Jack Warden

Infobox actor


imagesize = 200px
caption =
birthname = John H. Lebzelter
birthdate = birth date|1920|9|18|d=y
birthplace = Newark, New Jersey, USA
deathdate = death date and age|2006|7|19|1920|9|18|df=y
deathplace = New York City, New York, USA
othername =
yearsactive =
spouse =
homepage =
academyawards =
emmyawards = Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
1972 "Brian's Song"
tonyawards =

Jack Warden (September 18 1920 – July 19, 2006) was an Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated American character actor.

Biography

Early life

Warden was born John H. Lebzelter in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Laura M. (née Costello) and John Warden Lebzelter, who was an engineer and technician. 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 had 13 welterweight bouts but earned little money. He worked as a nightclub bouncer, tugboat deckhand and lifeguard before joining the United States Navy in 1938. He was stationed in China for three years with the Yangtze River Patrol.

In 1941, he joined the United States Merchant Marine but quickly tiring of the long convoy runs, he switched to the United States Army in 1942 where he served as a paratrooper in the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, with the elite 101st Airborne Division during World War II. In 1944, on the eve of the D-Day invasion (during which many of his friends died), Staff Sergeant (Lebzelter) Warden shattered his leg by landing on a fence during a night-time practice jump in England. After almost a year in the hospital (during which time he read a Clifford Odets play and decided to become an actor after the end of the war), he recovered enough to participate in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Interestingly, in the 1959 movie That Kind of Woman Warden played a paratrooper Sgt of the 101st rivals-the 82nd Airborne Division.

After leaving the military with the rank of sergeant, he moved to New York City and pursued an acting career on the G.I. Bill. He joined the company of the Dallas Alley Theater and performed on stage for five years. In 1948 he made his television debut on "The Philco Television Playhouse" and "Studio One". He made an uncredited film debut in 1951 in "You're in the Navy Now", a movie which also featured the film debuts of Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson.

Career

Warden had his first credited film role in "The Man with My Face" in 1951, and in 1952 he began a three-year role in the television series "Mr. Peepers". After a role as a sympathetic corporal in "From Here to Eternity" (1953), Warden's breakthrough film role was his performance as Juror No. 7, a salesman who wants a quick decision in a murder case, in "12 Angry Men" (1957).

He received a supporting actor Emmy Award for his performance as Chicago Bears coach George Halas in "Brian's Song" (1971), and was nominated for Academy Awards as Best Supporting Actor for his performances in "Shampoo" (1975) and "Heaven Can Wait" (1978). He also had notable roles in such films as "All the President's Men" (1976), "...And Justice for All" and "Being There" (both 1979), "Used Cars" (in which he played a celebrated dual role in 1980), "The Verdict" (1982), "Problem Child" (1990) and its sequel (1991), "While You Were Sleeping" (1995), and the Norm Macdonald film "Dirty Work" (1998).

Warden appeared in over one hundred movies, typically playing gruff cops, sports coaches, trusted friends and similar roles, during a career which spanned six decades. His last film was 2000s "The Replacements", opposite Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves.

Personal life

Warden married French actress Vanda Dupre in 1958 and had one son, Christopher. Although they separated in the 1970s they never divorced. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,170-2282674,00.html Jack Warden | Times Online Obituary ] ]

Warden died of heart and kidney failure in a New York hospital on July 19, 2006 at the age of 85.

Filmography

* "The Replacements" (2000)
* "Bulworth" (1998)
* "Chairman Of The Board" (1998)
* "Dirty Work" (1998)
* "Mighty Aphrodite" (1995)
* "" (1995)
* "Things To Do In Denver When You Are Dead" (1995)
* "While You Were Sleeping" (1995)
* "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994)
* "Toys" (1992)
* "Problem Child 2" (1991)
* " Judgment" (1990) (TV)
* "Problem Child" (1990)
* "The Presidio" (1988)
* "Dead Solid Perfect (1988)(Cable TV)
* "Still Crazy Like a Fox" (1987) (TV)
* "September" (1987)
* "Alice in Wonderland" (1985) as Mr. Owl
* "Crazy Like a Fox" (1984) TV Series
* "Crackers" (1984)
* "The Verdict" (1982)
* "So Fine" (1981)
* "The Great Muppet Caper" (1981)
* "Used Cars" (1980)
* "Being There" (1979)
* "Topper" (1979) (TV)
* "The Champ (1979)
* "The Bad News Bears" (1979) TV Series
* "...And Justice for All" (1979)
* "Death on the Nile" (1978)
* "Heaven Can Wait" (1978)
* "Raid on Entebbe" (1977) (TV)
* "The White Buffalo" (1977)
* "All the President's Men" (1976)
* "Jigsaw John" (1976) TV Series
* "Shampoo" (1975)
* "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" (1974)
* "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing" (1973)
* "Brian's Song" (1971) (TV)
* "Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?" (1971)
* "Bye Bye Braverman (1968)
* "N.Y.P.D." (1967) TV Series
* "The Invaders" (1967) TV series guest appearance
* "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" (1965) TV Series
* "The Thin Red Line" (1964)
* "Bewitched - It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog" (1964) TV series Guest appearance
* "Donovan's Reef" (1963)
* "The Asphalt Jungle" (1961) TV Series
* "Wake Me When It's Over" (1960)
* "The Twilight Zone" (1960) TV series Guest appearance
* "That Kind of Woman" (1959)
* "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958)
* "Darby's Rangers (1958 film)"
* "12 Angry Men" (1957)
* "Edge of the City" (1957)
* "From Here to Eternity" (1953)
* "Mr. Peepers" (1952) TV Series
* "Man with My Face" (1951)
* "You're in the Navy Now" (1951)

References

External links

*imdb|0912001
*tvtome person|9153
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5205736.stm Obituary from the BBC]
* [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13974886/ MSNBC obituary]
* [http://www.cinema2000.pt/ficha.php3?id=5673 Cinema2000 obituary (in Portuguese)]
*Find A Grave|id=15000849

Persondata
NAME= Warden, Jack
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Lebzelter, John H.
SHORT DESCRIPTION=actor
DATE OF BIRTH= September 18 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH= Newark, New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH= July 19, 2006
PLACE OF DEATH= New York City, New York