Broderick Crawford

'Broderick Crawford' (qv) is best remembered for two roles: his Oscar-winning turn as Willie Stark in _All the King's Men (1949)_ (qv), and as Chief Dan Mathews on the syndicated TV series _Highway Patrol (1955)_ (qv). He was also memorable as 'Judy Holliday' (qv)'s vulgar partner in _Born Yesterday (1950)_ (qv), roles both had originated on Broadway to great acclaim.He was born William 'Broderick Crawford' (qv) on December 9, 1911, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to vaudeville performers 'Lester Crawford' (qv) and 'Helen Broderick' (qv), his mother had a brief movie career acting in Hollywood comedies. 'Broderick Crawford' (qv), large and burly, was no one's idea of a leading man due to his rough-and-tumble looks, but he broke through playing 'John Steinbeck' (qv)'s simple-minded giant Lenny in the Broadway adaptation of Steinbeck's novella, "Of Mice and Men". After this Broadway success, Crawford moved to Hollywood and made his cinema debut in the comedy _Woman Chases Man (1937)_ (qv), in a supporting role to stars 'Joel McCrea' (qv) and 'Miriam Hopkins' (qv). When producer-director 'Lewis Milestone' (qv) was casting the movie version of Steinbeck's classic (_Of Mice and Men (1939)_ (qv)), he passed over Crawford and selected 'Lon Chaney Jr.' (qv) to play Lenny.After many supporting roles (including a memorable turn as a big but kind-hearted lug in the comedy _A Night Before Christmas (1942)_ (qv)) and a stint in the military during World War II, Crawford had his breakthrough role in 'Robert Rossen' (qv)'s adaptation of 'Robert Penn Warren' (qv)'s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "All the King's Men". Crawford gave a masterful performance as the Southern politician based on Louisiana's 'Huey Long' (qv). In addition to the Oscar, he also won the New York Film Critics' Award as Best Actor. _All the King's Men (1949)_ (qv) was a hit, as was _Born Yesterday (1950)_ (qv). (Crawford had also played the role on Broadway, succeeding 'Paul Douglas' (qv), who originated the role.) However, Crawford soon after became typecast as a crude or brutish.Five years after copping the Academy Award, TV producer 'Frederick W. Ziv' (qv) hired Crawford to play the lead role in his syndicated police drama, "Highway Patrol". The show ran for four seasons. Moribund in the early 1950s, his career revived but generally eschewed the big screen, preferring television, for the remainder of his career. He continued to act almost up until his death in Rancho Mirage, California, on April 26, 1986 at age 74, following a series of strokes.::Jon C. Hopwood