An adopted child, his mother Sunny maintained that Clifts true maternal great-grandfathers were the US postmaster-general Montgomery Blair as well as Union commander Robert Anderson, a part of her lineage that was clarified to her (when she came of age) by Dr. Edward Montgomery, the family doctor who delivered her. The 'antidote' to Monty was her first disastrous marriage, aged 18, to playboy hotel heir Nicky Hilton, an aggressive drunk who physically abused her. [33], Clift's first film for Paramount was The Heiress (1949). Clift's naturalistic performance led to director Fred Zinnemann's being asked, "Where did you find a soldier who can act so well?" Clift also struggled with his . A portrait of Montgomery Clift leaning on a fence with an intent expression before his accident on 01 January, 1950 | Photo: Getty Images. By 15, Clift made his Broadway debut in Cole Porters Jubilee. The N.Y.P.L.s Montgomery Clift papers also contain several undated images of his Suddenly, Last Summer co-star Katharine Hepburn looking characteristically redoubtable and Waspy. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole. news.AmoMama.com does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. [18][19] He instead continued to flourish onstage and appeared in works by Moss Hart and Cole Porter, Robert Sherwood, Lillian Hellman, Tennessee Williams, and Thornton Wilder, creating the part of Henry in the original production of The Skin of Our Teeth. When I saw him entering his favorite restaurant Musso & Frank Grill, on Hollywood Boulevard, where he'd meet every Wednesday evening Karl Malden, Robert Wise, and a . A monthly influx of fashion close-ups, as interpreted by artists and photographers across the globe. It took Clift months to recover from his injuries. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. This class of ingredients comes with science-backed performance, though not all peptides are alike. The younger Clift serves the added role of narrator, voicing his journey to discover who the late actor really was, in contrast to what so many others have made him out to be. The accident changed his appearance, and many biographers assumed Clift felt ruined by it and, so, drank more. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. Happy Birthday, Montgomery Clift. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. After all, his book was based on his own wartime experiences in the US Army. Clift gave a stronger performance in "The Misfits" (1961), a John Huston contemporary western that proved to be the last film for both his co-stars, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. SAG Awards 2023: The Red Carpet Goes Pink. Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldnt live with. speaks out against the above mentioned and. Before the terrible incident, the star made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. But the documentary notes Clift made as many movies after the accident as before, and that those projects included some of his most acclaimed performances. "[32] Clift was on the cover of Life magazine by December 1948. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. [95], Clift was also friends with Marlon Brando, who dropped by his home offering to accompany him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He and actor Kevin McCarthy later wrote a screenplay for a film adaptation that was never made. [57] In preparation for the shooting of this film, Clift accepted the role of James Bower in the French Cold War thriller The Defector, which was filmed in West Germany from February to April 1966. Clift is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. ", Montgomery Clift at London Airport from New York to make the new film "Suddenly, Last Summer" on 13 May, 1959 | Photo: Getty Images. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Rock Hudson Visited Doris Day Before His Death While Hiding His Illness . 'Happy Days's' Anson Williams Divorced the Same Woman Twice after Almost Losing His Life in the Early 2000s, Marlo Thomas Spouse Was a Virgin before Marriage to Mom of His 5 Kids & a Lousy Lover Afterward, Why Is Chris Pratt Receiving Backlash? During the filming of Raintree County (1957), Clift suffered a near-fatal automobile accident on his way home from a party at the home of his friend and costar Taylor. [60] According to Clift's brother, Clift was either gay or bisexual. Montgomery Clift was not a well man when he agreed to co-star in The Young Lions. Audiences turned out to see the movie and to catch a glimpse of the before and after versions of Clift on the big screen. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor showed early. His jawbone and front teeth were smashed, which later affected his confidence and led to his decline and sudden death in 1966. At his best, Montgomery Clift was a better actor than Marlon Brando. [28] Although filmed in 1946, the film was delayed release until August 1948. Elizabeth Taylor tried to seduce fellow screen legend Montgomery Clift and stood by him after coming out to her: 'They were soulmates' By Christopher Rogers For Dailymail.Com. news.AmoMama.com speaks out against the above mentioned and news.AmoMama.com advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. He was only 12 years old when he appeared in a production of "As Husbands Go" in Sarasota. For him, the freedom to be selective about his roles was more important than money or fame. Part of Clift's mother's effort was her determination that her children should be brought up in the style of true aristocrats. Clift had shown an interest in acting and theatrics as a child living in Switzerland and France but did not take the initiative to go out for a part in a local production until age 13, when his family was forced to downsize and relocate from Chicago to Sarasota, Florida. He shifted his moods erratically, from a brooding pose to a bursting smile. Who Is Julian Sands' Wife? With a man of such conflicted legacy, one can at least fall back on the basics. However, in 1962, Cliff had to sign up to play Sigmund Feud in Huston's biopic "Freud: The Secret Passion." With his next two films, The Misfits (1961) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Clift pivoted to somewhat smaller supporting or cameo roles that required less overall screen time while still delivering demanding performances. Fred Zinnemann's "The Search" preceded "Red River" as his first film in 1948 and first Academy Award nomination. His next four films were The Young Lions (1958), which is the only film featuring both Clift and Marlon Brando, Lonelyhearts (1958), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) and Elia Kazan's Wild River, released in 1960. Gardner recalled the 'rumours' of Clift's disfigurement following the car accident that occurred in May 1956 in the midst of filming for Raintree County (1957) as Clift drove away from a dinner party hosted by co-star Elizabeth Taylor. [72] Clift and Robbins camouflaged their relationship by dating women. Contemporaries like James Dean and Marlon Brando also did. Actor. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Clift, along with actor Kevin McCarthy, had been attending a party at Elizabeth Taylor's house in Beverly Hills. At 6:30a.m., James woke up and went to wake Clift, but found the bedroom door closed and locked. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. All rights reserved. Clifts undated images depict a more mature Loy, with whom he starred in the 1958 film Lonelyhearts. Clift had traveled extensively with his family while growing up, and it was while he and the family were in Florida that he landed his first part, per Britannica. The iconic actor gave only a small number of onscreen performances before his untimely death in 1966 at the age of 45. On 12 May 1956, he was leaving the home of his friend, Elizabeth Taylor, high in Coldwater Canyon, Los Angeles, when his car crashed into a telephone pole. Often, suicides are never fully understood. Marilyn Monroe, on the set of The Misfits, wearing costar Monty Clift's Lee Storm Rider denim jacket, ca. [63], Many of Clift's biographers note his relationships with men and some few women based on friends' accounts and interviews. Clift did not serve during World War II, having been given 4-F status after suffering dysentery in 1942. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. It also stresses Clifts crucial role in changing the power balance between actors and studio chiefs in Hollywood, as well as the advancements he brought to film acting. In Making Montgomery Clift, the film-makers note that the actor made as many movies after the accident as before. 5, 114, Montgomery Clift: A Biography, Patricia Bosworth, 2012, List of actors with Academy Award nominations, List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories, List of LGBT Academy Award winners and nominees, "Montgomery Clift Dead at 45; Nominated 3 Times for Oscar; Completed Last Movie, 'The Defector,' in June Actor Began Career at Age 13", "Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift", "Making Montgomery Clift: truth behind gay self-loathing myth". Ah, Monty in just about anything (even after his face-scarring accident). Clift, who lived in Room 928 for three months while filming "From Here to Eternity" in 1952, was one of Hollywood's most appealing leading men, a slender Tom Cruise with edgy good looks. Over the next decade, the burgeoning actor dug his heels in and made a name for himself on the stage. He used them to numb his physical pain. Clift suffered from deep emotional problems, was sexually ambivalent, an alcohol and drug abuser. But it was his next pairing with Elizabeth Taylor that proved to be his most dynamic on-screen. [93][94] In his memoir, Arthur Laurents suggests that Clift had a fling with Farley Granger. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta,. Many of the myths surrounding Clift sprang from two biographies: a salacious one by Robert Laguardia and another flawed work by Patricia Bosworth, titled A Life. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. Another adaptation of the novel had been filmed once before, as An American Tragedy, in 1931. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Clift first met Elizabeth Taylor in 1949, and she felt an immediate attraction to him, according to People magazine. Clift's body was taken to the city morgue about 2 miles (3.2km) away at 520 First Avenue, and autopsied. He was linked to actresses Libby Holman[64][65] and Phyllis Thaxter. His heavy drinking had already been a problem before his crash and the addition of taking painkillers afterwards only accelerated his decline, according to Vanity Fair. In the Spotlight Clifts papers include several undated, intimate, tender images of a young Elizabeth Taylor with one of her sons. Clift did the film without pay because he just wanted to tackle this character. "Monty," as the performer was known to family and. 1960. . All content, including text, and images contained on. (1936), Titled Marnie the Victor, in Clifts handwriting. Judy Balaban, his daughter, has stated that she had an immediate connection with Clift and the two were "joined at the hip," dating for many months following. In a past interview, the star's friend, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift drove very high before the accident. Before shooting began on A Place in the Sun, Paramount Pictures arranged for Elizabeth to be Clift's date at the premiere of his film, The Heiress. After midnight, shortly before 1:00a.m., James went to his own bedroom to sleep, without saying another word to Clift. Marlon Brando was cast as his replacement. Once dubbed the Queen of the Movies, the golden-haired Myrna Loy was one of the few stars who successfully transitioned out of the silent-film era into talkies. She went on to become one of the film industrys most adored and highest-paid leading ladies. He tended to funnel most of his energy into intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set. A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) Directed by George Stevens. [66][67][68] Clift's longest relationships were with men. But. Clift had a brother named William Brooks Clift Jr., Clift was only 45 years old when he died. [55], During this time, Peter Bogdanovich was working at a cinema in New York City when Clift came to see a revival screening of one of his early films I Confess (1953) and decided to show him the guestbook where a cinema patron had written in a film request for "Anything with Montgomery Clift!"[56]. Taylor found him crushed under the steering wheel, his face a bloody pulp. The crash caused severe damage to his face, and McCarthy noted in a 2018 interview that he thought Clift was dead when he saw the scene. As a consequence, he was unable to find film work for four years. [85][86] McDowall devoted himself to Clift entirely, and he moved from Los Angeles to New York to be closer to his idol. For the latter, Clift committed to building strength and endurance, jogging laps around Hollywood High School as well as learning how to imitate playing the bugle and reading sheet music from trumpeter Mannie Klein for the role of middleweight boxer and bugle-playing soldier Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt. [36], On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious car crash after leaving a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Michael Wilding. He is best remembered for his roles in Howard Hawks' Red River (1948), William Wyler's The Heiress (1949), George Stevens' A Place in the Sun (1951 . news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Elegantly titled and captioned in white ink, the pages reveal that Clift had a filmmaker and photographers eye for framing, sense of place, and capturing action at its seminal moment. Yet, according to a new documentary, titled Making Montgomery Clift, the stars substance abuse had nothing at all to do with his sexuality. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. Clift received four Academy Award nominations during his career, three for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor. Clift died in 1966. Meeting veteran stage and screen actor Kevin McCarthy in a Hollywood restaurant was a thrilling experience. On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious auto accident when he apparently fell asleep while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole minutes after leaving a dinner party at the Beverly Hills home of his Raintree County co-star and close friend Elizabeth Taylor and her second husband, He earned his first Academy Award nomination for best actor for "The Search," and yet "Red River" seems to be better remembered these days. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew Making Montgomery Clift explodes the myths surrounding the Hollywood star and queer icon. [96], Clift supported Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 United States presidential election.[97]. He said that he was with Monty at a party on Fire Island [and Clift said] 'I've got an idea for a musical. While his mother, Ethel Fogg 'Sunny' Clift was your typical American homemaker. Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week 2023. He was only 15 years old, but this wasn't just a fun pastimeit was serious business. His father, William Brooks Clift was the vice president of Omaha National Trust Company. [13][14] The Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression of the 1930s ruined Clift's father financially; Bill was forced to downsize and move to Chicago to take a new job while Sunny continued traveling with the children. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. He also talked publicly for the first time about his 1956 car accident, the injuries he received, and its aftereffects on his appearance. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Published: 20:36 EST . They went to London to see Laurence Olivier together, ate together, sat in front of the fire together, Clift said. Directed by George Stevens. Although the results of Clift's plastic surgeries were remarkable for the time, there were noticeable differences in his facial appearance, particularly the left side of his face, which was nearly immobile. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. [40][41] In a filmed interview years later in 1963, Clift described his injuries in detail, including how his broken nose could be snapped back into place. In the early 1950s, Barney Balaban (president of Paramount Pictures) invited Clift on one of the Balaban family vacations to Nassau, Bahamas. Clift required intensive physical therapy as well. After leaving a party organized by co-star Elizabeth Taylor in May 1956, Clift raced along a steep road before crashing. & # x27 ; t just a fun pastimeit was serious business [ 67 ] [ ]! 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