1888-03-09 ( 137 years old ) in Dublin, Ireland
Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status.
Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day.
One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.
Movies
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
2014-12-02
Cradle of Genius
1960-11-11
Broth of a Boy
1959-02-06
Rooney
1958-03-24
The Catered Affair
1956-06-14
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
1955-01-01
Happy Ever After
1954-06-29
The Quiet Man
1952-07-21
Ha da venì... don Calogero!
1952-03-04
Silver City
1951-12-01
Union Station
1950-10-04
The Story of Seabiscuit
1949-11-12
Top o' the Morning
1949-08-31
Miss Tatlock's Millions
1948-11-19
The Sainted Sisters
1948-04-30
The Naked City
1948-03-04
Variety Girl
1947-08-29
Welcome Stranger
1947-06-13
Easy Come, Easy Go
1947-03-07
California
1947-02-21
Two Years Before the Mast
1946-11-22
The Stork Club
1945-12-28
And Then There Were None
1945-10-31
Duffy's Tavern
1945-09-28
Incendiary Blonde
1945-07-25
None But the Lonely Heart
1944-10-17
I Love a Soldier
1944-07-12
Going My Way
1944-01-01
Corvette K-225
1943-09-29
Two Tickets to London
1943-06-14
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
1943-02-19
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
1941-12-01
How Green Was My Valley
1941-10-28
The Sea Wolf
1941-03-21
San Francisco Docks
1940-12-25
The Long Voyage Home
1940-11-16
Full Confession
1939-09-08
The Saint Strikes Back
1939-03-08
Pacific Liner
1939-01-06
The Dawn Patrol
1938-12-24
Marie Antoinette
1938-08-26
Four Men and a Prayer
1938-04-29
Bringing Up Baby
1938-02-18
Ebb Tide
1937-11-17
The Plough and the Stars
1936-12-26
Guests of The Nation
1935-01-01
Juno and the Paycock
1930-06-29
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