Craggy-faced, dependable star character actor Van Heflin never quite made the Hollywood "A" list, but made up for what he lacked in appearance with hard work, charisma and solid acting performances. He was born Emmett Evan Heflin in Oklahoma in December 1908, the son of Fanny Bleecker on Broadway. Unlike many of his peers, Van shunned the limelight and was never a part of the Hollywood glamour set. A well-liked, introspective and talented performer, he died of a heart attack in July 1971, aged just 62.
Uncle of actress Marta Heflin , Mady Kaplan and Jonathan Kaplan.
Turned down the role of Elliot Ness on "The Untouchables" TV series.
Brother-in-law of Sol Kaplan.
Daughters: actresses Vana OBrien and Cathleen (Kate Heflin ). Son: Tracy Heflin. Grandfather of actor Ben OBrien and actress Eleanor OBrien. Brother of actress Frances Heflin.
The heart attack that killed him happened while he was swimming. He managed to get to the pools ladder, where he held on until found hours later, unconscious but still alive. He died 17 days later, never having regained consciousness. At his request no funeral was held and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.
During WWII, he served as a combat cameraman in the Ninth Air Force in Europe.
His favorite pastimes were sailing, fishing and swimming.
He had English, Irish, German, Dutch, and French ancestry.
His father was a dentist.
His first marriage lasted six months. His wifes identity is unknown, as it happened before he became famous.
Attended UCLA film school after achieving fame as an actor, with the intention of learning filmmaking techniques so as to improve his work as an actor. He wrote about the experience in the October, 1950, issue of "Theatre Arts" magazine.
He was director Michael Anderson s choice to play Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower in a Columbia Pictures epic, "16th of December: The Battle of the Bulge," which had the blessing of Eisenhower and the Defense Department. However, the project was abandoned after Warner Brothers used the title "The Battle of the Bulge" on a generic war film-- Battle of the Bulge --with Henry Fonda.
His grandfather Alexander A. Heflin (1849-1940) joined Roddeys Escort, Alabama Cavalry at age 14 or 15 and served in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, along with his brothers James, William C., Hugh, John and Thomas.
He was the first actor to win an Academy Award for a role in a gangster movie.
His year of birth was often incorrectly given as 1910.
My father was a drunk, although he was a fabulous character, and he and,my mother always loved each other, even when they were separated. .
