Biography
American actor who made his
memorable screen debut as a psychotic killer in "Kiss Of Death," 1947.
The film earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. A durable
star, his career spanned over six decades of noteworthy performances in
theater, film and TV including film production via his company, Heath
Productions.
As the son of a traveling salesman, he lived in four different states
with his family. Widmark enrolled in Lake Forrest College with his
sights set on a law degree until he was sidetracked by football – and
his love for movies. After graduating in 1936, he remained at the
college for two years as a drama teacher. Moving to New York in 1938 he
became a regular in radio dramas and appeared in several Broadway plays.
Rejected from the military during WWII because of a punctured eardrum,
he landed his first Broadway role in 1943. In 1947, he was cast in what
would be his breakthrough movie role as the sadistic killer Tommy Udo in
“Kiss of Death.” Although his film career took off, he worried about
being stereotyped as a villain and took on a variety of roles.
Nevertheless, he may be best known for his gritty performances as tough
guys, evil doers, and justice-seekers. His on-film persona seemed to be
perfect for film noir movie roles that won him acclaim.
In real life, he was described as a quiet and mild-tempered man, who
hated guns and violence and held liberal political views. He frequently
apologized to his co-star Sidney Poitier for his racist lines as they
filmed “No Way Out” and lobbied John Huston to make a film that focused
on the plight of Native Americans (“Cheyenne Autumn”). He tended to keep
his private life sheltered. Avoiding the limelight and the Hollywood
glitz, he maintained perspective on his star status. Considering himself
a working actor rather than a star, he said of his career, “I supposed I
wanted to act in order to have a place in the sun. I’d always lived in
small towns, and acting meant having some kind of identity.” One story
recounts that he took on the role of the corpse in “Murder on the Orient
Express” (1974) just to say that the great John Gielgud played his
valet. He often joked that when his daughter was naughty he would force
her as punishment to watch him in “Run for the Sun,” a 1956 jungle
adventure film he considered truly awful. And when asked if he had been
wise about handling his earnings, he retorted, “No, just tight.”
In 1942, he married Jean Hazlewood former actress and sometime
screenwriter and for much of their married life they lived outside
Hollywood, on a private ranch in the Los Angeles hills and on their
Connecticut farm. They had one child, Anne, at one-time the wife of
baseball legend, Sandy Koufax. In 1997, after 55 years of marriage his
wife died and he sold their California ranch. Two years later, in 1999,
he married Susan Blanchard.
He died on March 24, 2008 in Roxbury, CT from complications that ensued
from a fall. He was 93 years old.
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