Karl Malden
Birth Name:
Mladen George Sekulovich
Birth Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Profession
Actor, Soundtrack, Director
Fast Facts
- Became the 40th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2004 for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment
- Holds an honorary doctor degree in fine arts from Emporia State University and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Valparaiso University
- Worked in a steel mill for three years before leaving to study at the Goodman School of Drama, and had to work as a milkman to raise the funds to move to New York after graduating
- Quote: "People have told me that I came to this industry at its Golden Age․ But when I was there, it was just an age․"
- Known for playing everything from heroes to ordinary men who the audience could relate to
- Worked as a talented and versatile character actor much more often than a leading man, and was best known as a commercial pitchman for American Express, a position he held for 20 years
- Asked Humphrey Bogart to watch his coat when he went on stage to receive his Oscar for "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1952
- Played basketball in high school, and twice broke his nose while playing sports as a teen
- Served as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1992
- Unhappy that he had to change his name to make it as an actor, he insisted that every movie or television show he starred in contained a character with his family name, "Sekulovich․"
Awards
- 1952Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 1955Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Nominated
- 1957BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1957Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Nominated
- 1959Golden Laurel - Top Male Supporting Performance:Nominated
- 1963Golden Globe - Best Actor - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1963Golden Laurel - Top Male Supporting Performance:Nominated
- 1967Golden Laurel - Male Supporting Performance:Nominated
- 1971Golden Laurel - Best Supporting Performance, Male:Nominated
- 1974Primetime Emmy - Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 1975Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 1976Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama:Nominated
- 1976Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 1977Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 1979Bambi - TV Series International:Winner
- 1985Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special:Winner