Jack Warden (born John Warden Lebzelter Jr.;[1][2] September 18, 1920 – July 19, 2006) was an American character actor of film and television. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Shampoo (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He received a BAFTA nomination for Shampoo, and won a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in Brian's Song (1971).
Jack Warden | |
|---|---|
 Warden in the 1950s | |
| Born | John Warden Lebzelter Jr. September 18, 1920 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | July 19, 2006 (aged 85) New York City, U.S. |
| Other names | Johnny Costello |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1945–2000 |
| Spouse |
Vanda Dupre (m. 1958) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
editWarden was born in Newark, New Jersey,[3] the son of Laura M. (née Costello) and John Warden Lebzelter, who was an engineer and technician. He was of Pennsylvania Dutch (German) and Irish ancestry.[4] Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he was expelled from high school for fighting and eventually fought as a professional boxer under the name Johnny Costello. He fought in 13 bouts as a welterweight, but earned little money.[5]
Military service
editWarden worked as a nightclub bouncer, tugboat deckhand, and lifeguard, before joining the United States Navy in 1938. He was stationed for three years in China with the Yangtze Patrol.[5]
He joined the United States Merchant Marine in 1941, but he quickly tired of the long convoy runs.
In 1942, he moved to the United States Army, where he served as a paratrooper in the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, with the 101st Airborne Division in World War II.
In 1944, on the eve of the D-Day invasion (in which many of his friends died), Warden, then a staff sergeant, shattered his leg when he landed in a tree during a night-time practice jump in England. He spent almost eight months in the hospital recuperating, during which time he read a Clifford Odets play and decided to become an actor. Notably, Warden later portrayed a paratrooper from the 101st's rivals—the 82nd Airborne Division—in That Kind of Woman.[6][7]
After leaving the army, he moved to New York City and studied acting on the G.I. Bill.
Career
editHe joined the company of the Theatre '47 of Dallas and moved there and performed on stage there for five years. In 1948, he made his television debut on the anthology series The Philco Television Playhouse and also appeared on the series Studio One. His first film roles were uncredited bit parts in the 1950 films The Asphalt Jungle and Sunset Boulevard, and he was also in the 1951 film You're in the Navy Now, which also featured the screen debuts of Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson.[3] Warden appeared in his first credited film role in 1951 in The Man with My Face.
From 1952 to 1955, he appeared in the television series Mister Peepers with Wally Cox. In 1953, he was cast as a sympathetic corporal in From Here to Eternity. Warden's breakthrough film role was Juror No. 7, a salesman who wants a quick decision in a murder case, in 12 Angry Men.
Warden guest-starred in many television series over the years, such as Marilyn Maxwell's ABC drama series, Bus Stop, and on David Janssen's ABC drama, The Fugitive. He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Chicago Bears coach George Halas in the television movie, Brian's Song, and was twice nominated for his starring role in the 1980s comedy/drama series Crazy Like a Fox.
Warden was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice: for his performances in Shampoo and Heaven Can Wait. He also had notable roles in Bye Bye Braverman, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, All the President's Men, The White Buffalo, ...And Justice for All, Being There, Used Cars (in which he played dual roles), The Verdict, Problem Child and its sequel, as well as While You Were Sleeping, Guilty as Sin and the Norm Macdonald comedy Dirty Work.[6] His final film was The Replacements in 2000, opposite Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves.
Personal life and death
editWarden married French actress Vanda Dupre on October 10, 1958. They had one son, Christopher. Although they separated in the late 1970s, the couple never legally divorced.[8]
Warden's health declined in his later years, which resulted in his retirement from acting in 2000. He lived for the rest of his life in Manhattan, New York City, with his girlfriend, Marucha Hinds. He died of heart and kidney failure in a New York City hospital on July 19, 2006, at the age of 85.[9]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The Asphalt Jungle | Bit Role | Uncredited |
| Sunset Boulevard | Party Guest | Uncredited | |
| 1951 | You're in the Navy Now | Tommy Morse | Uncredited |
| The Frogmen | Crew Member | Uncredited | |
| The Man with My Face | Walt Davis | ||
| 1952 | Red Ball Express | Undetermined Role | Uncredited |
| 1953 | From Here to Eternity | Corporal Buckley | |
| 1957 | Edge of the City | Charles Malik | Alternate title: A Man Is Ten Feet Tall |
| The Bachelor Party | Eddie Watkins, the Bachelor | ||
| 12 Angry Men | Juror #7 | ||
| 1958 | Darby's Rangers | Master Sergeant Saul Rosen | |
| Run Silent, Run Deep | Yeoman 1st Class "Kraut" Mueller | ||
| 1959 | The Sound and the Fury | Ben Compson | |
| That Kind of Woman | George Kelly | ||
| 1960 | Wake Me When It's Over | Dave "Doc" Farrington | |
| 1961 | The Lawbreakers | Captain/Acting Police Commissioner Matthew Gower | Film adaptation of The Asphalt Jungle television episode "The Lady and the Lawyer" |
| 1962 | Escape from Zahrain | Huston | |
| 1963 | Donovan's Reef | Doctor William Dedham | |
| 1964 | The Thin Red Line | First Sergeant Welsh | |
| 1966 | Blindfold | General Prat | |
| 1968 | Bye Bye Braverman | Barnet Weinstein | |
| 1971 | The Sporting Club | Earl Olive | |
| Summertree | Herb | ||
| Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? | Dr. Solomon F. Moses | ||
| Welcome to the Club | General Strapp | ||
| 1973 | The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing | Dawes | |
| 1974 | Billy Two Hats | Sherriff Henry Gifford | |
| The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz | Max | ||
| 1975 | Shampoo | Lester Karpf | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 1976 | All the President's Men | Harry M. Rosenfeld | |
| 1977 | Raid on Entebbe | Lt. Gen. Mordechai Gur | |
| The White Buffalo | Charlie Zane | ||
| 1978 | Heaven Can Wait | Max Corkle | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Death on the Nile | Doctor Ludwig Bessner | ||
| 1979 | The Champ | Jackie | |
| Dreamer | Harry | ||
| Beyond the Poseidon Adventure | Harold Meredith | ||
| ...And Justice for All | Judge Francis Rayford | ||
| Being There | President "Bobby" of the United States | ||
| 1980 | Used Cars | Roy L. Fuchs, Luke Fuchs |
|
| 1981 | The Great Muppet Caper | Mike Tarkanian, the News Editor | |
| Carbon Copy | Nelson Longhurst | ||
| Chu Chu and the Philly Flash | The Commander | ||
| So Fine | Jack Fine | ||
| 1982 | The Verdict | Mickey Morrissey | |
| 1984 | Crackers | Garvey | |
| 1985 | The Aviator | Moravia | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Owl | ||
| 1986 | The Cosmic Eye | Rocko | Voice |
| 1987 | September | Lloyd | |
| 1988 | Dead Solid Perfect | Hubert 'Bad Hair' Wimberly | |
| The Presidio | Sergeant Major Ross Maclure | ||
| 1990 | Everybody Wins | Judge Harry Murdoch | |
| Problem Child | "Big" Ben Healy | ||
| 1991 | Problem Child 2 | "Big" Ben Healy | |
| 1992 | Passed Away | Jack Scanlan | |
| Night and the City | Al Grossman | ||
| Toys | Old General Zevo | ||
| 1993 | Guilty as Sin | Moe | |
| 1994 | Bullets Over Broadway | Julian Marx | Nominated – Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Cast Ensemble |
| 1995 | While You Were Sleeping | Saul | |
| Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead | Joe Heff | ||
| Mighty Aphrodite | Tiresias | ||
| 1996 | Ed | Chubb | |
| 1997 | The Island on Bird Street | Boruch | |
| The Volunteers | Richie | ||
| 1998 | Chairman of the Board | Armand McMillan | |
| Bulworth | Eddie Davers | ||
| Dirty Work | 'Pops' McKenna | ||
| 1999 | A Dog of Flanders | Jehan Daas | |
| 2000 | The Replacements | Edward O'Neil |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Tales of Tomorrow | Steve | 1 episode |
| Mister Peepers | Chicago Cabbie | 1 episode | |
| 1953 | The Campbell Playhouse | 1 episode | |
| Man Against Crime | Deck Hand | 2 episodes | |
| 1954–1955 | Kraft Television Theatre | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| Studio One | Various roles | 3 episodes | |
| 1955 | Justice | Two roles | "Flight from Fear" and "Save Me Now" |
| 1956 | The Alcoa Hour | Frank Doran | 1 episode |
| Climax! | Lieutenant Ravenna | "Flame-Out in T-6" | |
| 1958–1959 | Playhouse 90 | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1959 | Five Fingers | Fitzgerald | "The Moment of Truth" |
| Bonanza | Mike Wilson | "The Paiute War" | |
| 1959–1960 | The Twilight Zone | James A. Corry Mouth McGarry |
"The Lonely" "The Mighty Casey" |
| The Untouchables | Larry Halloran Otto Frick |
The George 'Bugs' Moran Story The Otto Frick Story | |
| 1960 | Outlaws | 2 episodes | |
| 1961 | Route 66 | Adam Darcy | The Clover Throne |
| Checkmate | Farrell | "Between Two Guns" | |
| Bus Stop | Joe Harrison | "Accessory by Consent" | |
| The Asphalt Jungle | Deputy Police Commissioner Matthew Gower | 13 episodes | |
| 1962 | Naked City | Cornelius Daggett | "Face of the Enemy" |
| Naked City | Steve Lollo | "The King of Venus Will Take Care of You" | |
| Naked City | Sam Langen | "The Spectre of the Rose Street Gang" | |
| Target: The Corruptors | Jerry Skala | "The Organizers, Parts 1 and 2" | |
| Tales of Wells Fargo | Brad Axton | "The Traveler" | |
| Route 66 | Sandor Biro | "Feat of Strength" | |
| Going My Way | Carl Wiczinski | "Not Good Enough for Mary" | |
| 1963 | Route 66 | Major Barbon | "Two Strangers and an Old Enemy" |
| 77 Sunset Strip | Max Eames | "Flight 307" | |
| 1964 | Breaking Point | Carlo Scotti | "No Squares in My Family Circle" |
| The Great Adventure | Latham | 1 episode | |
| Bewitched | Rex Barker | "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog" | |
| 1965 | The Virginian | John Conway | "Shadows of the Past" |
| Dr. Kildare | Ernie Duffy | 1 episode | |
| 1966 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army | Major Simon Butcher | 29 episodes |
| 1967 | The Fugitive | Alex Patton | "Concrete Evidence" |
| The Invaders | Barney Cahill | 1 episode | |
| 1967–1969 | N.Y.P.D. | Lieutenant Mike Haines | 49 episodes |
| 1971 | The Face of Fear | Lieutenant George Coy | Television film |
| Brian's Song | George Halas | ABC Movie of the Week Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama | |
| 1972 | What's a Nice Girl Like You...? | Lieutenant Burton | ABC Movie of the Week |
| Lieutenant Schuster's Wife | Captain Patrick Lonergan | Television film | |
| 1973 | Wheeler and Murdoch | Sam Wheeler | Television film |
| 1974 | The Godchild | Sergeant Dobbs | Television film |
| 1975 | Journey from Darkness | Fred Hartman | Television film |
| 1976 | Jigsaw John | "Jigsaw" John St. John | 15 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | The Bad News Bears | Morris Buttermaker | 23 episodes |
| 1983 | Hobson's Choice | Henry Horatio Hobson | Television film |
| 1984 | Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues | Mark Twain | Television film |
| 1984–1986 | Crazy Like a Fox | Harrison "Harry" Fox Sr. | 35 episodes Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1985–1986) |
| 1985 | A.D. | Nerva | Television miniseries |
| 1987 | Hoover vs. the Kennedys: The Second Civil War | J. Edgar Hoover | Television film |
| 1988 | Police Story: The Watch Commander | Joe Wilson | Television film |
| 1989 | Knight & Daye | Hank Knight | 1 episode |
| 1990 | Judgment | Claude Fortier | Television film |
| 1995 | Problem Child 3: Junior in Love | Big Ben | Television film |
| 1997 | Ink | Timothy Logan | 1 episode |
| 1999 | The Norm Show | Harry | 1 episode |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Shampoo | Nominated | [10] |
| 1978 | Heaven Can Wait | Nominated | [11] | ||
| 1994 | Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Cast Ensemble | Bullets Over Broadway | Nominated | |
| 1975 | British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Shampoo | Nominated | [12] |
| 1972 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama | Brian's Song | Won | [13] |
| 1985 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Crazy Like a Fox | Nominated | ||
| 1986 | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949, November 12, 1942; Army Serial Number:12165797 1, giving his name as "John W. Lebzelter Junior"; accessed May 3, 2014.
- ^ "Jack Warden, Emmy Winning Actor, Dies at 85". People.com. July 27, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
- ^ a b "Jack Warden, 85, Actor Known for Tough-Guy Roles, Is Dead". The New York Times. July 22, 2006. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ Stinson, Charles (December 28, 1958). "Warden: the Face Is Familiar". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
- ^ a b Vallance, Tom (July 24, 2006). "Jack Warden: Intense actor with comic flair". The Independent. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ a b "'Shampoo' star Jack Warden dies at 85". Today.com. July 21, 2006.
- ^ Nelson, Valerie J. (July 22, 2006). "Jack Warden, 85; Prolific Film, TV Actor". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ Jack Warden obituary[dead link], TimesOnline.co.uk; accessed May 3, 2014.
- ^ "Veteran US actor Jack Warden dies". news.bbc.co.uk. July 23, 2006.
- ^ "The 48th Academy Awards (1976) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
- ^ "The 51st Academy Awards (1979) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1976". BAFTA. 1976. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ "Jack Warden". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
External links
edit- Jack Warden at IMDb
- Jack Warden at the TCM Movie Database
- Jack Warden at the Internet Broadway Database
- Jack Warden at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Cinema2000 obituary (in Portuguese)