Biography
Acting professional, screenwriter, and movie director who also starred in Cocoon and its own sequel. Like a stage acting professional, he received a Tony Honor for his part in 1964’s Hamlet. He was an effective amateur boxer, nearly producing the 1932 Canadian Olympic group. He gained an Academy Award nomination for Greatest Supporting Acting professional for his part in the 1944 film The Seventh Mix. He married celebrity and co-star Jessica Tandy, in 1942 plus they continued to be wedded until her loss of life in 1994. He analyzed under Maximum Reinhardt and acted in several Alfred Hitchcock movies, including Darkness of any doubt and Lifeboat.
Quick Facts
Full Name Hume Cronyn
Date Of Birth July 18, 1911
Died June 15, 2003, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
Place Of Birth London, Canada
Height 1.67 m
Profession Movie Actor
Education Ridley College, McGill University, American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Nationality Canadian, American
Spouse Susan Cooper, Jessica Tandy, Emily Woodruff
Children Tandy Cronyn, Christopher Cronyn
Parents Frances Amelia Cronyn, Hume Cronyn
Awards Kennedy Center Honors, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement, Drama Desk Special Award, Obie Award for Performance, Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Anthology Drama Adapted, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble Acting
Nominations Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Play, Tony Award for Best Play, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer In A Children/Youth/Family Special
Movies Batteries Not Included, Cocoon, Shadow of a Doubt, Lifeboat, Cleopatra, The Seventh Cross, The World According to Garp, Marvin's Room, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Pelican Brief, Cocoon: The Return, Brute Force, The Parallax View, People Will Talk, Rope, There Was a Crooked Man..., Brewster's Millions, Sunrise at Campobello, Conrack, The Green Years, Age Old Friends, Phantom of the Opera, Honky Tonk Freeway, Foxfire, To Dance with the White Dog, Under Capricorn, Gaily, Gaily, The Bride Goes Wild, Christmas On Division Street, Ziegfeld Follies, The Sailor Takes a Wife, A Letter for Evie, The Beginning or the End, 12 Angry Men, Main Street After Dark, Rollover, The Dollmaker, Top o' the Morning, Santa and Pete, Sea People, Camilla, Off Season, Seasons of Love, The Arrangement, Broadway Bound, The Moon And Sixpence, Impulse, Hamlet, A Separate Peace, People: A Musical Celebration, Crowded Paradise
TV Shows Seasons of Love, The Marriage, Chrysler Festival
Star Sign Cancer
- Facts
- Filmography
- Awards
- Salaries
- Quotes
- Trademarks
- Pictures
# | Fact |
---|
1 |
He was nominated for a 1978 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Actor in a Play for "The Gin Game" on Broadway in New York City. |
2 |
He was awarded the 1985 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Performance in Leading Role for the play, "Foxfire" at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California. |
3 |
He was awarded the 1971 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Performance for his performance in the play, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California. |
4 |
During the shooting of There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) Cronyn was diagnosed with optic cancer which required the removal of an eye. Although this news upset director Joseph L. Mankiewicz very much, Cronyn was more than willing to work longer hours to complete his scenes and make him available for the necessary surgery. |
5 |
He met wife Jessica Tandy in 1940 and they married in 1942. |
6 |
He and wife Jessica Tandy partnered on screen in 13 movies between 1944 and 1994, usually playing a couple: The Seventh Cross (1944), Blonde Fever (1944), The Green Years (1946), The Moon and Sixpence (1959), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), The World According to Garp (1982), Cocoon (1985), *batteries not included (1987), Foxfire (1987), Cocoon: The Return (1988), The Story Lady (1991), To Dance with the White Dog (1993) and Camilla (1994). |
7 |
Acted with the Montreal repertory Company while still a student at McGill. |
8 |
Inducted to Canada's Walk of Fame in 1999. |
9 |
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 112-114. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007. |
10 |
The original screenplay of The Locket (1946), called "What Nancy Wanted", was written by Norma Barzman, who was married to writer Ben Barzman, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy "Red Scare" period of the 1940s and 1950s. She sold the script to Cronyn, who planned to direct the film with wife Jessica Tandy starring. Cronyn then sold the script to RKO, which assigned Sheridan Gibney to rewrite it. |
11 |
7/11/88: He was awarded the O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) for his services to drama. |
12 |
Was once a boxer who was nominated for the Canadian Olympic boxing team. |
13 |
1972: Won an 1972-1973 Obie for Distinguished Performance for "Krapp's Last Tape". |
14 |
In 1946 Elia Kazan, looking for an actress to play Blanche Dubois in his upcoming Broadway production of "Streetcar Named Desire", saw a Los Angeles production of Tennessee Williams' earlier play "Portrait of a Madonna" in which Cronyn directed his wife Jessica Tandy. He was so impressed by her performance that he offered her the role. |
15 |
1990: He and wife Jessica Tandy were both honored with the American National Medal of the Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington DC. |
16 |
Won two Tony Awards: in 1964, as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for playing Polonius in Shakespeare/s "Hamlet," and, in 1994, a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement that was shared with his wife, Jessica Tandy. And he was nominated six other times: as Best Actor (Dramatic), in 1961 for: Big Fish, Little Fish" and in 1967 for Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance;" as Best Actor (Play), in 1978 for "The Gin Game" and in 1986 for "The Petition;" as Producer (Dramatic), in 1965 as co-producer of Best Play nominee "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground;" and as co-producer in 1978 of Best Play nominee "The Gin Game.". |
17 |
Starred (with wife Jessica Tandy) as Ben Marriott on NBC Radio's "The Marriage" (1953-1954). |
18 |
Stepchildren: Jonathan Grant and Kate Glennon. |
19 |
Son: Christopher Cronyn, daughter: Tandy Cronyn. Granddaughter: Katherine Cronyn. |
20 |
At time of death had eight grandchildren and five great-granchildren. |
21 |
Appeared as Sosigenes in Cleopatra (1963), One film critic's witty appraisal of this mammoth, megastar, megabuck, four-hour production was, "I never miss a Hume Cronyn movie." |
22 |
Became a US citizen late in life. |
23 |
Attended Ridley College, St. Catharines, Ontario |
24 |
Although not widely known, he had a glass eye, having lost the real one to cancer. |
25 |
His father Hume Blake Cronyn has an observatory dedicated to him in the University of Western Ontario. The refractor telescope was the largest ever built in the western hemisphere at the time. |
26 |
Won a Tony Award in 1964 for his performance as Polonius in the Richard Burton Broadway production of "Hamlet", which was recorded live on stage in a process known as Electronovision, and shown in movie theaters the same year (Hamlet (1964)). |
27 |
1932: Member of the Kappa Alpha Society at the McGill University. |
Actor
Actor
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
A Separate Peace |
2004 |
TV Movie |
Professor Carmichael |
Off Season |
2001 |
TV Movie |
Sam Clausner |
Yesterday's Children |
2000 |
TV Movie |
Old Sonny Sutton |
Santa and Pete |
1999 |
TV Movie |
Saint Nick |
Sea People |
1999 |
TV Movie |
Mr. John McRae |
Seasons of Love |
1999 |
TV Series |
Lonzo |
Angel Passing |
1998 |
Short |
|
Alone |
1997 |
TV Movie |
John Webb |
12 Angry Men |
1997 |
TV Movie |
Juror #9 |
Marvin's Room |
1996 |
|
Marvin |
People: A Musical Celebration |
1995 |
TV Movie |
Grandpa (voice) |
Camilla |
1994 |
|
Ewald |
The Pelican Brief |
1993 |
|
Justice Rosenberg |
To Dance with the White Dog |
1993 |
TV Movie |
Robert Samuel Peek |
Broadway Bound |
1992 |
TV Movie |
Ben |
Christmas on Division Street |
1991 |
TV Movie |
Cleveland Meriwether |
Age-Old Friends |
1989 |
TV Movie |
John Cooper |
Day One |
1989 |
TV Movie |
James F. Byrnes |
Cocoon: The Return |
1988 |
|
Joseph 'Joe' Finley |
*batteries not included |
1987 |
|
Frank Riley |
Foxfire |
1987 |
TV Movie |
Hector Nations |
Cocoon |
1985 |
|
Joe Finley |
Brewster's Millions |
1985 |
|
Rupert Horn |
Impulse |
1984 |
|
Dr. Carr |
The World According to Garp |
1982 |
|
Mr. Fields |
The Gin Game |
1981 |
TV Movie |
Weller Martin |
Rollover |
1981 |
|
Maxwell Emery |
Honky Tonk Freeway |
1981 |
|
Sherm |
33 Hours in the Life of God |
1976 |
TV Movie |
Dr. Jaffe |
The Parallax View |
1974 |
|
Bill Rintels |
Conrack |
1974 |
|
Mr. Skeffington (School Superintendent) |
Norman Corwin Presents |
1972 |
TV Series |
|
Hawaii Five-O |
1970-1971 |
TV Series |
Lewis Avery Filer |
There Was a Crooked Man... |
1970 |
|
Dudley Whinner |
Gaily, Gaily |
1969 |
|
Tim Grogan |
The Arrangement |
1969 |
|
Arthur Houghton |
Hamlet |
1964/I |
|
Polonius |
Cleopatra |
1963 |
|
Sosigenes |
Naked City |
1961 |
TV Series |
Professor Henry J. Fallon |
The Barbara Stanwyck Show |
1960 |
TV Series |
Charles King |
Sunrise at Campobello |
1960 |
|
Louis Howe |
Play of the Week |
1960 |
TV Series |
Jack Boyle |
Juno and the Paycock |
1960 |
TV Movie |
|
A Doll's House |
1959 |
TV Movie |
Nils Krogstad |
The Moon and Sixpence |
1959 |
TV Movie |
Dirk Stroeve |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents |
1956-1958 |
TV Series |
Henry Daw / Fitzhugh Oldham |
General Electric Theater |
1956-1958 |
TV Series |
Benedict Arnold Brummel / Ralph Whittemarc |
The Loretta Young Show |
1958 |
TV Series |
Henry Goodens / Hap Martin |
Telephone Time |
1958 |
TV Series |
Alfred Nobel |
The DuPont Show of the Month |
1958 |
TV Series |
|
Studio 57 |
1957 |
TV Series |
Mr. Shaw |
Schlitz Playhouse |
1957 |
TV Series |
Wilbur Meeler |
Studio One in Hollywood |
1949-1957 |
TV Series |
Ellis Davenport / Mr. Moore / Ben Hecht |
The Alcoa Hour |
1956-1957 |
TV Series |
Ralph Grimes / Wise Gentleman / Sam Pickens |
Chrysler Festival |
1956 |
TV Series |
Host |
Crowded Paradise |
1956 |
|
George Heath |
Climax! |
1956 |
TV Series |
Reverend Mr. Muldoon |
The United States Steel Hour |
1956 |
TV Series |
Priam Farll |
Goodyear Playhouse |
1955 |
TV Series |
Ben Marriott |
The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse |
1950-1955 |
TV Series |
Ben Marriott |
Omnibus |
1953-1955 |
TV Series |
Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell / Bartender |
Producers' Showcase |
1955 |
TV Series |
Michael |
The Marriage |
1954 |
TV Series |
Ben Marriott / Narrator |
The Motorola Television Hour |
1954 |
TV Series |
Anthony Updyke |
Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City |
1953 |
TV Series |
|
People Will Talk |
1951 |
|
Prof. Rodney Elwell |
Pulitzer Prize Playhouse |
1950 |
TV Series |
Charles Ponzi |
Suspense |
1949-1950 |
TV Series |
Sig / Dr. Violet |
The Ford Theatre Hour |
1949-1950 |
TV Series |
Harry Binion / Hugo Barnstead |
Top o' the Morning |
1949 |
|
Hughie Devine |
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre |
1949 |
TV Series |
|
The Bride Goes Wild |
1948 |
|
John McGrath |
Brute Force |
1947 |
|
Capt. Munsey |
The Beginning or the End |
1947 |
|
Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer |
The Secret Heart |
1946 |
|
Dinner Party Guest (voice, uncredited) |
The Postman Always Rings Twice |
1946 |
|
Arthur Keats |
The Green Years |
1946 |
|
Papa Leckie |
A Letter for Evie |
1946 |
|
John Phineas McPherson |
The Sailor Takes a Wife |
1945 |
|
Freddie Potts |
Ziegfeld Follies |
1945 |
|
Monty ('A Sweepstakes Ticket') |
Main Street After Dark |
1945 |
|
Keller |
Blonde Fever |
1944 |
|
Diner at Inn (uncredited) |
The Seventh Cross |
1944 |
|
Paul Roeder |
Lifeboat |
1944 |
|
Stanley Garrett |
The Cross of Lorraine |
1943 |
|
Duval |
Phantom of the Opera |
1943 |
|
Gerard |
Shadow of a Doubt |
1943 |
|
Herbie Hawkins |
Producer
Producer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Producers' Showcase |
1955 |
TV Series producer - 1 episode |
|
The Marriage |
1954 |
TV Series producer - 8 episodes |
|
Actor's Studio |
1948 |
TV Series producer |
|
Writer
Writer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Foxfire |
1987 |
TV Movie play |
|
The Dollmaker |
1984 |
TV Movie teleplay |
|
Under Capricorn |
1949 |
adaptation |
|
Rope |
1948 |
adapted by |
|
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Goodyear Playhouse |
1955 |
TV Series assistant director - 1 episode |
|
The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse |
1955 |
TV Series assistant director - 1 episode |
|
Actor's Studio |
1948 |
TV Series first assistant director - 1 episode |
|
Soundtrack
Soundtrack
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
*batteries not included |
1987 |
performer: "LET'S HAVE ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE" |
|
Foxfire |
1987 |
TV Movie lyrics: "Dear Lord", "My Feet Took T'walkin'", "Sweet Talker" |
|
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
To Dance with the White Dog |
1993 |
TV Movie program consultant |
|
Actor's Studio |
1948 |
TV Series stage manager - 1 episode |
|
Thanks
Thanks
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood |
2001 |
TV Movie documentary acknowledgment: still photographs provided by / very special thanks |
|
'Fried Green Tomatoes': The Moments of Discovery |
1998 |
Video documentary special thanks |
|
Self
Self
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There |
2003 |
Documentary |
Himself |
The John Garfield Story |
2003 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
Intimate Portrait |
2002 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
Broadway Legends |
2002 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood |
2001 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
'Rope' Unleashed |
2001 |
Video documentary short |
Himself |
Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film |
2000 |
Video documentary short |
Himself |
Reputations |
1999 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself - Actor and Friend |
An African Love Story |
1996 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
The 50th Annual Tony Awards |
1996 |
TV Special |
Himself - Presenter: Best Revival of a Play |
The 48th Annual Tony Awards |
1994 |
TV Special |
Himself - Winner: Lifetime Achievement Award |
The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards |
1992 |
TV Special |
Himself - Winner: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special & Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
The 64th Annual Academy Awards |
1992 |
TV Special |
Himself - Audience Member |
The Chuck Woolery Show |
1991 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
The 15th Annual Women in Film Crystal Awards |
1991 |
TV Special |
Himself |
Reflections on the Silver Screen |
1990 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Night of 100 Stars III |
1990 |
TV Movie |
Himself |
The 62nd Annual Academy Awards |
1990 |
TV Special |
Himself - Audience Member |
The 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards |
1988 |
TV Special |
Himself - Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts |
1987 |
TV Special documentary |
Himself |
Today |
1967-1987 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
The 41st Annual Tony Awards |
1987 |
TV Special |
Himself - Presenter: Best Leading Actress in a Play |
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts Annual Tribute: A Salute to Kirk Douglas |
1987 |
TV Movie |
Himself - Speaker |
The 40th Annual Tony Awards |
1986 |
TV Special |
Himself - Performer & Nominee: Best Leading Actor in a Play |
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts |
1986 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself - Honoree |
The 37th Annual Tony Awards |
1983 |
TV Special |
Himself - Audience Member |
The 35th Annual Tony Awards |
1981 |
TV Special |
Himself |
Over Easy |
1979 |
TV Series |
Himself |
The 32nd Annual Tony Awards |
1978 |
TV Special |
Himself - Nominee: Best Play & Best Actor in a Play |
Dinah! |
1975 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
Dateline: Hollywood |
1967 |
TV Series |
Himself |
The Joey Bishop Show |
1967 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Here's Hollywood |
1960 |
TV Series |
Himself |
The Ed Sullivan Show |
1951-1959 |
TV Series |
Himself / Jerry in a scene from 'A Pound on Demand' / Himself - Actor |
Person to Person |
1958 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
To Tell the Truth |
1957 |
TV Series |
Himself - Panelist |
The Fred Waring Show |
1951 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Archive Footage
Archive Footage
Won awards
Won awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie | Award shared with |
---|
1994 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
To Dance with the White Dog (1993) |
|
1992 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
Broadway Bound (1992) |
|
1991 |
ACE |
CableACE Awards |
Actor in a Movie or Miniseries |
Age-Old Friends (1989) |
|
1990 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
Age-Old Friends (1989) |
|
1985 |
Humanitas Prize |
Humanitas Prize |
90 Minute Category |
The Dollmaker (1984) |
· Susan Cooper |
1985 |
WGA Award (TV) |
Writers Guild of America, USA |
Adapted Drama Anthology |
The Dollmaker (1984) |
· Susan Cooper |
Nominated awards
Nominated awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie | Award shared with |
---|
2005 |
Daytime Emmy |
Daytime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special |
A Separate Peace (2004) |
|
2002 |
Daytime Emmy |
Daytime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special |
Off Season (2001) |
|
2000 |
Daytime Emmy |
Daytime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special |
Sea People (1999) |
|
1998 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie |
12 Angry Men (1997) |
|
1998 |
OFTA Television Award |
Online Film & Television Association |
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries |
12 Angry Men (1997) |
|
1997 |
Actor |
Screen Actors Guild Awards |
Outstanding Performance by a Cast |
Marvin's Room (1996) |
· Meryl Streep · Leonardo DiCaprio · Diane Keaton · Robert De Niro · Gwen Verdon · Hal Scardino · Dan Hedaya |
1993 |
Golden Globe |
Golden Globes, USA |
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television |
Broadway Bound (1992) |
|
1992 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
Christmas on Division Street (1991) |
|
1990 |
Saturn Award |
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA |
Best Actor |
Cocoon: The Return (1988) |
|
1988 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
Foxfire (1987) |
|
1986 |
Saturn Award |
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA |
Best Actor |
Cocoon (1985) |
|
1984 |
Primetime Emmy |
Primetime Emmy Awards |
Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special |
The Dollmaker (1984) |
· Susan Cooper (writer) |
1965 |
Grammy |
Grammy Awards |
Best Spoken Word Album |
|
· Richard Burton · John Gielgud |
1945 |
Oscar |
Academy Awards, USA |
Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
The Seventh Cross (1944) |
|
Looks like we don't have salary information. Sorry!
# | Quote |
---|
1 |
[on working with Hitchcock] It was all cut in his head. You shot from the angle he wanted shot, with the result that very little film ended up on the floor. You really felt that you were in the presence of someone who was a real master of the craft. |
2 |
[on why he asked to be released from his MGM contract] I remember beginning to realize that I was never going to do anything in California, but be another useful character actor, and that could continue that career indefinitely if I were prepared to. |
3 |
[he one rule he follows as an actor] If you're doing the devil, look for the angel in him. If you're doing the angel, look for the devil in him. |
4 |
To act you must have a sense of truth and some degree of dedication. |
5 |
The whole business of marshaling one's energies becomes more and more important as one grows older. |
Looks like we don't have trademarks information. Sorry!