Alfred Lunt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfred Lunt
Photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1932
Born	Alfred Davis Lunt Jr. (1892-08-12)August 12, 1892 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	August 3, 1977(1977-08-03) (aged 84) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education	Carroll College, Le Cordon Bleu
Occupation	Actor/director
Years active	1903–1966
Spouse(s)	Lynn Fontanne ​ ​ (m. 1922; his death 1977)​

Alfred Lunt (born August 12, 1892 – died August 3, 1977) was a famous American actor and director. He worked mostly on stage, especially on Broadway. Alfred Lunt was known for his amazing acting skills. He often performed with his wife, Lynn Fontanne. They were a very famous acting duo. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway is even named after them!

Alfred Lunt's Acting Career

Alfred Lunt was a very successful actor. He won two Tony Awards, which are top honors for theater. He was also nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Actor. This was for his role in the 1931 movie The Guardsman. He also won an Emmy Award for a TV show called The Magnificent Yankee.

Lunt became a big star in 1919. He played a funny character in the play Clarence. But he could play many different kinds of roles. He played a king in Elizabeth the Queen. He also played a powerful businessman in Meteor. People said he was one of the best American actors of his time.

He didn't act in many old classic plays. But he was very good in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. He also starred in Chekhov's The Seagull. In that play, his wife Lynn Fontanne also acted.

Alfred Lunt's Personal Life

Alfred Lunt was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1892. His father died when Alfred was very young. His mother later remarried. They moved to Genesee Depot, Wisconsin. Alfred went to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Lunt and Fontanne in 1950

Alfred Lunt married Lynn Fontanne on May 26, 1922. They were one of the most famous acting couples in American history. They acted together in more than 20 plays. They were so famous that they even appeared on an American postage stamp after they passed away.

The Lunts made three movies together. They starred in The Guardsman in 1931. They also had small roles as themselves in Stage Door Canteen (1943). In 1958, they stopped acting on stage. They also appeared in radio shows and a few TV shows.

During the summers, and after they retired, they lived at their home called Ten Chimneys. This home is in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.

Alfred Lunt received special awards for his work. In 1947, he got a medal for speaking well on stage. In 1964, he and Lynn Fontanne received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is a very high honor given by the President of the United States.

Alfred Lunt is also part of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Lunt as he appears at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Alfred Lunt's Death

Alfred Lunt died on August 3, 1977, in Chicago. He was almost 85 years old. He is buried next to his wife in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After he died, the lights in all Broadway theaters were dimmed. This is a special way to honor a very important person in theater.

Alfred Lunt's Legacy

Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne's home, Ten Chimneys, is now a museum. It helps people learn about theater. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City is named after them. This shows how important they were to Broadway.

Selected Broadway Stage Work

Selected Film and TV Appearances

Radio Appearances

Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne often appeared on the radio show Theater Guild on the Air. These were hour-long plays. They performed together many times.

• The Guardsman, 1945
• Elizabeth the Queen, 1945
• Call it a Day, 1946
• The Great Adventure, 1947
• Pygmalion, 1951

Images for kids

• 

  Lunt in an early publicity photograph

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  The Lunts, mid-1920s

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  Noël Coward, 1925photograph

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  Ten Chimneys, the Lunts' house in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin, now a National Historic Landmark

See also

In Spanish: Alfred Lunt para niños