Richard Widmark, Actor, Dies at 93

[Doctor Strange]

There's a nice piece on Widmark up at Leonard Maltin's site:

http://www.leonardmaltin.com/home.htm

 

[Fletch]

What it is about this guy that any time he's on the tube, I have to sit down and watch him? I never met him, but I feel I knew him.

There is one degree of separation. Widmark lived near my cousin when she had a store in New Milford, CT, in the 80s. I even met his daughter once. She looked like him, blond and lightly built and not too tall.

As Maltin points out, he was shy and retiring. I guess almost to a fault. One day he came into the store, asked to see some stuff and was all ready to make a few purchases. Remember that a lot of younger folks didn't know him - well, the cashier was one of those. Widmark said, "Just put it on my bill." She said, "What's the name?" He just sorta looked at her, said forget it and walked out. Didn't want to give his name.

He never "went Hollywood." He just did great work, even in not-great movies. It had honesty and humanity even when he was playing the creepiest heavy or the clichéest gunslinger. He had, as we musicians say, chops.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I thought he was a wonderful actor, could play the vilest of villains and then turn around and play a hero, too.

I always thought he was an attractive, handsome man; whenever I read a quote from him, always got a kick out of it and thought he'd be someone interesting to meet or to interview.

Rest in Peace Richard, thanks for all your good work.

karol

 

[Lincsong]

Another guy I didn't know was still alive. RIP.

 

[Feraud]

TCM is doing a Widmark tribute this Friday evening.
See here for details.

 

[Twitch]

For me he was visually the perfectly believable detective at any point in his career.