish descent Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American television actors Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners Category:Jewish actors Category:American Jews Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Légion d'honneur recipients Category:People from Montgomery County, New York Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:St. Lawrence University alumni Category:Stroke survivors Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients Category:United States Navy sailors

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