Ralph Bellamy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Bellamy
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Bellamy in 1934
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| Born |
Ralph Rexford Bellamy
June 17, 1904 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | November 29, 1991 (aged 87) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1925–1990 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
Alice Delbridge
(m. 1927; div. 1930)Catherine Willard
(m. 1931; div. 1945)Ethel Smith
(m. 1945; div. 1947)Alice Murphy
(m. 1949) |
| 7th President of the Actors' Equity Association | |
| In office 1952–1964 |
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| Preceded by | Clarence Derwent |
| Succeeded by | Frederick O'Neal |
Ralph Rexford Bellamy (born June 17, 1904 – died November 29, 1991) was an American actor. He had a very long career, acting for 65 years! He appeared in plays, movies, and TV shows. Ralph Bellamy won a Tony Award for his acting in the play Sunrise at Campobello. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his role in the movie The Awful Truth (1937).
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Ralph Bellamy was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Lilla Louise, was from Canada. His father was Charles Rexford Bellamy.
When Ralph was 15, he ran away from home. He found a job with a traveling show. He toured with these shows for a while. Eventually, he moved to New York City. There, he started acting on stage. By 1927, he even owned his own theater company!
Movie and TV Career
Ralph Bellamy started his movie career in 1931. His first film was The Secret Six. It starred famous actors like Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, and Clark Gable. By the end of 1933, he had already been in 22 movies! These included Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932). He also played a big role in the action film Picture Snatcher with James Cagney.
In 1934, he acted in seven more films. One of these was Woman in the Dark, where he played the main character. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Awful Truth (1937). In this movie, he acted alongside Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. He played a similar role in His Girl Friday (1940). In that film, he was the nice boyfriend competing with Cary Grant's character.
During the 1940s, Ralph Bellamy played detective Ellery Queen in a few movies. He also appeared in the horror classic The Wolf Man (1941). He was also in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942).
Moving to Television
In 1949, Ralph Bellamy started starring in the TV series Man Against Crime. This show was live in its early years. It ran until 1956.
He appeared in many other TV shows over the years. He was a regular on the game show To Tell the Truth. In 1961, he was in an episode of The DuPont Show with June Allyson. He also appeared on The Barbara Stanwyck Show. In December 1961, he played Judge Quince in an episode of Rawhide.
From 1963 to 1964, Bellamy co-starred in The Eleventh Hour. He played a psychiatrist in this series.
Return to Stage and Later Roles
Ralph Bellamy played Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Broadway in Sunrise at Campobello. He won a Tony Award for this role in 1957. He played Roosevelt again in the 1960 movie version of the play.
In the 1960s, he starred in the movie The Professionals (1966). He played an oil tycoon. He also appeared in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968).
During the 1970s, he focused more on television. He played many roles in different shows. In 1970, he was the main character in the series The Most Deadly Game. He also played Adlai Stevenson II in the TV movie The Missiles of October (1974). This movie was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 1983, he was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for his role as Franklin D. Roosevelt in the mini-series The Winds of War. He then played Randolph Duke in the movie Trading Places (1983). He even had a small role in the movie Coming to America (1988). He played Randolph Duke again in that film. He also played Franklin Roosevelt again in War and Remembrance (1988). This was the sequel to The Winds of War.
Ralph Bellamy kept working regularly. His last performance was in the movie Pretty Woman (1990).
Personal Life
Ralph Bellamy was married four times. His last marriage was to Alice Murphy, which lasted from 1949 until his death.
He was a member of the Democratic Party. He even attended the 1960 Democratic National Convention.
Ralph Bellamy passed away on November 29, 1991, in Santa Monica, California. He was 87 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Ralph Bellamy received many honors for his acting.
- In 1984, he received a Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.
- In 1987, he was given an Honorary Academy Award. This award recognized his amazing talent and his great service to acting.
- He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find it at 6542 Hollywood Boulevard.
- In 1992, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.
Images for kids
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Guest stars for the 1961 premiere episode of The Dick Powell Show.
