Anatomy Of A Classic

Supporting Actor Spotlight: Karl Malden

Name: Mladen George Sekulovich

Notable Roles: Harold ‘Mitch’ Mitchell (Streetcar Named Desire – 1951), Father Barry (On the Waterfront – 1954), Archie Lee Meighan (Baby Doll – 1956), Sheriff Dad Longworth (One-Eyed Jacks – 1961), Gen. Omar Bradley (Patton – 1970).

Trademark: Played wide ranging roles from generals to priests, but often played an everyman.

Achievements and Awards: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (1951 – Streetcar Named Desire), Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series (1985 – Fatal Vision), President of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Screen Actor’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (2003), inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame (2005).

Why we love him: Malden was one of the most versatile supporting actors in Hollywood and gave some of Hollywood’s most memorable performances in supporting roles. Malden is also credited, along with Marlon Brando, Elia Kazan, and other New York theatre stars, as bringing a more realistic style of acting to the screen. Malden always came across as a likeable guy who you wanted to root for and for this we want to thank Karl Malden for being a great supporting actor.

Supporting Actor Spotlight Series

Very shortly, we’ll be starting a new post series discussing one of our favorite classic movie topics – the supporting actor.  So many talented actors never quite get the attention they deserve (as this Daily Show clip points out after the death of Karl Malden).  You never see Biography: Thelma Ritter or AFI Life Achievement Award: Thomas Mitchell, even though these actors are an essential part of the films they’re in.  Never fear, talented supporting actors – Anatomy Of A Classic, uh, supports you.