Wesley Addy

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Wesley Addy (born August 4, 1913 in Omaha , Nebraska , † December 31, 1996 in Danbury , Connecticut ) was an American theater and film actor.

life and career

After dropping out of business studies at the University of California , Addy first appeared in summer theaters before receiving his first, albeit small, role on Broadway in 1935 . A year later he played Marcellus in Leslie Howard's production of Hamlet . Other supporting roles followed, especially in Shakespeare plays, alongside famous actors such as Orson Welles , Laurence Olivier and Maurice Evans . The use in the Second World War interrupted his acting career in the 1940s for a few years, but Addy was able to easily pick up again afterwards. Several leading roles followed on Broadway, including in contemporary plays by Herman Wouk , Lillian Hellman and Ruth Gordon . In its obituary, the New York Times attested Addy an aura of sophistication and refinement in his appearances.

In 1951, Addy made his film debut alongside Charles Boyer in A Doctor's Confession - The First Legion . Other supporting roles followed in Hollywood , in which he often played "cold, intimidating" characters. He worked particularly often with the director Robert Aldrich , their first film together was the noir classic Rattennest , in which the cynical but honorable Lt. Pat Murphy embodied. He played a headache-suffering film producer in What Really Happened To Baby Jane? (1962) and the Sheriff in Lullaby for a Corpse (1964), both psychological thrillers were directed by Aldrich with Bette Davis in the lead role. In addition, Addy also played notable supporting roles in Sidney Lumet's film classics Network (1976) and The Verdict (1982). The early gray character actor played his last role in the year he died in the television film The Embers of Violence , where he played a bishop. Addy had also appeared regularly in television series since the 1950s.

From 1961 (according to other sources 1966) until his death, he was married to fellow actor Celeste Holm , and both appeared together on stage several times. Wesley Addy died on New Year's Eve 1996 at the age of 83.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wesley Addy at the IBDB
  2. ^ Obituary in the New York Times
  3. ^ Wesley Addy at Allmovie
  4. ^ Wesley Addy, Actor on Broadway, Dies at 83 ; Obituary in the New York Times January 2, 1997
personal data
SURNAME Addy, Wesley
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH 4th August 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH Omaha , Nebraska
DATE OF DEATH December 31, 1996
Place of death Danbury , Connecticut