Barry Fitzgerald

Barry Fitzgerald

Biography: 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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: March 09, 1888

Deathday: January 14, 1961

Popularity:

3.866

Known For

Cradle of Genius
Cradle of Genius

1960-11-11

Bringing Up Baby
Bringing Up Baby

1938-02-18

The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man

1952-07-21

And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None

1945-10-31

The Naked City
The Naked City

1948-03-04

The Sea Wolf
The Sea Wolf

1941-03-21

Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Tarzan's Secret Treasure

1941-12-01

How Green Was My Valley
How Green Was My Valley

1941-10-28

Union Station
Union Station

1950-10-04

The Story of Seabiscuit
The Story of Seabiscuit

1949-11-12

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday

1943-02-19

The Dawn Patrol
The Dawn Patrol

1938-12-24

Going My Way
Going My Way

1944-01-01

Juno and the Paycock
Juno and the Paycock

1930-06-29

The Saint Strikes Back
The Saint Strikes Back

1939-03-08

None But the Lonely Heart
None But the Lonely Heart

1944-10-17

The Long Voyage Home
The Long Voyage Home

1940-11-16

San Francisco Docks
San Francisco Docks

1940-12-25

The Catered Affair
The Catered Affair

1956-06-14

The Stork Club
The Stork Club

1945-12-28

California
California

1947-02-21

Welcome Stranger
Welcome Stranger

1947-06-13

Variety Girl
Variety Girl

1947-08-29

Incendiary Blonde
Incendiary Blonde

1945-07-25

Top o' the Morning
Top o' the Morning

1949-08-31

The Plough and the Stars
The Plough and the Stars

1936-12-26

Rooney
Rooney

1958-03-24

Easy Come, Easy Go
Easy Come, Easy Go

1947-03-07

Ebb Tide
Ebb Tide

1937-11-17

The Sainted Sisters
The Sainted Sisters

1948-04-30

I Love a Soldier
I Love a Soldier

1944-07-12

Two Tickets to London
Two Tickets to London

1943-06-14

Happy Ever After
Happy Ever After

1954-06-29

Two Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast

1946-11-22

Full Confession
Full Confession

1939-09-08

Four Men and a Prayer
Four Men and a Prayer

1938-04-29

Miss Tatlock's Millions
Miss Tatlock's Millions

1948-11-19

Pacific Liner
Pacific Liner

1939-01-06

Silver City
Silver City

1951-12-01

Corvette K-225
Corvette K-225

1943-09-29

Broth of a Boy
Broth of a Boy

1959-02-06

Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern

1945-09-28

Guests of The Nation
Guests of The Nation

1935-01-01

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered

2014-12-02

Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette

1938-08-26

Ha da venì... don Calogero!
Ha da venì... don Calogero!

1952-03-04

Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid

1955-01-01