Broderick Crawford - Film & Theater Personalities, Timeline and Childhood
Broderick Crawford's Personal Details
Broderick Crawford was an American film, stage, TV, and radio actor, best known for his performance in the film ‘All the King's Men’
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | December 9, 1911 |
| Died on | April 26, 1986 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Harvard University, Film & Theater Personalities, Actors |
| Spouses | Joan Tabor, Kay Griffith, Mary Alice Moore |
| Known as | William Broderick Crawford, Brod |
| Childrens | Kelly G. Crawford, Kim Crawford, Lorella De Luca |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
|
| Birth Place | Philadelphia |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Lester Crawford |
| Mother | Helen Broderick |
| Sun Sign | Sagittarius |
| Born in | Philadelphia |
| Famous as | Actor |
| Died at Age | 74 |
// Famous Actors
Jacob Elordi
Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Shemar Moore
Shemar Moore is a model turned actor best known for his role in the television series ‘The Young and the Restless’. This biography of Shemar Moore provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Broderick Crawford's photo
Who is Broderick Crawford?
Broderick Crawford was an American film, stage, TV, and radio actor, best known for his performance in the film ‘All the King's Men’ and the television series ‘Highway Patrol’. He began his career on stage and gained popularity for his performance as the mentally challenged ‘Lennie’ in ‘Of Mice and Men’. Soon, Hollywood films followed, and he finally became famous for his Oscar-winning role as a corrupt politician ‘Willy Stark’ in ‘All the King's Men’. Eventually, he was also able to exhibit his comic talent in ‘Born Yesterday’. With his tough-guy features and hoarse voice, he made for an unusual leading man in superior, small-scale productions like ‘The Mob’ and ‘Scandal Sheet’. However, his most popular role of the time was in the hit television series ‘Highway Patrol’. After the show finished, he continued to act for more than 20 years in Hollywood and television. Gradually, minor roles in second and third grade movies, combined with his prolonged drinking problem lowered his reputation in the industry. Nevertheless, he continued to land roles right into his seventies and was rarely without a job. He worked in 140 motion pictures and television series during his career and left an indelible mark with his performances.
// Famous Film & Theater Personalities
Jacob Elordi
Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Skai Jackson
Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.
Childhood & Early Life
He was born William Broderick Crawford on 9 December1911 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lester Crawford and Helen Broderick. Helen was a Broadway and film actress while Lester was a popular vaudeville performer.
As a child, he often went along with his parents on vaudeville tours. Sometimes he even played small roles in their comedy satires.
He studied at the Dean Academy in Franklin, Massachusetts, and did extremely well in athletics, football, baseball, and swimming. Later, he enrolled at Harvard University at his parents’ insistence. Within three weeks at Harvard, he dropped out to work as a stevedore on the New York docks.
Thereafter, he engaged in various jobs like professional boxing, being a fit seaman aboard tankers, etc. In due course, he returned to acting through the radio.
Career
Broderick Crawford returned to acting via radio, following which he made his Broadway debut in ‘She Loves Me Not’ (1934) at the Adelphi Theatre, London. With his heavily built looks, he quickly gained fame as an actor in John Steinbeck's Broadway production - ‘Of Mice and Men’ (1937).
Next, he moved to Hollywood and in 1939, played a supporting role in the production of ‘Beau Geste’. This was followed by another important supporting role in the 1942 gangster comedy spoof, ‘Larceny, Inc.’
His career, till then, was largely restricted to ‘B films’ in supporting roles as he did not fit the archetypal description of a handsome leading man. Nevertheless, he excelled in playing villains.
During World War II, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. In 1944, he travelled to Britain as a sergeant and served as a radio announcer for the Armed Forces Network. In his show, he introduced live musical performances of artists like Glenn Miller.
In 1949, he played the role of Willie Stark, in ‘All the King's Men’. The film was a huge hit and his performance won him an Oscar award. In 1950, he starred in another blockbuster A-list production, ‘Born Yesterday’.
He eventually starred in films like Phil Karlson's ‘Scandal Sheet’ (1952), Fritz Lang's ‘Human Desire’ (1954), Federico Fellini's ‘Il bidone’ (1955), and Stanley Kramer's ‘Not as a Stranger’ (1955), showcasing his versatility.
In 1955, he played the role of the most brutal criminal, Rollo Lamar in ‘Big House, U.S.A’. In the film, his character is a hardened prisoner who commands submission from the toughest criminals possible.
In 1955, he also appeared in the television series ‘Highway Patrol’ as ‘Dan Mathews’. Though fictional, his realistic performance as a tough police officer made the show an immediate success and revived his career. He quit the show in 1959 owing to its hectic schedule.
In between ‘Highway Patrol’, he starred in films like Richard Fleischer's ‘Between Heaven and Hell’ and Russell Rouse’s ‘The Fastest Gun Alive’, both released in 1956.
He also played the lead role of a diamond industry security chief in the television series ‘King of Diamonds’. The show was cancelled after a single season.
In 1962, he returned to acting in movies. He took up intermittent roles in European films such as Vittorio Cottafavi's ‘La vendetta di Ercole’ (1960) and Javier Setó's ‘The Castilian’ (1963).
From 1962 to 1970, he appeared in around seventeen films, some of which were not so successful. Thereafter, he turned to television again. In 1970–71, he played the role of Dr. Peter Goldstone in ‘The Interns’ and in 1977, he starred as J. Edgar Hoover in ‘The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover’.
He also made a series of guest appearances on TV. His final role was as a film producer who gets murdered in a 1982 television series episode of ‘Simon and Simon’.
Major Works
Broderick Crawford is best remembered for his Oscar-winning performance as Willie Stark in ‘All the King's Men’ (1949). The character was inspired by the life of Louisiana politician Huey Long and was based on the popular novel by Robert Penn Warren.
He is also remembered as Chief Dan Matthews from the television series ‘Highway Patrol’ (1955) and as Judy Holliday's lively boyfriend in ‘Born Yesterday’ (1950).
Awards & Achievements
Broderick Crawford's performance in ‘All the King's Men’ (1949) as the harassing and brash, yet self-doubting Governor Willie Stark won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures at 6901, Hollywood Boulevard and the other for television at 6734, Hollywood Boulevard.
Personal Life & Legacy
For the most part of his adult life, Crawford suffered from alcoholism and gluttony. This led to serious weight gain during the 1950s and consequently numerous injuries on the set of ‘Highway Patrol’.
He married thrice; first he married Kay Griffith on 20 November 1940 and divorced her on 19 August 1958. The couple had two children together.
Next he married Joan Tabor on 4 January 1962 and got divorced on 26 April 1967.
Finally, he married Mary Alice Moore on 8 August 1973. The couple remained together till his death.
Broderick Crawford died on 26 April 1986 following a series of strokes, at the age of 74, in Rancho Mirage, California.
// Famous Harvard University
Bertil Gotthard Ohlin
Bertil Gotthard Ohlin was a famous Swedish economist. This biography profiles his childhood, family life & achievements.
Xi Mingze
Xi Mingze is the daughter of Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag is an American critical essayist, cultural analyst, novelist, political activist, filmmaker and playwright of international repute. Read on to find out more about her childhood, career, profile and timeline.
Broderick Crawford's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Academy Awards(Oscars) | ||
| 1950 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | All the King's Men (1949) |
Golden Globe Awards | ||
| 1950 | Best Actor | All the King's Men (1949) |
Broderick Crawford biography timelines
- // 1911He was born William Broderick Crawford on 9 December1911 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lester Crawford and Helen Broderick. Helen was a Broadway and film actress while Lester was a popular vaudeville performer.
- // 1934 To 1937Broderick Crawford returned to acting via radio, following which he made his Broadway debut in ‘She Loves Me Not’ (1934) at the Adelphi Theatre, London. With his heavily built looks, he quickly gained fame as an actor in John Steinbeck's Broadway production - ‘Of Mice and Men’ (1937).
- // 1939 To 1942Next, he moved to Hollywood and in 1939, played a supporting role in the production of ‘Beau Geste’. This was followed by another important supporting role in the 1942 gangster comedy spoof, ‘Larceny, Inc.’
- // 20th Nov 1940 To 19th Aug 1958He married thrice; first he married Kay Griffith on 20 November 1940 and divorced her on 19 August 1958. The couple had two children together.
- // 1944During World War II, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. In 1944, he travelled to Britain as a sergeant and served as a radio announcer for the Armed Forces Network. In his show, he introduced live musical performances of artists like Glenn Miller.
- // 1949 To 1950In 1949, he played the role of Willie Stark, in ‘All the King's Men’. The film was a huge hit and his performance won him an Oscar award. In 1950, he starred in another blockbuster A-list production, ‘Born Yesterday’.
- // 1949Broderick Crawford is best remembered for his Oscar-winning performance as Willie Stark in ‘All the King's Men’ (1949). The character was inspired by the life of Louisiana politician Huey Long and was based on the popular novel by Robert Penn Warren.
- // 1949Broderick Crawford's performance in ‘All the King's Men’ (1949) as the harassing and brash, yet self-doubting Governor Willie Stark won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
- // 1950 To 1955He is also remembered as Chief Dan Matthews from the television series ‘Highway Patrol’ (1955) and as Judy Holliday's lively boyfriend in ‘Born Yesterday’ (1950).
- // 1955In 1955, he played the role of the most brutal criminal, Rollo Lamar in ‘Big House, U.S.A’. In the film, his character is a hardened prisoner who commands submission from the toughest criminals possible.
- // 1955 To 1959In 1955, he also appeared in the television series ‘Highway Patrol’ as ‘Dan Mathews’. Though fictional, his realistic performance as a tough police officer made the show an immediate success and revived his career. He quit the show in 1959 owing to its hectic schedule.
- // 1956In between ‘Highway Patrol’, he starred in films like Richard Fleischer's ‘Between Heaven and Hell’ and Russell Rouse’s ‘The Fastest Gun Alive’, both released in 1956.
- // 4th Jan 1962 To 26th Apr 1967Next he married Joan Tabor on 4 January 1962 and got divorced on 26 April 1967.
- // 8th Aug 1973Finally, he married Mary Alice Moore on 8 August 1973. The couple remained together till his death.
- // 1982He also made a series of guest appearances on TV. His final role was as a film producer who gets murdered in a 1982 television series episode of ‘Simon and Simon’.
- // 26th Apr 1986Broderick Crawford died on 26 April 1986 following a series of strokes, at the age of 74, in Rancho Mirage, California.
// Famous American peoples
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Jason Simpson
Jason Simpson is the son of former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O. J. Simpson. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, life, and little known facts about him.
Melissa Brim
Melissa Brim is the ex-girlfriend of former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Skai Jackson
Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.
Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is a Christian author and speaker. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Zoe LaVerne
Zoe LaVerne is an American musical.ly star. Check out this biography to know more about her family, personal life, including her age, birthday, etc.
Broderick Crawford's FAQ
What is Broderick Crawford birthday?
Broderick Crawford was born at 1911-12-09
When was Broderick Crawford died?
Broderick Crawford was died at 1986-04-26
Where was Broderick Crawford died?
Broderick Crawford was died in Rancho Mirage
Which age was Broderick Crawford died?
Broderick Crawford was died at age 74
Where is Broderick Crawford's birth place?
Broderick Crawford was born in Philadelphia
What is Broderick Crawford nationalities?
Broderick Crawford's nationalities is American
Who is Broderick Crawford spouses?
Broderick Crawford's spouses is Joan Tabor, Kay Griffith, Mary Alice Moore
Who is Broderick Crawford childrens?
Broderick Crawford's childrens is Kelly G. Crawford, Kim Crawford, Lorella De Luca
What was Broderick Crawford universities?
Broderick Crawford studied at Harvard University, Harvard University
What was Broderick Crawford notable alumnis?
Broderick Crawford's notable alumnis is Harvard University
Who is Broderick Crawford's father?
Broderick Crawford's father is Lester Crawford
Who is Broderick Crawford's mother?
Broderick Crawford's mother is Helen Broderick
What is Broderick Crawford's sun sign?
Broderick Crawford is Sagittarius
How famous is Broderick Crawford?
Broderick Crawford is famouse as Actor