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José Ferrer Biography

Birth Name:
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintron
Birth Place:
Santurce, Puerto Rico
Profession
Actor, director, producer, writer

Fast Facts

  • Family moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States when he was 6 years old
  • Passed entrance exam for Princeton University at the age of 14, but took the school's advice to postpone enrollment for a year, during which time he attended school in Switzerland
  • Became a Broadway luminary whose many roles included Iago in Othello (1942) and Cyrano de Bergerac, for which he won a Tony in 1947
  • Made his film debut in 1948's Joan of Arc; among his best-known performances are as an attorney in The Caine Mutiny (1954) and a sadistic Turk in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  • Was questioned by the U
  • S
  • House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee in 1951, denying accusations that he was a Communist

Awards

  • 1957Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 1956Emmy-Best Actor-Single Performance: nominated
  • 1955BAFTA Film Awards-Best Foreign Actor: nominated
  • 1952Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1951Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: winner
  • 1950Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: winner
  • 1948Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated

Relationships