Charles Bickford
Personal Profile
Charles Bickford
Birth Name:
Charles Ambrose BickfordDate of Birth:
January 1, 1891Place of Birth:
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United StatesPlace of Death:
Los Angeles, California, United StatesDate of Death:
November 9, 1967Height:
6' 1"Sex:
MaleNationality:
AmericanEducation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Family
Charles Bickford
Son:
Rex BickfordDaughter:
Doris Bickford
Career
Charles Bickford
Awards
Charles Bickford
Golden Laurel, Top Male Supporting Performance for: Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
NBR Award, Best Supporting Actor for: Not as a Stranger (1955)
Trivia
Charles Bickford
Quotes
Charles Bickford
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Biography
Charles Bickford
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 12, 2009Bickford was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the first minute of 1891. The fifth of seven children, Charles was an intelligent but very independent and unruly child. He was tried and acquitted when he was only nine years old of the attempted murder of a motorist who had accidently driven over his dog. In his late teens he drifted aimlessly around the United States for a time but eventually graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before breaking into acting, he worked as a lumberjack, investment promoter, and for a short time ran a pest extermination business. He eventually joined a road company and travelled throughout the United States for more than a decade where he appeared in various productions. During an appearance in a Broadway play called, "Outside Looking In," he was noticed by legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille and offered a contract with MGM studios. He soon began working with MGM head Louis B. Mayer on a number of projects.
He became a star after playing Greta Garbo's lover in Anna Christie (1930), but never developed into a romantic lead. Always of independent mind, strong-willed and quick with his fists, Bickford would frequently argue and sometimes come to blows with Mayer.
During the production of DeMille's Dynamite, he punched out his director and eventually found himself blacklisted from MGM productions on several different occasions. Understandably, his association with MGM was short-lived, and Bickford became an independent actor for several years.
Later, he would sign with Twentieth Century Fox studios where it was anticipated he would play leading man roles. However, Bickford was mauled by a lion while filming East of Java in 1935. While he recovered from this attack, he would lose his contract with Fox as well as his leading man status due to extensive neck scaring coupled with his advancing age.
Filmography
Charles Bickford
- Hollywood My Home Town Friday, January 01, 1965
- Della Wednesday, January 01, 1964
- The Devil's Children Monday, January 01, 1962
- Devil's Children Monday, January 01, 1962
- The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio Friday, January 01, 1960
- The Last Posse Thursday, January 01, 1953
- Pride of the Marines Monday, January 01, 1945
- Queen of the Yukon Monday, January 01, 1940
- Mutiny in the Big House Sunday, January 01, 1939
- Romance of the Redwoods Sunday, January 01, 1939
- Gangs of New York Saturday, January 01, 1938
- Daughter of Shanghai Friday, January 01, 1937
- East of Java Tuesday, January 01, 1935
- A Notorious Gentleman Tuesday, January 01, 1935
- Vanity Street Friday, January 01, 1932
- The Last Man Friday, January 01, 1932
- Panama Flo Friday, January 01, 1932
- Thunder Below Friday, January 01, 1932
- The Pagan Lady Thursday, January 01, 1931