Born: December 9, 1911 – Died: April 26, 1986
Broderick Crawford, an unforgettable presence in film and television, was born William Broderick Crawford in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to vaudeville performers. His early exposure to the performing arts paved the way for a stellar career that would leave a lasting impression on the entertainment industry.
Early Life and Career
Crawford's journey into acting began on Broadway, where he portrayed the character of Lennie in "Of Mice and Men." His Broadway success led to a move to Hollywood, where he debuted in cinema with a supporting role. His rugged appearance, far from the conventional leading man, did not hinder his ascent in Hollywood. During World War II, he served in the military, further shaping his robust character.
His breakthrough role came with the adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men," where he delivered a masterful performance as the southern U.S. politician Willie Stark, a role that won him an Oscar and the New York Film Critics' Award for Best Actor. This role marked Crawford's rise to stardom, setting the stage for a career filled with memorable performances.
Crawford's career was not limited to the big screen; he found significant success on television, most notably in the syndicated police drama "Highway Patrol," where he played Chief Dan Mathews. This role, along with his Oscar-winning performance in "All the King's Men" and as Judy Holliday's partner in "Born Yesterday," remains some of his most celebrated work.
In his personal life, Crawford was known for his distinctive voice and rugged features. Despite being typecast in certain roles, he continually demonstrated his versatility and depth as an actor. His impact on Hollywood was profound, and he is remembered as a powerful performer who brought intensity and authenticity to every role. Broderick Crawford's contributions to the entertainment industry have cemented his status as an iconic figure in Hollywood history.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Maharlika | Unknown |
| 1982 | Simon & Simon (TV Series) | Kern Barnett |
| 1981 | The Uppercrust | Mike Carrady |
| 1981 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) | Jake Dutton |
| 1981 | The Creature Wasn't Nice | Max the Computer (voice, uncredited) |
| 1981 | Liar's Moon | Col. Tubman |
| 1981 | Vega$ (TV Series) | Winslow |
| 1980 | There Goes the Bride | Gas Station Attendant |
| 1980 | Harlequin | Doc Wheelan |
| 1979 | A Little Romance | Brod |
| 1979 | The Hughes Mystery | Unknown |
| 1978 | Flying High (TV Series) | Willard |
| 1977 | The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover | J. Edgar Hoover |
| 1977 | CHiPs (TV Series) | Broderick Crawford (uncredited) |
| 1977 | Proof of the Man | Police Captain O'Brien |
| 1976 | Mayday at 40, 000 Feet! (TV Movie) | Marshal Riese |
| 1976 | Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (TV Movie) | Sheriff Holtzman |
| 1976 | Hunter (TV Series) | Gen. Meeker |
| 1976 | Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood | Special Effects Man |
| 1976 | City of Angels (TV Series) | Burton Macklin |
| 1975 | Death Brings Roses | Bartender |
| 1975 | Medical Story (TV Series) | Joe Hudson |
| 1974 | Harry O (TV Series) | John Mackenzie |
| 1974 | Paradise (TV Movie) | Patsy |
| 1974 | The Phantom of Hollywood (TV Movie) | Capt. O'Neal |
| 1973 | Terror in the Wax Museum | Amos Burns |
| 1973 | Jigsaw (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1972 | Banacek (TV Series) | Gilbert Deretzo |
| 1972 | The Candidate | Jarmon as Narrator (voice, uncredited) |
| 1972 | Embassy | Frank Dunniger |
| 1972 | Night Gallery (TV Series) | Joseph Fulton (segment "You Can't Get Help Like That Anymore") |
| 1972 | Adventures of Nick Carter (TV Movie) | Otis Duncan |
| 1972 | Alias Smith and Jones (TV Series) | Chester E. Powers |
| 1971 | Cade's County (TV Series) | Wes Novak |
| 1971 | The Man and the City (TV Series) | Holland Sr. |
| 1971 | A Tattered Web (TV Movie) | Willard Edson |
| 1970–1971 | The Interns (TV Series) | Dr. Peter Goldstone |
| 1970 | Ransom Money | Inspector Joseph Medford |
| 1970 | Maharlika | Gen. Hadley |
| 1970 | Hell's Bloody Devils | Gavin |
| 1970 | Gregorio and His Angel | Gregorio |
| 1970 | The Challenge (TV Movie) | Gen. Lewis Meyers |
| 1970 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) | Harvey Galishaw |
| 1970 | Bracken's World (TV Series) | Inspector Ed Harlow |
| 1970 | Mir hat es immer Spaß gemacht | B.J Hankins |
| 1970 | The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go | Parker |
| 1968–1969 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) | Bianchi | Wolf Lang | Harry Ricco |
| 1969 | Love, American Style (TV Series) | Francis Adams (segment "Love and the Dating Computer") |
| 1969 | Get Smart (TV Series) | C. Errol Madre |
| 1969 | Land of the Giants (TV Series) | Prof. Gorn |
| 1969 | Ironside (TV Series) | Jack Stuart |
| 1967 | Cimarron Strip (TV Series) | A-1 Joe Lehigh |
| 1967 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) | Mark Tenza |
| 1967 | The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) | Soyil Irosian |
| 1967 | Red Tomahawk | Columbus Smith |
| 1966 | The Vulture | Brian F. Stroud |
| 1966 | The Texican | Luke Starr |
| 1964–1966 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) | Bill Thayer | Col. Harper | Mike Finneran |
| 1966 | The Oscar | Sheriff |
| 1966 | Mutiny at Fort Sharpe | Colonel Lenox |
| 1966 | Kid Rodelo | Joe Harbin |
| 1965 | Up from the Beach | MP Major |
| 1965 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) | Walter 'Pop' Tullett |
| 1965 | The Rogues (TV Series) | Amos Cavanaugh |
| 1964 | Burke's Law (TV Series) | Milhew Court | Tristram Corporal | Hamilton Talbert ... |
| 1964 | A House Is Not a Home | Harrigan |
| 1964 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Jud Hammerklein |
| 1964 | Destry (TV Series) | Oakley |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial (TV Series) | Grant Randolph |
| 1963 | The Virginian (TV Series) | George Wolfe |
| 1963 | No temas a la ley | Man in hotel (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Kraft Mystery Theater (TV Series) | Keyes |
| 1963 | The Castilian | Don Sancho |
| 1961–1962 | King of Diamonds (TV Series) | John King |
| 1962 | Convicts 4 | Warden |
| 1961 | Square of Violence | Dr. Stefan Bernardi |
| 1960 | Goliath and the Dragon | King Eurystheus |
| 1955–1959 | Highway Patrol (TV Series) | Dan Mathews |
| 1959 | The Rough Riders (TV Series) | William Quantrill |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) | Sgt. Foley |
| 1958 | The Decks Ran Red | Henry Scott |
| 1956 | Telephone Time (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1956 | Between Heaven and Hell | Capt. 'Waco' Grimes - 'G' Co. CO |
| 1956 | The Fastest Gun Alive | Vinnie Harold |
| 1955 | Man on a Bus (Short) | Nahum |
| 1955 | The Swindle | Augusto Rocco |
| 1955 | Not as a Stranger | Dr. Aarons |
| 1955 | Damon Runyon Theater (TV Series) | Heine Schmitz |
| 1955 | Big House, U.S.A. | Rollo Lamar |
| 1955 | New York Confidential | Charlie Lupo |
| 1955 | Producers' Showcase (TV Series) | Walter Reed |
| 1954 | Down Three Dark Streets | John Ripley |
| 1954 | Human Desire | Carl Buckley |
| 1954 | Night People | Charles Leatherby |
| 1953–1954 | Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) | Joe Mitchell | Tim |
| 1952–1953 | Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) | Socko Renard | David |
| 1953 | The Last Posse | Sheriff John Frazier |
| 1953 | Danger (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1953 | The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) | Lt. Mike Fargo |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) | Scott |
| 1953 | Last of the Comanches | Sgt. Matt Trainor |
| 1953 | Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) | Mike Dundee |
| 1952 | Stop, You're Killing Me | Remy Marko |
| 1952 | Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder | Broderick Crawford (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Lone Star | Thomas Craden |
| 1952 | Scandal Sheet | Mark Chapman |
| 1951 | The Mob | Johnny Damico |
| 1950 | Born Yesterday | Harry Brock |
| 1950 | Convicted | George Knowland |
| 1950 | Cargo to Capetown | Johnny Phelan |
| 1949 | Breakdowns of 1949 (Short) | Unknown |
| 1949 | All the King's Men | Willie Stark |
| 1949 | Anna Lucasta | Frank |
| 1949 | Night Unto Night | C.L. Shawn |
| 1949 | A Kiss in the Dark | Mr. Botts |
| 1949 | Badmen of Tombstone | William Morgan |
| 1948 | Sealed Verdict | Capt. Kinsella |
| 1948 | The Time of Your Life | Krupp (a bewildered policeman) |
| 1947 | The Flame | Ernie Hicks |
| 1947 | Slave Girl | Chips Jackson |
| 1946 | Black Angel | Police Captain Flood |
| 1946 | The Runaround | Louis Prentiss |
| 1942 | Keeping Fit (Short) | Brod - Factory Worker |
| 1942 | Sin Town | Dude McNair |
| 1942 | Men of Texas | Henry Clay Jackson |
| 1942 | Larceny, Inc | Jug Martin |
| 1942 | *Broadway* | Steve Crandall |
| 1942 | Butch Minds the Baby | Aloysius Grogan, alias 'Butch' |
| 1942 | North to the Klondike | John Thorn |
| 1941 | South of Tahiti | Chuck |
| 1941 | Badlands of Dakota | Bob Holliday |
| 1941 | Tight Shoes | Speedy Miller |
| 1941 | The Black Cat | A. Gilmore Smith |
| 1940 | Texas Rangers Ride Again | Mace Townsley |
| 1940 | Trail of the Vigilantes | Swanee |
| 1940 | Seven Sinners | Little Ned |
| 1940 | When the Daltons Rode | Bob Dalton |
| 1940 | I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby | Michael G. 'Sonny' McGann |
| 1939 | Slightly Honorable | Russ Sampson |
| 1939 | Eternally Yours | Don Burns |
| 1939 | The Real Glory | Lt. 'Swede' Larsen |
| 1939 | Island of Lost Men | Tex Ballister |
| 1939 | Beau Geste | Hank Miller |
| 1939 | Undercover Doctor | Eddie Krator |
| 1939 | Sudden Money | Archibald 'Doc' Finney |
| 1939 | Ambush | Randall |
| 1938 | Start Cheering | Biff Gordon |
| 1937 | Woman Chases Man | Hunk |
General:
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
