One of the last old-time movie greats gone

August 31, 2006 11:38 AM

His first film role was in 1937 as an emcee in a movie called "Night in Manhattan." His final one was as a police captain in 1991's "Raw Nerve." In between, he starred in some of the most well-known movies of the 20th century, including "Gilda," "The Blackboard Jungle," the unparalleled noir classic "The Big Heat," and a role as Clark Kent's father in the original "Superman." He was never nominated for an Academy Award and never won one, though if anybody deserved one, it was certainly him. He was in movies opposite Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Gloria Grahame, Ann Sheridan, Anne Francis, Debbie Reynolds, Shirley Jones, Hope Lange, Geraldine Page, and Traci Lords, among many others. He was one of the last (if not the last) leading men from the studio era left standing: Glenn Ford, found dead last night at age 90 in his Beverly Hills home. In a final perfect-pitch poetic touch, one of the cops at the scene said that no "foul play" was suspected in his death.
posted by blucevalo (9 comments total)

Double.
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 11:40 AM on August 31, 2006

(nice post though)
posted by zeoslap at 11:41 AM on August 31, 2006

He is risen!

And fallen again!
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:57 AM on August 31, 2006

Again?
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 11:58 AM on August 31, 2006

To echo zeoslap--while it might be a double, this is very well done.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 11:58 AM on August 31, 2006

Sometimes the remake is better than the original.
posted by LarryC at 12:08 PM on August 31, 2006

Whoops, sorry, my manifold apologies ..... I thought I searched thoroughly, but I guess not.
posted by blucevalo at 12:15 PM on August 31, 2006

Yeah, I can't wait to see the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie remake of Gilda.

Nice post, though.
posted by OmieWise at 12:22 PM on August 31, 2006

Your post is better, blucevalo, but its first come first post around here. Thanks for putting so much effort into your post.
posted by terrapin at 12:33 PM on August 31, 2006