Gregory Peck

Eldred Gregory Peck (born the April 5th 1916 with La Jolla and deceased the June 12th 2003 with Los Angeles) was a American Acteur .

Biography

Beginnings

Born Eldred Gregory Peck with La Jolla in California, he was the only son of Bernice Ayres (originating in the Missouri, converted with the Catholicisme) and of Gregory Peck (pharmacist/chemist of Irish origin on the side of his/her mother and British on the side of its father, catholic). His/her paternal grandmother Catherine Ashe was related to the Irish nationalist Thomas Ashe , which took share with the Insurrection of Easter 1916 (year of birth of Peck).

In spite of their strict practice of the Catholic religion, the parents of Gregory Peck divorce whereas it is only five years old; it is then taken charges some by his grandmother. Eldred is then sent to 10 years in a catholic military academy of Los Angeles, then with the San Diego High School . Once graduate, it is registered with the San Diego State University then with Berkeley.

Starting from 1936, it starts to develop an interest for the comedy and is implied in the section of theater of Berkeley. It will appear in five parts during its years of studies. During this same time, it must work to be able to finance its studies. For one short period, he will thus work like driver of truck for an oil company, then as assistant-cook. Gregory Peck will say later its years to Berkeley:

“ It has off very special experiment for me and three the greatest years off my life. It woke me up and made has me human being. ”
“ It was a very special experiment for me and three of the best years of my life. That awoke me and made ego a man. ”

In thanks with its coach Ky Ebright , it will make in 1997 a gift of 25.000 dollars to its section of Berkeley.

After having obtained its English diploma, Peck legally removes the Eldred of its name and leaves to New York to study with the Neighborhood Playhouse , a school of famous comedy. It then misses often means and will sleep some times in Central Park. He will work in 1939 with the World Fair then like guides for the television channel NBC.

At this point in time it makes its beginnings with Broadway in the part of Emlyn Williams The Morning Star (1942) then in The Willow and I with Edward Pawley and The Doctor' S Dilemna . At this same period, he marries Greta Konen Rice with which he will have three children.

Peck gains in popularity during the second world war, although having been exempted of military service because of evils of back. This problem of back was due to a bad movement during a lesson of dance with Martha Graham , but the Twentieth Century Fox preferred to say that this problem of back came from an accident of Aviron to the university. Gregory Peck will say some later:

“ In Hollywood, they didn' T think has dance class was macho enough, I guess. I've been trying to straighten out that story for years. ”
“ In Hollywood, they did not think that the courses of dance were enough macho I think. I tried to rectify this history during years. ”

Cinematographic career

It arrives at Hollywood in 1944 with four contracts out of pocket. It is Jacques Tourneur who gives him its first employment with the cinema: the main role of DAYS OFF GLORY (1944). It is immediately taken under contract by David O Selznick who entirely prepares the production of KEYS OFF THE KINGDOM (1944). Although some criticisms qualified its play of inexpressive, Gregory Peck will be named five times during its career for the Oscar of the best actor, including four during its first years with the cinema with: Keys of the kingdom (1944), Jody and the fawn (1946), the invisible Wall (1947, at the sides of Dorothy McGuire), and an iron Man (1949).

It will gain the Oscar with its fifth nomination, for the role of Atticus Finch in To Kill has Mockingbird ( Silence and Shades ) in 1962, adaptation of the novel éponyme Harper Lee. Left in full fight the American blacks to obtain their civic rights, this film has as a subject the injustice whose is victim a black of the Alabama marked wrongly of rape. In this film, Peck plays a lawyer, widower and father of two children, which must defend this black against all the company which surrounds it. To Kill has Mockingbird would have been the preferred film of the actor. The character whom he interprets, Atticus, will be designated in 2003, that is to say two weeks before his death, by the American Film Institute like the largest hero of the history cinema (with in 2nd place Indiana Jones and the 3rd James Bond).

In his large catalog of films one can note the Guns of Navarone , film of war with David Niven and Anthony Quinn, the Moby Dick of John Huston, two collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock ( the House of Doctor Edwardes and the Lawsuit Paradine ), as Roman Vacances at the sides of Audrey Hepburn which will gain the Oscar of its beginnings… Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn were friends close until death to this one: it is besides him which introduced her husband Mel to him To shoe.

Beside its career, Peck had founded in 1949 in its birthplace The La Jolla Playhouse with his/her friends Jose Ferrer and Dorothy McGuire. This theater company attracted some stars of Hollywood (like participants or supporters) and still continues to function today.

Relations with the Policy

In 1947, whereas much with Hollywood is reproduced already on a black list of personalities suspected of Communism, Gregory Peck will sign a letter against the Comité of the not-American Activities and investigations of McCarthy in cinema industry.

It spoke also during the Guerre of Vietnam whereas his/her own Stephen son fought. In 1972, it produces the film adaptation of the part of Daniel Berrigan the Last nines of Catonsville, on the lawsuit of a group of marked Vietnamese of civil disobedience.

In 1977, in spite of its initial hesitation to interpret the general Douglas MacArthur for the film Mac Arthur, the general rebels, it will come out from it with a great admiration for the man.

Since always sympathizer of the Democratic party, Gregory Peck was considered in the the Seventies like a possible candidate against Ronald Reagan at the post of governor of California.

In an interview, it also revealed that the president Lyndon Johnson, then candidate for his re-election, had proposed to him a post of ambassador of the United States in Ireland (station that Peck would have readily accepted in consideration of its Irish ascent).

He encouraged also one of his sons, Carey, in his political career. This one failed twice where it was presented to the Congress in 1978 and 1980 (twice with weak variations of many voices).

End of a career

In 1979, it is introduced with the Western Performers Hall off Famed with the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum with Oklahoma City.

In the Years 1980, it goes on the small screen to interpret Abraham Lincoln in the telefilm The Blue and the Gray . He will also play in The Scarlet and The Black , telefilm on a catholic priest who saves Jews and refugees of the Nazism during the second world war.

Peck withdraws trade in 1991 after having received AFI Life Achievement Award decreed by the American Film Institute in 1989. It will also receive in 1996 the Crystal Earth for its artistic contribution to the cinema world.

In 2000, it is made Doctor in Letters by the National University off Ireland. He was also owner of the University College Dublin School off Film (where he named Martin Scorsese like honorary member) and sat some time with the American Cancer Society.

He had also been one of the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk off Famed in the Sixties to the 6100 Hollywood Blvd. This star will be stolen 45 years later, the November 30th 2005.

As Cary Grant did it before him, it spent the last years of its life to traverse the world, multiplying the speeches and the conferences.

He died in his sleep of natural causes the June 12th 2003 with Los Angeles, 87 years old, leaving his second wife Veronique Passani (journalist Parisian married in 1955), two children of its first marriage and two of his second (another of its sons had committed suicide in 1975).

Gregory Peck is today buried with the Cathedral off Our Lady off the Angels in Los Angeles.

Private life

  • 1st wife: Greta Kukkonen (of 1942 to 1954)

* Wire: Jonathan (born in 1944, deceased in 1975)
* Wire: Stephen (born in 1945)
* Wire: Carey (born in 1949)
  • 2nd wife: Veronique Passani (of 1955 to 2003)
* Wire: Anthony (born in 1956)
* Girl: Cecilia (born in 1958)

Catalog of films

Actor

Producer

Simple: Gregory Peck

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