Montgomery Clift

Clift has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6104 Hollywood Blvd. He achieved immortality by appearing on one of a series of United States postage stamps portraying movie monsters, as the Wolf Man, in 1977. He is interred in the Quaker Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. He maintained a strong career in horror movies, playing all four of the classic horror roles -- the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Mummy in The Mummy's Tomb (1942) and (the son of) Dracula in Son of Dracula (1943). Montgomery Clift died at the age of 45 of heart problems brought on by his drug and alcohol addictions. In 1941 he starred in the title role of The Wolf Man, the characterization which would be his stereotypical role for the rest of his life. He turned down the starring roles in East of Eden and Sunset Blvd.. He did not achieve stardom until the 1939 feature film version of Of Mice and Men, in which he played Lennie Small.

He needed reconstructive surgery on his face, but returned to acting and to stardom. His first movie was an uncredited role in the 1932 film Girl Crazy. In 1956, while filming Raintree County, he smashed his car into a tree, and only quick thinking by co-star Elizabeth Taylor, who pulled two teeth out of his throat to keep him from choking, saved his life. He did not take any movie roles until after his father's death. But the public never knew until after his death that he was a bisexual, and his guilt over this led to his continuing alcoholism and drug use. But he also studied makeup under his father. Amazingly, Clift was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for Judgement At Nuremberg in a role that only took up seven minutes of screen time. He worked menial jobs in order to make his own way.

He had a highly successful film career, performing in many Oscar-nominated roles and becoming a matinee idol for his good looks. Chaney worked hard to avoid his father's shadow. Clift was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor that same year for The Search. Chaney was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and died in San Clemente, California. He achieved success on the stage and starred there for ten years before moving to Hollywood, debuting in 1948's Red River opposite John Wayne. He was born Creighton Tull Chaney, and was first credited as "Lon Chaney, Jr." in 1935, as a studio marketing ploy. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift appeared on Broadway at the age of thirteen. Lon Chaney, Jr. (February 10, 1906 - July 12, 1973) was an American character actor, well-known mainly for his roles in monster movies and as the son of his better-known father, Lon Chaney.

Montgomery Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American actor. The Defector. Freud. Judgment at Nuremberg.

The Misfits. Wild River. Suddenly, Last Summer. Lonelyhearts.

The Young Lions. Raintree County. From Here to Eternity. Indescretion of an American Wife.

I Confess. A Place in the Sun. The Big Lift. The Heiress.

Red River. The Search. 1949 - Best Actor in a Leading Role - The Search. 1952 - Best Actor in a Leading Role - A Place in the Sun.

1954 - Best Actor in a Leading Role - From Here to Eternity. 1962 - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Judgment at Nuremberg.