Zachary Scott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zachary Scott
Scott in a 1948 issue of New York Sunday News
Born	(1914-02-21)February 21, 1914 Austin, Texas, U.S.
Died	October 3, 1965(1965-10-03) (aged 51) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Texas
Years active	1941–1965
Spouse(s)	Elaine Anderson ​ ​ (m. 1934; div. 1950)​ Ruth Ford ​ ​ (m. 1952)​

Zachary Scott (born February 21, 1914 – died October 3, 1965) was an American actor. He was well-known for playing characters who were often villains or mysterious men in movies.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Zachary Scott was born in Austin, Texas. His mother was Sallie Lee (Masterson) and his father, Zachary Thomson Scott, was a doctor.

Zachary first planned to become a doctor, just like his father. But after studying at the University of Texas at Austin, he decided to leave college when he was 19. He then worked as a sailor on a ship going to England. While there, he acted in nearly two dozen plays over 18 months. When he came back to Texas, he started performing in local theater shows.

Becoming a Star

Starting on Broadway

Famous actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne met Zachary Scott and his first wife, Elaine Anderson, in Austin. They helped Zachary get summer acting jobs in Connecticut. This led to his first roles in New York City. He made his debut on Broadway in 1941 in a play called Ah, Wilderness!. He had a small part as a bartender. He also appeared in other plays like The Damask Cheek (1942).

Joining Warner Bros.

A movie studio boss, Jack L. Warner, saw Zachary Scott act in a play. He was so impressed that he offered Zachary his first movie contract. This led to Zachary's first film role in The Mask of Dimitrios (1944).

Zachary Scott was one of many stars from Warner Bros. who appeared in Hollywood Canteen (1944). He was then loaned to another studio, United Artists, to play the main character in The Southerner (1945). This movie was directed by the famous Jean Renoir.

Back at Warner Bros., Zachary was cast in Mildred Pierce (1945). He earned a lot of praise for his role as a tricky character. His mysterious murder in the film is a key part of the story. Critics said he gave a "talented performance."

Zachary Scott also starred with Faye Emerson in Danger Signal (1945). He worked with Janis Paige and Dane Clark in Her Kind of Man (1946). In 1946, movie theater owners voted Zachary Scott as the third most promising "star of tomorrow."

He supported other big stars like Ann Sheridan in The Unfaithful (1947). He also acted with Ronald Reagan and Alexis Smith in Stallion Road (1947). Another studio, MGM, borrowed him to act alongside Lana Turner and Spencer Tracy in Cass Timberlane (1947).

Zachary played the lead role in a detective film called Ruthless (1948). He then returned to Warner Bros. for Whiplash (1948). He supported Virginia Mayo in Flaxy Martin (1949) and Joel McCrea in South of St. Louis (1949). He also reunited with Joan Crawford in Flamingo Road (1949).

Warner Bros. tried Zachary in a comedy, One Last Fling (1949), with Alexis Smith. He also starred in films outside the studio, such as Guilty Bystander (1950). At Warner Bros., he supported Randolph Scott in Colt .45 (1950). He also appeared in Born to Be Bad (1950) and Pretty Baby (1950).

After Warner Bros.

After his contract with Warner Bros. ended, Zachary Scott appeared on many television shows. These included Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950) and Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1951). He also made films like Lightning Strikes Twice (1951).

His first film after leaving Warner Bros. was Stronghold (1951). He also went to England to make Wings of Danger (1952). Back in Hollywood, he appeared on TV shows like Studio One in Hollywood (1953). He also made movies such as Appointment in Honduras (1953).

He continued to appear in films like Treasure of Ruby Hills (1955) and Shotgun (1955). He returned to Broadway for a play called Requiem for a Nun (1959).

Later Acting Roles

Zachary Scott was in the film The Young One (1960), directed by Luis Buñuel. He also made guest appearances on TV shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960). In 1961, he played a Native American Chief named White Eyes in an episode of Rawhide.

His last roles included the movie It's Only Money (1962) with Jerry Lewis. He also appeared in TV shows like The Doctors and the Nurses (1962). He returned to Broadway one last time for a play called A Rainy Day in Newark (1963). After this, he moved back to Austin, Texas.

Personal Life

While working at Warner Bros., Zachary and his first wife, Elaine Anderson, often spent time with actress Angela Lansbury and her husband Richard Cromwell. Elaine Scott had met Zachary in Austin. She also became known for her work behind the scenes on Broadway, even as a stage manager for the original play Oklahoma!.

Zachary and Elaine had one child together, a daughter named Waverly Scott.

In 1950, Zachary was in a rafting accident. Also that year, he and Elaine divorced. Elaine later married the famous writer John Steinbeck. Around this time, Zachary's acting career had a slow period. This might have made him feel sad, which affected his acting for Warner Bros.

Zachary Scott married his second wife, actress Ruth Ford, in 1952. Zachary adopted Ruth's daughter, Shelly, from her previous marriage.

Death

Zachary Scott passed away on October 3, 1965. He was 51 years old. He died from a brain tumor at his mother's home in Austin, Texas.

Legacy

Zachary Scott has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6349 Hollywood Boulevard. It was placed there on February 8, 1960.

In 1968, Austin renamed its community center the Zachary Scott Theatre Center. This was done to honor their local actor. Two streets in the Austin area are also named after him.

Zachary Scott's family also created two special teaching positions at the University of Texas's theater department in his name.

Filmography

Scott in the trailer for the film Mildred Pierce (1945)

Radio Appearances

Television Roles

See also

In Spanish: Zachary Scott para niños

• List of notable brain tumor patients