'happy birthday mr co-star... happy birthday to you...'

don't bother to knock

Happy Centennial to Richard Widmark today, the noir star who won instant fame (and an Oscar nod) for his film debut as dangerous "Tommy Udo" in Kiss of Death (1947). He almost made it to his centennial too but passed away in 2008. Other highlights from his filmography include: Night and the City (1950), Don't Bother to Knock (1952), Pick Up on South Street (1952), and that late career trio of all-star-cast Oscar darlings: Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), How the West Was Won (1962), and Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

Any favorite Widmark performances? I have never seen (gulp) Kiss of Death. I suppose I should get on that given the Oscar nomination.

Comments

[cal roth]

Haven't seen many movies with him, but Pìckup on South Street is a masterpiece. Thelma Ritter <3

[joel6]

Love him! A versatile performer, great as a villain but he could be charming when cast as the leading man. I've never seen him give a bad performance.

As the villain aside from Kiss of Death he's great in No Way Out, which was Sidney Poitier's screen bow-they ended up becoming really good friends since Widmark despite often being cast as the bad guy often was a fierce liberal.

Also good as a villain-Road House with Ida Lupino, Broken Lance and Coma. As the hero, conflicted and otherwise, Pickup on South Street, Panic in the Streets, Run for the Sun and almost at the end of his career the TV version of Cold Sassy Tree with Faye Dunaway

[forever1267]

I think i first saw him in the terrific thriller "Coma" with Genevieve Bujold and Michael Douglas and a young (and Shirtless!) Tom Selleck. He plays the seemingly understanding boss.

He's not.

[Arkaan]

Kiss of Death, Night and the City, Pickup on South Street

All must sees.

You didn't mention Panic in the Streets, which is a terrific movie.

[Jaragon]

" Pick Up on South Street" is a classic

[Patryk]

Pickup on South Street
The Bedford Incident
Kiss of Death

so many more

[Mareko]

Check out Night and the City (1950) and The Tunnel of Love (1958) with Doris Day for a side-by-side comparison of Widmark's range.

[dvdiva]

I am partial to his Westerns, and 2 of my faves are Broken Lance and Warlock
I a blogged about them here:
http://whatisannwatching.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/broken-lance/

http://whatisannwatching.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/warlock-1959-outstanding-western-with-an-odd-title/

I also like his Noir, with my favourites being Night and the City,
http://whatisannwatching.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/night-and-the-city-and-me/

Pickup on South Street
http://whatisannwatching.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/pickup-this-one/

and Yellow Sky which is an awesome Wester Noir mashup
http://whatisannwatching.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/welcome-and-a-few-words-about-yellow-sky-1948/