<ptext-align:>Edward James "Ed" Begley, Sr. (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an Academy Award-winning American actor of theatre, radio, film, and television.
<h2text-align:>Life and career
<ptext-align:>Begley was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Hannah (née Clifford) and Michael Joseph Begley, Irish immigrants. Begley began his career as a Broadway and radio actor while in his teens. He appeared in the hit musical
Going Up on Broadway in 1917 and in London the next year. He later acted in roles as Sgt. O'Hara in the radio show
The Fat Man. His radio work included a period as Charlie Chan and Stroke of Fate amongst other roles. He also starred in the 1950s radio program
Richard Diamond, Private Detective, playing Lieutenant Walter Levinson, head of homicide at the 5th Precinct, Manhattan. In the late 1940s, he began appearing regularly in supporting film roles. Elected a member of The Lambs (www.The-Lambs.org) in 1943.
<ptext-align:>In the 1952-1953 television season, Begley co-starred with Eddie Albert in the CBS sitcom
Leave It to Larry. Begley, though only five years older than Albert, played the father-in-law and employer of Albert's character, Larry Tucker, a shoe salesman, who with his young family lives with Begley.
<ptext-align:>He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in
Sweet Bird of Youth (1962). Some of his other notable films include
12 Angry Men (1957),
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) and
Wild in the Streets (1968). One notable role Begley played both on television (twice in 1955) and in the theatrical film (1956) is Andy Sloane, one of the three primary characters in Rod Serling's
Patterns.
<ptext-align:>His other television work included appearances on
Justice,
Empire,
The Virginian,
Bonanza,
The Fugitive,
Target: The Corruptors,
The Wild Wild West, and
Going My Way, with Gene Kelly.
<ptext-align:>Begley married three times. He is the father of the actor and environmental advocate Ed Begley, Jr.
<ptext-align:>Among his many Broadway credits were
All My Sons and
Inherit the Wind.
<ptext-align:>Begley died of a heart attack in Hollywood, California. He is buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California.
Source: Wikipedia
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