Clifton Webb facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton Webb
Webb in 1923
Born	Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (1889-11-19)November 19, 1889 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died	October 13, 1966(1966-10-13) (aged 76) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupation	Actor singer dancer
Years active	1913–1962

Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (born November 19, 1889 – died October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was a talented American actor, singer, and dancer. He was famous for his many performances on stage, especially in plays by Noël Coward. He also starred in popular musical shows on Broadway. As a film actor, he was nominated for three Academy Awards. These nominations were for Best Supporting Actor in Laura (1944) and The Razor's Edge (1946). He was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Sitting Pretty (1948).

Early Life and Beginnings

Clifton Webb was born Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was the only child of Jacob Grant Hollenbeck and Mabel A. Parmelee. His parents separated when he was very young, in 1891.

In 1892, Webb's mother, Mabel, moved to New York City with him. She always called him "little Webb." Mabel was very supportive of his interest in the theater. She believed he was meant for the stage.

A Star on Broadway

In 1909, at 19 years old, Clifton Webb started his career as a professional ballroom dancer. He often performed with Bonnie Glass. They appeared in many operettas, which are like light operas.

His first show on Broadway was The Purple Road in 1913. He played the character Bosco. His mother was even listed in the program for the opening night! Webb then appeared in other musicals, including Dancing Around with Al Jolson.

Webb (third from right) in a 1917 theatre production of National Red Cross Pageant with Eugene O'Brien, Ivy Troutman, Jeanne Eagels, and others

In 1917, he had a long run in Jerome Kern's Love O' Mike. He also appeared with other Broadway stars in a film called National Red Cross Pageant. This film was made from a stage show to help the American Red Cross. His musical Listen Lester was also very popular, running for 272 performances.

During the 1920s, Webb performed in many Broadway shows. He also appeared in vaudeville (a type of variety show) and a few silent films. He introduced famous songs like "I've Got a Crush on You" and "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan". He also sang "Louisiana Hayride" and Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade" in the hit show As Thousands Cheer.

Most of Webb's Broadway shows were musicals. But he also starred in serious plays. These included Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and his friend Noël Coward's plays Blithe Spirit and Present Laughter.

Becoming a Film Star

Breakthrough with Laura

Clifton Webb was in his mid-fifties when he got a big break in movies. Director Otto Preminger chose him for the 1944 film Laura. Webb played Waldo Lydecker, an elegant but mean newspaper writer. He was obsessed with the character played by Gene Tierney.

Webb's performance in Laura earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Webb's performance in Laura was highly praised. He even received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. After this success, Webb signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. He worked only for them for the rest of his film career. He reunited with Gene Tierney in another praised role in The Razor's Edge (1946). This role earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Sitting Pretty and More Hits

Webb became a true movie star with Sitting Pretty. He played Mr. Belvedere, a smart and sometimes sarcastic babysitter. The movie was a huge success. Webb received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for this role.

Fox quickly made a sequel, Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949). In this film, Mr. Belvedere goes to college and helps people find love. It was another hit movie.

In Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), Webb and Myrna Loy played real-life parents Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. They were efficiency experts and had 12 children! This film was Webb's third big hit in a row. It made him one of the top stars in the United States.

He also starred in Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951), where Mr. Belvedere causes some fun trouble in a home for older people. Webb also played a father in Elopement (1952). He made a brief appearance in Belles on Their Toes (1952), a sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen.

Webb then starred in Dreamboat (1952). He played a college professor who used to be a silent film star. He also played bandleader John Philip Sousa in the film Stars and Stripes Forever (1952). In Titanic (1953), Webb had a very serious role as a brave husband.

He continued to star in popular films like Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) and Woman's World (1954). In the British film The Man Who Never Was (1956), Webb played a real-life Royal Navy officer. The film told the true story of a clever plan to trick the enemy during World War II.

Webb's last film role was in Satan Never Sleeps (1962). He played a Catholic priest in this movie.

Clifton Webb was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This star is at 6850 Hollywood Boulevard. His character Mr. Belvedere also inspired the "Mr. Peabody" character in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. The 1980s TV show Mr. Belvedere was also based on his character.

Personal Life

Clifton Webb never married and had no children. He lived with his mother until she passed away in 1960 at age 91. His friend Noël Coward famously joked, "It must be terrible to be orphaned at 71."

Later Years and Death

Webb's crypt at Hollywood Forever

Clifton Webb had health problems in his later years. He spent the last five years of his life quietly at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He passed away on October 13, 1966, from a heart attack. He was 76 years old. Webb is buried next to his mother in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Legacy

The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television has a scholarship named after Clifton Webb. It is called the Clifton Webb Scholarship and was started in 1969.

Complete Filmography

Box Office Ranking

For several years, movie theater owners voted Webb among the most popular stars in the country:

• 1949: 14th (U.S.)
• 1950: 7th (U.S.)
• 1951: 21st (U.S.)

Stage Work

Radio Appearances

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Clifton Webb para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations