Matinee Classics - Richard Farnsworth Biography & Filmography

Richard Farnsworth ACTOR

RICHARD FARNSWORTH BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Richard Farnsworth was born on September 1st, 1920 in Los Angeles, California. He was raised during the Great Depression and his father passed away when he was only seven years old leaving his mother and aunt to raise him.

He began his career in the industry as a stuntman and worked in Hollywood for thirty years only as a stuntman until he decided to break into acting.

As a young boy growing up in Los Angeles he grew up riding horses and worked as a stable hand at a polo field. By the age of sixteen he was given the opportunity to use his talent by appearing in films. Soon he was doing 'double' work for such western actors as Roy Rogers, Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper.

Some of the early films he appeared in were, "The Adventures of Marco Polo" (1938), "Marx Brothers' A Day at the Races" (1937), "Gone with the Wind" (1939) starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard just to name a few of the numerous stars, "Gunga Din" (1938) starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen and Douglas Fairbanks, "Red River" (1948) starring John Wayne, "The Wild One" (1953) starring Marlon Brando and "The Ten Commandments" (1956) starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, John Derek, Yvonne De Carlo, Edward G. Robinson, Vincent Price, John Carradine and Anne Baxter.

After gaining thirty years of experience as a stuntman in Hollywood he decided to try acting when he was already fifty years old.

In 1961 he was the co-founder of Stuntmen's Association. In 1978 he starred in the film, "Comes a Horseman" (1978) starring James Caan and Jane Fonda, a role for which he won an Academy Award nomination.

Soon he was adding such film credits to his resume in, "The Grey Fox" (1982), a role for which he won a Genie Award followed by roles in, "The Natural" (1984) starring Robert Redford, "Misery" (1990) and his final film role was in, "The Straight Story" (1999). For his part in this film, he received an Academy Award for Best Actor.

In 1997 he was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry.

He married only once during his lifetime to Margaret Hill in 1947 and they had two children together and remained married until she passed away on August 7th, 1985. He did not re-marry but was engaged to Jewely Van Valin, however and on October 6th, 2000 he passed away in Lincoln, New Mexico after committing suicide by a gunshot after finding out he had been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.

Richard Farnsworth's remains are interred besides his only wife in the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

1999 The Straight Story

1998 Best Friends for Life

1994 Lassie

1994 The Getaway

1993 The Fire Next Time

1992 The Boys of Twilight

1991 Highway to Hell

1990 Havana

1990 Misery

1990 The Two Jakes

1989 Desperado: The Outlaw Wars