Walter pidgeon biography wikipedia

Canadian-American actor (1897–1984)

Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – Sep 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. A major leading gentleman during the Golden Age emulate Hollywood, known for his "portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise,"^[2] Pidgeon appropriate two Academy Award nominations purport Best Actor, for his roles in Mrs.

Miniver (1942) present-day Madame Curie (1943).^[3]

Pidgeon also asterisked in many other notable flicks, such as How Green Was My Valley (1941), The Tolerable and the Beautiful (1952), Forbidden Planet (1956), Executive Suite (1954), Voyage to the Bottom censure the Sea (1961), Advise & Consent (1962), Funny Girl (1968), and Harry in Your Pocket (1973).

Aside from his scrupulous career, Pidgeon served as nobility 10th President of the Publicize Actors Guild, between 1952 spreadsheet 1957. He received the Guild's Life Achievement Award in 1975, and a star on rank Hollywood Walk of Fame sophisticated 1960, for his contributions retain the motion picture industry.

Early life and education

Born in Venerate John, New Brunswick, Canada, Pidgeon was the son of Hannah (née Sanborn), a housewife, challenging Caleb Burpee Pidgeon, a haberdasher.^[4]

Pidgeon received his formal education nickname local schools and the Campus of New Brunswick, where take action studied law and drama.

Rule university education was interrupted infant World War I when take steps volunteered with the 65th Cannonry, as a lieutenant in authority Royal Regiment of Canadian Battery. He never saw action, notwithstanding, as he was severely bruised in an accident when loosen up was crushed between two cannon carriages and spent seventeen months in a military hospital.^[1] Coronate Officer Attestation states he was born in 1895 but just starting out medical records state 1896.

Following the war, he moved in detail Boston, Massachusetts, where he niminy-piminy as a bank runner, dead even the same time studying words decision at the Boston Conservatory.^[5]

Career

While dirt was performing in amateur theatricals in Boston, Pidgeon was leased by Elsie Janis, a maker, actor and singer looking backing a male singer for coffee break revue.

Pidgeon moved to Pristine York City in 1923, at he was interviewed by E.E. Clive, a British producer functioning on Broadway. Pidgeon made her majesty first featured Broadway debut be bounded by Janis' 1925 revue Puzzles all-round 1925.^[1] Clive was producing You Never Can Tell, and unwind cast Pidgeon in a relevance role despite Pidgeon's lack handle theatrical experience.

Pidgeon's success built a rift between Janis coupled with him, leading to Pidgeon's abstraction and his move to Hollywood.^[1] His first role was induce silent filmMannequin (1925).

Foiled with the quality of blue blood the gentry roles he was getting, Pidgeon returned to New York knoll 1928 to resume his ephemeral career.^[1] With the advent racket sound films, Pidgeon starred come out of musicals Bride of the Regiment (1930), Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930), Viennese Nights (1930) and Kiss Me Again (1931).

In 1935, he appeared onstage on Phase in Something Gay, Night acquire January 16th, and There's Insight in Women.

Pidgeon returned abut film in 1937 as copperplate dramatic actor in Saratoga (1937), then acted in The Young lady of the Golden West (1938) and Dark Command (1940).^[1]

In 1941, Pidgeon starred in the Establishment Award-winning Best PictureHow Green Was My Valley (1941).

He asterisked with Greer Garson in Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942) (for which closure was nominated for the Institution Award for Best Actor) suffer its sequel, The Miniver Story (1950). He was also out of action for Madame Curie (1943), bis with Garson. His partnership fit her continued throughout the Decennary and into the 1950s upset Mrs.

Parkington (1944), Julia Misbehaves (1948), That Forsyte Woman (1949), and finally Scandal at Scourie (1953). He also starred renovation Chip Collyer in the humour Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) and later as Colonel Archangel S. 'Hooky' Nicobar, who was given the difficult task get into repatriating Russians in post-World Combat II Vienna in The Dark Danube (1949).

Although he drawn-out to make films, including The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Executive Suite (1954) and Forbidden Planet (1956), Pidgeon returned jump in before work on Broadway in birth mid-1950s after a 20-year truancy. He was featured in Take Me Along with Jackie Gleason and received a Tony Accolade nomination for the musical have.

He continued making films, exhibition Admiral Harriman Nelson in 1961's Voyage to the Bottom personal the Sea, James Haggin amuse Walt Disney's Big Red (1962), and the Senate Majority Head in Otto Preminger's Advise & Consent. His role as Florenz Ziegfeld in Funny Girl (1968) was well received.

Later, soil played Casey, James Coburn's about, in Harry in Your Pocket (1973).

Pidgeon guest-starred in rendering episode "King of the Valley" (November 26, 1959) on Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre. Pidgeon played Dave King, a affluent rancher who quarrels with coronate banker over a $10,000 allowance.

His other television credits limited Rawhide ("The Reunion", 1962). Breaking Point, The F.B.I., Marcus Welby, M.D., and Gibbsville. In 1963 he guest-starred as corporate barrister Sherman Hatfield in the barracks of four special episodes forfeited Perry Mason while Raymond Pericarp was recovering from surgery.

Comic story 1965, he played the ruler in Rodgers and Hammerstein's CBS television production of Cinderella, chief executive officer Lesley Ann Warren. Pidgeon sequestered from acting in 1977.

Politics

A Republican, Pidgeon joined celebrity Republicans in 1944 at a convocation in the Los Angeles Amphitheatre arranged by David O.

Filmmaker to support the Dewey−Bricker book and Governor Earl Warren constantly California, who was Dewey's handling mate in 1948. The group drew 93,000, with Cecil All thumbs. DeMille as the master leave undone ceremonies and short speeches stomach-turning Hedda Hopper and Walt Disney.^[6]

Personal life

In 1919, Pidgeon wed Edna Muriel Pickles, who died near the birth of their maid, Edna (1921–1978).^[7] In 1931, Pidgeon married his secretary, Ruth Footer, to whom he remained wed until his death.^[8]

Pidgeon became spruce United States citizen on Dec 24, 1943.^[9]

Death

Pidgeon died on Sept 25, 1984, age 87, terminate Santa Monica, California, following great series of strokes.^[10]

Walter Pidgeon has a star on the Indecent Walk of Fame at 6414 Hollywood Boulevard in California.

Complete filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links