Bradford Dillman

Bradford Dillman (born April 14, 1930 in San Francisco, California) is a retired American film and television actor and author. Born to Dean and Josephine Dillman, he graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in English Literature. Following this he served with the U.S. Marines in Korea (1951-1953) before focusing on acting as a profession.

Early Acting Career

Studying with the Actor's Studio, he spent several seasons apprenticing with the Sharon, Connecticut Playhouse before making his professional acting debut in "The Scarecrow" in 1953. Dillman took his initial Broadway bow in the Eugene O'Neill play "Long Day's Journey Into Night" in 1956, originating the author's alter ego character Edmund Tyrone and winning a Theatre World Award in the process. This distinct success put him squarely on the map and 20th Century Fox took notice by placing the darkly handsome up-and-comer under contract. Cast in the melodramatic soaper "A Certain Smile" (1958), he earned a Golden Globe award.

Film and TV Career Achievements

After his debut in "A Certain Smile", co-starring Rossano Brazzi and Joan Fontaine, he appeared in many movies throughout the years including "Compulsion" (1959) for which he won an award at Cannes, "A Circle of Deception" (1960), the title role in "Francis of Assisi" (1961), "Sanctuary" (1961) based on the William Faulkner novel with Lee Remick, "A Rage to Live" (1965) based on the John O'Hara novel with Suzanne Pleshette, "The Mephisto Waltz" (1971), "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" (1971), "The Iceman Cometh" (1973) as Will, "The Way We Were" (1973), "The Enforcer" (1976), "The Swarm" (1978), "Piranha" (1978) and "Lords of the Deep" (1989). He also appeared on television throughout his career, starting on NBC's "Kraft Television Theatre" in 1954 and making a final acting appearance on "Murder, She Wrote" in 1995. He also had a secondary but notable role in "The Bridge at Remagen" as the battalion commander of a mechanized infantry unit which seizes the Remagen bridges before it is destroyed by the Germans.

Personal life

Dillman met actress and model Suzy Parker during the filming of "Circle of Deception". They were married on April 20, 1963 and had three children, Dinah, Charles, and Christopher. The marriage lasted until her death on May 3, 2003. He was previously married to Frieda Harding from 1956 to 1962, and had two children (Jeffrey and Pamela) with Harding.

Other Interests

Dillman wrote the football fan book "Inside the New York Giants" (1995) and the autobiography "Are You Anybody?: An Actor's Life" (1997).

Interesting Fact

Dillman has heterochromia, having one brown eye and one hazel-green eye.

External links

*imdb name|0226947
* [http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/1866-EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-WITH-BRADFORD-DILLMAN.html Cinema Retro's exclusive interview with Bradford Dillman]