Ralph Bellamy was a veteran actor who was so well-liked and respected by his peers that he was the recipient of an honorary Oscar in 1987 for his contributions to the acting profession. Ralph Rexford Bellamy was born June 17, 1904 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Lilla Louise Under Bellamy's leadership, Actor's Equity managed to double its assets within the first six years of his presidency and was successful in establishing the first pension fund for actors. It was for his services to the acting community that he was the recipient of an honorary Academy Award in 1987. Ralph Bellamy died on November 29, 1991 in Santa Monica, California. He was 87 years old.
Was one of the most popular and durable actors in Hollywood, playing everything from handsome heroes in his youth to nefarious old men later in his career.
Won Broadways 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello", a role that he recreated in the movie version also titled Sunrise at Campobello .
Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 37-38. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Attended New Trier High School, as did Rock Hudson , Hugh B. OBrien , Ann-Margret , Bruce Dern , Penelope Milford , Virginia Madsen and Liz Phair.
Great-uncle of actor Sam Huntington , to whom he bequeathed his Lifetime Achievement Oscar.
In Howard Hawks His Girl Friday , Bellamys character, as happened in several movies, loses his girl to Cary Grant. At one point in the movie, as the conniving newspaper editor, Grant is giving a henchman directions to help him identify Bellamys character, and Grant says, "He looks like Ralph Bellamy.".
Turned down the role of Noah Cross in Chinatown ; the role was played by John Huston instead.
Had two children: Lynn Bellamy and Willard Bellamy.
Was the eldest of three children born to Charles Rexford Bellamy, who was employed with an advertising agency, and Lilla Louise Smith. One of his younger siblings, a boy, died a couple of days after birth.
Ralph owned his own stock company for four seasons (1926-1930). It was called "The Ralph Bellamy Players" and it toured Nashville, Evanston, and Iowa (including Des Moines). Overall, he spent nine years in repertory and touring companies, playing over 400 roles, including an average of two or three in each play.
Attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. He was president of the Drama Club there. However, he was expelled for smoking on school grounds,.
Ran away from home at age 17 to join a traveling band of Shakespearean players. He also worked as an usher at Ravinia Park Open Air Pavilion.
While he was under contract for Columbia Pictures, he directed a screen test for a xylophone player in New York in Frank Capra s You Cant Take It with You . The xylophone did not get the role.
As a boy, he delivered newspapers and groceries, and worked as a soda jerk at a drugstore.
Had played Franklin D. Roosevelt four times: on stage, in a movie and in two miniseries.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 3, 1991-1993, pages 55-56. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 2001.
He was a liberal Democrat who supported Franklin D. Roosevelt during his time in office.
He was regularly seen socially with a select circle of friends known as the Irish Mafia.
He was a member of The Lambs, an actors club first established in New York in 1874.
He was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6542 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
He was posthumously awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on February 26, 1992.
Following his death, he was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.
One day in Hollywood, I read a script in which the character was,described as "charming but dull -- a typical Ralph Bellamy type". I,promptly headed for New York to find a part with guts.
