Burt Lancaster

Apart from his marital alliances, Lancaster was romantically involved with Deborah Kerr during the filming of “From Here to Eternity’. He also had an affair with Joan Blondell and Shelley Winters

Lancaster’s health steeply declined towards the latter part of his life. He suffered from atherosclerosis and survived two minor heart attacks. In 1983, he underwent an emergency quadruple coronary bypass. In 1990, he suffered from a stroke which left him partly paralyzed. He wasn’t able to speak any longer.

Burt Lancaster was born on November 2, 1913 in Manhattan, New York, to Elizabeth and James Henry Lancaster.

Young Lancaster attained his early education from DeWitt Clinton High School. It was while in school that Lancaster developed an interest in gymnastics. Due to the same, he attained an athletic scholarship that found him a seat at the New York University. However, Lancaster did not complete his education and eventually dropped out.

Dropping out from college, Lancaster trained himself in acrobatics along with his friend Nick Cravat. The duo even learned the antics of acting from a local theatre production house. No sooner they joined the Kay Brothers circus.

In 1939, following an injury, Lancaster lamentingly gave up his career in circus. He temporarily worked first as a salesman and then as a singing waiter in various restaurants.

In 1942, when United States entered World War II, he enrolled himself in the army. He was inducted in the Army's Twenty-First Special Services Division that was primarily aimed at providing USO entertainment to keep up morale. From 1943 to 1945, he served with General Mark Clark’s Fifth Army.

Immediately after serving in World War II, he auditioned for a Broadway play unenthusiastically. He grabbed a role in Harry Brown’s ‘A Sound of Hunting’ which marked his debut. Though the show lasted for merely three weeks, it did serve as the foundation for Lancaster’s acting career.

His acting skills in his maiden theatrical venture earned him the attention of Harold Hetcher who in turn introduced Lancaster to producer Mark Hellinger. Next, he starred in Hellinger’s ‘The Killers’. His brilliance in acting won him several acclaims for his debut film appearance.

Year 1960 was a gratifying year for Lancaster in terms of recognition and acknowledgment. Though his reputation as an ace actor had been formed, awards eluded him until ‘Elmer Gantry’ happened. The film had him play the title role of a hard drinking yet charismatic salesman who cons to get things in his stride. It eventually won him Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and New York Film Critics award.