Melvyn Douglas
Birth Name:
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg
Birth Place:
Macon, Georgia, United States
Profession
Actor, Soundtrack
Fast Facts
- Often supported anti-fascism efforts alongside his actress-turned-politician wife, Helen Gahagan, after the two traveled across Europe in the 1930s and grew disgusted by European anti-Semitism
- Began training in theater with stage companies in several Midwestern towns in which he was raised including Madison, Wisconsin, Evansville, Indiana and Sioux City, Iowa
- Quote: "The Hollywood roles I did were boring: I was soon fed up with them․ It's true they gave me a world-wide reputation I could trade on, but they also typed me as a one-dimensional non-serious actor․"
- Best known for his roles on both film and stage, he would eventually take home the 'Triple Crown of Acting', an Oscar, Tony and Emmy
- Known as a comedic character actor, he would often recall his dislike for being typecast
- Purchased a fedora hat worn by FDR during his campaign efforts, with all benefits helping the Motion Picture Relief Fund
Awards
- 1932Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (July):Winner
- 1932Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (January):Winner
- 1938Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (June):Winner
- 1938Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (December):Winner
- 1939Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (February):Winner
- 1939Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (September):Winner
- 1940Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (November):Winner
- 1940Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (May):Winner
- 1941Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (January):Winner
- 1948Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (July):Winner
- 1963NBR Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 1964Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 1964Golden Globe - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 1964Golden Laurel - Top Male Supporting Performance:Winner
- 1965Golden Laurel - Supporting Performance, Male:Nominated
- 1968Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Drama:Winner
- 1970NYFCC Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 1971Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role:Nominated
- 1971Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:Nominated
- 1971Golden Laurel - Best Dramatic Performance, Male:Nominated
- 1979LAFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 1979NYFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 1979NYFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 1980Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 1980Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture:Winner
- 1980NSFC Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 1981Saturn Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated