Jack Warden
{{short description|American actor (1920–2006)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jack Warden
| image = Jack Warden.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Warden in the 1950s
| birth_name = John Warden Lebzelter Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|9|18|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2006|7|19|1920|9|18|mf=yes}}
| death_place = New York City, U.S.
| other_names = Johnny Costello
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1945–2000
| spouse = {{marriage|Vanda Dupre|1958}}
| children = 1
}}
Jack Warden (born John Warden Lebzelter Jr.;[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=39&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=John+W&gsln=Lebzelter&o_iid=9972&o_lid=9972&o_sch=&so=2 U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949, November 12, 1942; Army Serial Number:12165797 1, giving his name as "John W. Lebzelter Junior"]; accessed May 3, 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1217927,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319185238/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1217927,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 19, 2008|title=Jack Warden, Emmy Winning Actor, Dies at 85|date=July 27, 2006|work=People|access-date=May 3, 2014}} September 18, 1920{{snd}}July 19, 2006) was an American actor who worked in film and television. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Shampoo (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He received a BAFTA nomination for Shampoo, and won a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in Brian's Song (1971).
Early life
Warden was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Laura M. (née Costello) and John Warden Lebzelter, who was an engineer and technician.
He was of Pennsylvania Dutch (German) and Irish ancestry.{{cite news|last=Stinson|first=Charles|title=Warden: the Face Is Familiar|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 28, 1958|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/476287672.html?dids=476287672:476287672&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+28%2C+1958&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Warden%3A+the+Face+Is+Familiar&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725040206/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/476287672.html?dids=476287672:476287672&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+28%2C+1958&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Warden%3A+the+Face+Is+Familiar&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2012|access-date=August 29, 2010}} Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he was expelled from high school for fighting and eventually fought as a professional boxer under the name Johnny Costello. He fought in 13 bouts as a welterweight, but earned little money.
Military service
Warden worked as a nightclub bouncer, tugboat deckhand, and lifeguard, before joining the United States Navy in 1938. He was stationed for three years in China with the Yangtze Patrol.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jack-warden-409093.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024075354/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jack-warden-409093.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 24, 2012|title=Jack Warden: Intense actor with comic flair|last=Vallance|first=Tom|date=July 24, 2006|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=October 12, 2008}}
Warden joined the United States Merchant Marine in 1941, but he quickly tired of the long convoy runs.
In 1942, Warden moved to the United States Army, where he served as a paratrooper in the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, with the 101st Airborne Division in World War II.
In 1944, on the eve of the D-Day invasion (in which many of his friends died), Warden, then a staff sergeant, shattered his leg when he landed in a tree during a night-time practice jump in England. He spent almost eight months in the hospital recuperating, during which time he read a Clifford Odets play and decided to become an actor. Notably, Warden later portrayed a paratrooper from the 101st's rivals—the 82nd Airborne Division—in That Kind of Woman.{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/shampoo-star-jack-warden-dies-85-wbna13974886|title='Shampoo' star Jack Warden dies at 85|date=July 21, 2006|publisher=Today.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jul-22-me-warden22-story.html|title=Jack Warden, 85; Prolific Film, TV Actor|last=Nelson|first=Valerie J.|date=July 22, 2006|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |access-date=October 12, 2008}}
After leaving the army, Warden moved to New York City and studied acting on the G.I. Bill.
Career
File:NYPD 1968.JPG as Det. Johnny Corso in ABC's N.Y.P.D. (1968)]]
Warden joined the company of the Theatre '47 of Dallas and moved there and performed on stage there for five years. In 1948, he made his television debut on the anthology series The Philco Television Playhouse and also appeared on the series Studio One. His first film roles were uncredited bit parts in the 1950 films The Asphalt Jungle and Sunset Boulevard, and he was also in the 1951 film You're in the Navy Now, which also featured the screen debuts of Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/arts/22warden.html|title=Jack Warden, 85, Actor Known for Tough-Guy Roles, Is Dead|date=July 22, 2006|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 12, 2008}}
Warden appeared in his first credited film role in 1951 in The Man with My Face.
From 1952 to 1955, Warden appeared in the television series Mister Peepers with Wally Cox. In 1953, he was cast as a sympathetic corporal in From Here to Eternity. Warden's breakthrough film role was Juror No. 7, a salesman who wants a quick decision in a murder case, in 12 Angry Men.
Warden guest-starred in many television series over the years, such as Marilyn Maxwell's ABC drama series, Bus Stop, and on David Janssen's ABC drama, The Fugitive. He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Chicago Bears coach George Halas in the television movie, Brian's Song, and was twice nominated for his starring role in the 1980s comedy/drama series Crazy Like a Fox.
Warden was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice: for his performances in Shampoo and Heaven Can Wait. He also had notable roles in Bye Bye Braverman, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, All the President's Men, The White Buffalo, ...And Justice for All, Being There, Used Cars (in which he played dual roles), The Verdict, Problem Child and its sequel, as well as While You Were Sleeping, Guilty as Sin and the Norm Macdonald comedy Dirty Work. His final film was The Replacements in 2000, opposite Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves.
Personal life
Warden married French actress Vanda Dupre on October 10, 1958. They had one son, Christopher. Although they separated in the late 1970s, the couple never legally divorced.[https://www.thetimes.com/article/jack-warden-mlghrrdfq37 Jack Warden obituary], TimesOnline.co.uk; accessed May 3, 2014.
Warden's health declined in his later years, which resulted in his retirement from acting in 2000. He lived for the rest of his life in Manhattan, New York City, with his girlfriend, Marucha Hinds.
Death
Warden died of heart and kidney failure in a New York City hospital on July 19, 2006, at the age of 85.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5205736.stm|title=Veteran US actor Jack Warden dies|date=July 23, 2006|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| rowspan="2"| 1950
| Bit Role | rowspan="4" | Uncredited |
| Sunset Boulevard
| Party Guest |
| rowspan="3"| 1951
| Tommy Morse |
| The Frogmen
| Crew Member |
| The Man with My Face
| Walt Davis | |
| 1952
| Undetermined Role | Uncredited |
| 1953
| Corporal Buckley | |
| rowspan="3"| 1957
| Charles Malik | Alternate title: A Man Is Ten Feet Tall |
| The Bachelor Party
| Eddie Watkins, the Bachelor | |
| 12 Angry Men
| Juror #7 | |
| rowspan="2"| 1958
| Master Sergeant Saul Rosen | |
| Run Silent, Run Deep
| Yeoman 1st Class "Kraut" Mueller | |
| rowspan="2"| 1959
| Ben Compson | |
| That Kind of Woman
| George Kelly | |
| 1960
| Dave "Doc" Farrington | |
| 1961
| Captain/Acting Police Commissioner Matthew Gower | Film adaptation of The Asphalt Jungle television episode "The Lady and the Lawyer" |
| 1962
| Huston | |
| 1963
| Doctor William Dedham | |
| 1964
| First Sergeant Welsh | |
| 1966
| General Prat | |
| 1968
| Barnet Weinstein | |
| rowspan="4"| 1971
| Earl Olive | |
| Summertree
| Herb | |
| Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
| Dr. Solomon F. Moses | |
| Welcome to the Club
| General Strapp | |
| 1973
| The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing | Dawes | |
| rowspan="2"| 1974
| Sherriff Henry Gifford | |
| The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
| Max | |
| 1975
| Shampoo | Lester Karpf | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1976
| |
| rowspan="2"| 1977
| Lt. Gen. Mordechai Gur | |
| The White Buffalo
| Charlie Zane | |
| rowspan="2"| 1978
| Max Corkle | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Death on the Nile
| Doctor Ludwig Bessner | |
| rowspan="5"| 1979
| Jackie | |
| Dreamer
| Harry | |
| Beyond the Poseidon Adventure
| Harold Meredith | |
| ...And Justice for All
| Judge Francis Rayford | |
| Being There
| President "Bobby" of the United States | |
| 1980
| Roy L. Fuchs, Luke Fuchs | |
| rowspan="4"| 1981
| Mike Tarkanian, the News Editor | |
| Carbon Copy
| Nelson Longhurst | |
| Chu Chu and the Philly Flash
| The Commander | |
| So Fine
| Jack Fine | |
| 1982
| Mickey Morrissey | |
| 1984
| Crackers | Garvey | |
| rowspan="2"| 1985
| Moravia | |
| Alice in Wonderland
| Owl | |
| 1986
| Rocko | Voice |
| 1987
| Lloyd | |
| rowspan="2"| 1988
| Hubert 'Bad Hair' Wimberly | |
| The Presidio
| Sergeant Major Ross Maclure | |
| rowspan="2"| 1990
| Judge Harry Murdoch | |
| Problem Child
| rowspan="2" | "Big" Ben Healy | |
| 1991
| |
| rowspan="3"| 1992
| Jack Scanlan | |
| Night and the City
| Al Grossman | |
| Toys
| Old General Zevo | |
| 1993
| Moe | |
| 1994
| Julian Marx | Nominated – Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Cast Ensemble |
| rowspan="3"| 1995
| Saul | |
| Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
| Joe Heff | |
| Mighty Aphrodite
| Tiresias | |
| 1996
| Ed | Chubb | |
| rowspan="2"| 1997
| Boruch | |
| The Volunteers
| Richie | |
| rowspan="3"| 1998
| Armand McMillan | |
| Bulworth
| Eddie Davers | |
| Dirty Work
| 'Pops' McKenna | |
| 1999
| Jehan Daas | |
| 2000
| Edward O'Neil | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| rowspan="2"| 1952
| Steve | rowspan="3" | 1 episode |
| Mister Peepers
| Chicago Cabbie |
| rowspan="2"| 1953
| |
| Man Against Crime
| Deck Hand | rowspan="2" | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1954–1955
| Various roles |
| Studio One
| Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1955
| Justice | Two roles | "Flight from Fear" and "Save Me Now" |
| rowspan="2"| 1956
| Frank Doran | 1 episode |
| Climax!
| Lieutenant Ravenna | "Flame-Out in T-6" |
| 1958–1959
| Various roles | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1959
| Fitzgerald | "The Moment of Truth" |
| Bonanza
| Mike Wilson | "The Paiute War" |
| rowspan="2"| 1959–1960
| James A. Corry, Mouth McGarry | "The Lonely", "The Mighty Casey" |
| The Untouchables
| Larry Halloran | The George 'Bugs' Moran Story, The Otto Frick Story |
| 1960
| Outlaws | | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="4"| 1961
| Route 66 | Adam Darcy | The Clover Throne |
| Checkmate
| Farrell | "Between Two Guns" |
| Bus Stop
| Joe Harrison | "Accessory by Consent" |
| The Asphalt Jungle
| Deputy Police Commissioner Matthew Gower | 13 episodes |
| rowspan="8"| 1962
| Cornelius Daggett | "Face of the Enemy" |
| Naked City
| Steve Lollo | "The King of Venus Will Take Care of You" |
| Naked City
| Sam Langen | "The Spectre of the Rose Street Gang" |
| Target: The Corruptors
| Jerry Skala | "The Organizers, Parts 1 and 2" |
| Tales of Wells Fargo
| Brad Axton | "The Traveler" |
| Route 66
| Sandor Biro | "Feat of Strength" |
| Going My Way
| Carl Wiczinski | "Not Good Enough for Mary" |
| Wagon Train
| Martin Onyx | "The Martin Onyx Story" |
| rowspan="2"| 1963
| Route 66 | Major Barbon | "Two Strangers and an Old Enemy" |
| 77 Sunset Strip
| Max Eames | "Flight 307" |
| rowspan="3"| 1964
| Carlo Scotti | "No Squares in My Family Circle" |
| The Great Adventure
| Latham | 1 episode |
| Bewitched
| Rex Barker |
| rowspan="2"| 1965
| John Conway | "Shadows of the Past" |
| Dr. Kildare
| Ernie Duffy | 1 episode |
| 1966
| The Wackiest Ship in the Army | Major Simon Butcher | 29 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1967
| Alex Patton | "Concrete Evidence" |
| The Invaders
| Barney Cahill | 1 episode |
| 1967–1969
| N.Y.P.D. | Lieutenant Mike Haines | 49 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1971
| The Face of Fear | Lieutenant George Coy |
| Brian's Song
| George Halas | ABC Movie of the Week |
| rowspan="2"| 1972
| What's a Nice Girl Like You...? | Lieutenant Burton |
| Lieutenant Schuster's Wife
| Captain Patrick Lonergan | rowspan="4" | Television film |
| 1973
| Wheeler and Murdoch | Sam Wheeler |
| 1974
| The Godchild | Sergeant Dobbs |
| 1975
| Journey from Darkness | Fred Hartman |
| 1976
| "Jigsaw" John St. John |15 episodes |
| 1979–1980
| Morris Buttermaker | 23 episodes |
| 1983
| Hobson's Choice | Henry Horatio Hobson | rowspan="2" | Television film |
| 1984 |
| 1984–1986
| Harrison "Harry" Fox Sr. | 35 episodes |
| 1985
| A.D. | Nerva | Television miniseries |
| 1987
| Hoover vs. the Kennedys: The Second Civil War | rowspan="2" | Television film |
| 1988
| Police Story: The Watch Commander | Joe Wilson |
| 1989
| Hank Knight | 1 episode |
| 1990
| Judgment | Claude Fortier | rowspan="2" | Television film |
| 1995
| Problem Child 3: Junior in Love | Big Ben |
| 1997
| Ink | Timothy Logan | rowspan="2" | 1 episode |
| 1999
| Harry |
Awards and nominations
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{Tcmdb name}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{iobdb name}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311153007/http://www.cinema2000.pt/ficha.php3?id=5673 Cinema2000 obituary] {{in lang|pt}}
{{EmmyAward DramaSupportingActor 1950-1975}}
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Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Pennsylvania Dutch descent
Category:Boxers from Newark, New Jersey
Category:Deaths from kidney failure in New York (state)
Category:Male actors from Newark, New Jersey
Category:Military personnel from Newark, New Jersey
Category:United States Army non-commissioned officers
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:United States Merchant Mariners
Category:United States Merchant Mariners of World War II
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II