Category: Profiles

Born November 13, 1922 in Vienna, Austria, Oskar Josef Bschließmayer, known professionally as Oskar Werner, was brought up by his grandmother after the divorce of his parents at an early age.  An uncle got him several uncredited roles in films as a teenager. Regaled by his grandmother’s stories about the Austrian State Theater, he made…

Born August 16, 1958 in New York, New York to a social worker and her husband, Angela Bassett was raised primarily by her mother in Florida after her divorce from her father when she was four. Having graduated from Yale with a B.A. in African-American Studies in 1980, Bassett studied acting at the Yale School…

Born September 9, 1923 to the idle heir to a ranching fortune and his first of five wives, Clifford Parker Robinson III, known professionally as Cliff Robertson, his parents divorced when he was one and his mother died of peritonitis a year later.  He was raised by his maternal grandmother. Robertson served as third mate…

Born May 3, 1917 to a Brooklyn lawyer and his English teacher wife, Basya Cohen, known professionally as Betty Comden, attended Erasmus Hall High School and New York University, graduating in 1938. In 1938, mutual friends introduced Comden to aspiring actor Adolph Green, who would become her songwriting partner.  She would marry husband Steven Kyle…

Born December 8, 1915, Ernest Lehman’s wealthy parents lost their fortune during the Great Depression.  Educated at the College of the City of New York, after graduation he worked as a freelance writer.  During World War II, he was trained as a radio operator and later worked in the aviation industry.  He also worked as…

Born March 4, 1913, Jacob Julius Garfinkle was the son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine.  He was raised by his father, a clothes presser and part-time cantor, after the death of his mother when he was 7.  Sent to a special school for problem children where he was introduced to boxing and drama, he won…

Born April 7, 1964 in Wellington, New Zealand, Russell Crowe’s parents both catered movie sets.  His maternal grandfather was a cinematographer.  The family moved to Australia when he was 4 and remained there for ten years before returning to New Zealand.  He permanently relocated to Australia at 21. Crowe made his acting debut on Australian…

Born March 26, 1934 in Brooklyn New York, Alan Arkin was the son of artist-writer-lyricist David I. Arkin and his wife Beatrice, a teacher.  The family moved to Los Angeles in 1946 where the senior Arkin was employed by the Hollywood studios until he ran afoul of the “red scare” in 1950. The younger Arkin…

Born November 12, 1980 in London, Ontario, Canada, Ryan Gosling is the son of a secretary and a traveling salesman.  Homeschooled by his mother, he attended several high schools including a vocational school where he excelled in drama and fine arts. Gosling performed in several talent shows eventually landing a spot on The All New…

As mentioned in my introduction to Oscarless character actresses, the Best Supporting Actress award is sometimes erroneously referred to as the “old lady’s” award.  Even though Oscars for supporting actors have gone more frequently to older men than Oscars for supporting actresses have gone to older women, no one refers to the Best Supporting Actor…