One of the greats -- Richard Widmark -- would have celebrated a birthday today....
Happy Birthday Richard Widmark!
One of the greats -- Richard Widmark -- would have celebrated a birthday today....
I always loved him, and also always heard that he was not liked in the film community. I find this hard to believe, since I saw a biography on him, and Sidney Poitier raved about him; saying that he would never have gotten through NO WAY OUT without his help. Also, saw an old What's My Line where he was the mystery guest, and he was in NYC because he was doing fund raising as the chairman of The March of Dimes. Who knows?
Who knows how much truth there is any Hollywood rumour. It's possible, however, that he was seen as being a bit stiff? He was teetotal, married to the same woman for over fifty years, loved country life and invested all his money in property and real estate, including a beloved farm in the mid-west.
He often did charitable gigs and even paid for an airfield to be built for his local community. A single strip with one single-engine aircraft, Widmark Airport lies just outside Green City in Missouri.
What a great actor, and a great man!
At the time of his death, I had only begun appreciating his work.
«There's nothing to square, you're my pal!» -- with that scary smile.
Greatly missed, but we have is films on our shelves, don't we?
« I cut myself shaving. »
Don't forget today would have been Richard Widmark's Birthday!
A great career!!
Poitier and Widmark would become very good friends during and long after the filming of No Way Out. Poitier's comment regarding not being able to get through the film without Widmark was a reference to the bigotry in the film and the intense racial dialogue Widmark's character spoke to Poitier's.I always loved him, and also always heard that he was not liked in the film community. I find this hard to believe, since I saw a biography on him, and Sidney Poitier raved about him; saying that he would never have gotten through NO WAY OUT without his help.
The nature of the dialogue was so against Widmark's true feelings that he was constantly apologizing to Poitier both during and after their scenes together.
He was a strict advocate of gun control and politically a liberal. These two factors didn't sit well with some of the film community and were, to my knowledge, the only aspects of the man that generated any friction.
You're not alone. Although very popular with audience's, the majority of respect for his career came after his death.At the time of his death, I had only begun appreciating his work.
Pickup on South Street
Night and the City
Panic in the Streets
Don't Bother to Knock
The Street with No Name
Happy to have a drink in honor of Richard Widmark's birthday. One of the best, both on and off the screen!
Steve-O (12-26-2012)
Richard Widmark was a perfectionist, and this sometimes rubbed people the wrong way. He was often cranky, like james garner. Widmark complained to don siegal about shooting neonoir Madigan in cold weather, and got robert totten replaced by siegal for imo the underrated western death of a gunfighter. Widmark worked hard at his craft, and expected no less from others. He was one of the greats.
Last edited by dlhartzog; 12-28-2012 at 01:33 PM.
"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."
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