The view then about queer people was that they would be inherently conflicted or tormented about their sexuality, said Demmon. [7][8] Clift had a twin sister, Roberta (who later went by "Ethel"), who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986), known as "Brooks," who had a son with actress Kim Stanley and was later married to political reporter Eleanor Clift. A portrait of actor Montgomery Clift on 01 January, 1960 | Photo: Getty Images, Clift died at age 45 of a heart attack in his East Side townhouse. At the 2023 SAG Awards, stars opted to wear gowns in every shade of rose, from soft pastels to neon brights. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. (1) Mann, William J. 108, 135, Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About American Masters, Season 23, Episode 1, Somewhere the life of Jerome Robbins by Vaill, Amanda, p. 240, Jerome Robbins: his life, his theater, his dance by Jowitt, Deborah, pp. "I was warned not to trust all the stories," Robert told . He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. For such a small, slightly-built man Clift had an intensity and depth to his performance that could eclipse Brandoeven with all that actor's realistic improvisations, impressive physicality and "naturalistic body language." Clift and Brando, along with James Dean, were the three "Method" actors who revolutionized . George (Montgomery Clift) is an upwardly scrambling young man, embarrassed by his origins, dipping a toe in wealth's pool. Montgomery Clift Hid His Sexuality for Years but Elizabeth Taylor Knew His Secret & Revealed It after His Death. McDowall starred with Clift in his final picture, The Defector. He would continue to act, but by the 1960's his career wasn't going well and he died prematurely at 45 suffering a heart attack most likely brought on by years of drug and alcohol abuse. The 'antidote' to Monty was her first disastrous marriage, aged 18, to playboy hotel heir Nicky Hilton, an aggressive drunk who physically abused her. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. The movie, which plays at the LGBTQ movie festival NewFest in New York, refutes scores of oft-repeated assumptions about Clifts life, from his motivations as an actor, to his relationship with his mother to the characterization of his later years. He and his private nurse, Lorenzo James, had not spoken much all day. He wasnt solely an actor, she said. Part of Clift's mother's effort was her determination that her children should be brought up in the style of true aristocrats. BAFTA Awards 2023: The 19 Best-Dressed Stars. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. [91][92] He was also involved with Donald Windham and his partner Sandy Campbell. Clift's career might have continued to go strong if it wasn't for a 1956 car accident. Ah, Monty. It was taken in 1936. [30] The film was awarded a screenwriting Academy Award for the credited writers. Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska, a son . Continued pain from his injuries led him to rely on alcohol and pills for relief as he had done after an earlier bout with dysentery left him with chronic intestinal problems. He was only 45. The actor died there on July 23, 1966, of an apparent heart attack. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta,. Wayne portrayed a hard and brutal father and boss while Clift played a gentler and more vulnerable son. [citation needed]. Here, a primer on a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that address everything from wrinkles to dark spots. In a 1957 issue of McCalls magazine, Clift quipped, "My childhood was hobgoblin, my parents traveled a lotThats all I can remember."[15]. Published: 20:36 EST . Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. Clift (portrayed by Gavin Adams) was a major supporting character in the 2020 feature film As Long As Im Famous, which explored his intimate relationship with a young Sidney Lumet during the summer of 1948. In 1959, Clift was slammed by film director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star was still "vulnerable. After a break, Clift committed himself to three more films, all of which premiered during 1953: I Confess to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Vittorio De Sica's Terminal Station; and Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity which earned Clift his third Academy Award nomination (his second of two nominations for films directed by Zinnemann). Six Hollywood Stars on the Good Life, With a Nod to a Classic Perfume. [82][83], McDowall was introduced to Clift by his Lassie Come Home co-star Elizabeth Taylor, who was a lifelong friend of both actors. [28] Although filmed in 1946, the film was delayed release until August 1948. [78], Robbins is said to have conceived the basic plot of West Side Story after Clift shared the idea with him, according to actor Russ Tamblyn. His post-accident career has been referred to as the "longest suicide in Hollywood history" by acting teacher Robert Lewis because of Clift's subsequent abuse of painkillers and alcohol. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 06:50. "His life has. On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious auto accident when he smashed his car into a telephone pole after leaving a dinner party at the Beverly Hills home of his Raintree County co-star and close friend Elizabeth Taylor and her second husband, Michael Wilding. SAG Awards 2023: The Red Carpet Goes Pink. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. According to McCarthy, Clift told Taylor in a rather unregistered voice that his two front teeth were in his throat, suffocating him. Jan 30, 2016 - In 1956, Montgomery Clift checked into the Chateau Marmont to recuperate from a near-fatal automobile accident that occurred while he was in production on "Raintree County." The accident occurred as he was leaving a dinner party at the home of his co-star and close friend, Elizabeth Taylor, at the top of Tower Road in Beverly Clift did not serve during World War II, having been given 4-F status after suffering dysentery in 1942. Clift countersued with the assertion that he struggled to keep up with an overwhelming volume of last-minute script revisions and that an accidental blow to both eyes on set gave him cataracts. That secret that Clift was gay during an impossible era (the 1930s through the 60s) led many interpreters to conclude that the actor must have led a life riddled with fear and shame. [33], Clift's first film for Paramount was The Heiress (1949). He wasnt the only one who challenged such norms at the time. From Making Montgomery Clift (2018) via YouTube screen-grab. Working with her was like going up and down on an escalator.. Girelli, Elisabetta (2013) "Montgomery Clift Queer Star", Wayne University Press. For the latter, Clift committed to building strength and endurance, jogging laps around Hollywood High School as well as learning how to imitate playing the bugle and reading sheet music from trumpeter Mannie Klein for the role of middleweight boxer and bugle-playing soldier Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt. The New York Times' obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". Clift shared the stage with some of the leading performers of the day, including Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in "There Shall be No Night" (via Playbill) and Tallulah Bankhead in "The Skin of Our Teeth" (also via Playbill), both in 1942. The iconic actor gave only a small number of onscreen performances before his untimely death in 1966 at the age of 45. For his character's scenes in jail, Clift spent a night in a real state prison. Yet, according to a new documentary, titled Making Montgomery Clift, the stars substance abuse had nothing at all to do with his sexuality. [45][46] His anguished performance (which earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination) was often thought to be due to his own nervous breakdown. They starred together as romantic leads in a total of three films throughout the 1950s: A Place in the Sun, where, in their romantic scenes, they received considerable acclaim for their naturalness and their appearance, Raintree County and Suddenly, Last Summer, and remained close until his death. July 24, 1966 12 AM PT Actor Montgomery Clift, 45, three times nominated for Academy Awards, died early Saturday of a heart attack in his plush East Side townhouse. Clift, Robert Anderson and Hillary Demmon (2018). [52][53][54] The case was later settled out of court, with evidence in Clift's favor, but the damage to Clift's reputation as unreliable and troublesome endured. He was involved with the Adventures of Superman actor Jack Larson and theater actor William LeMassena,[69][70] with whom he had a three-year relationship. In neon and stretch knits, dance straight on till morn. Clift received four Academy Award nominations during his career, three for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor. [10][11] She spent the rest of her life trying to gain the recognition of her alleged relations. Kevin McCarthy: "Montgomery Clift was brilliant in every way". For us, it seemed there was this big difference between what people thought about Monty in the public sphere and what people that knew him would say, said Clift. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. Part of honoring someone is being open to that person not being just one, reductive thing., Making Montgomery Clift is showing at NewFest with a release date yet to be announced, Tab Hunter: how Hollywood's boy next door became a gay icon, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [84] During the two and a half years that Clift stayed away from films, McDowall's career was nonexistent. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift, who would have turned 97 today. He was filming "Raintree County," which also starred Taylor and Lee Marvin. Clift is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. According to some reports, she reportedly held Clift and removed two teeth that had fallen out in the crash from his throat, as they were causing him to choke. Paramount Pictures ended up offering him the best of any incoming studio offer (which he accepted): a three-film deal (down from the typical seven-year contract) that came with the freedom to turn down any script and any director, as well as the ability for either himself or the studio to terminate the agreement at any time. With a man of such conflicted legacy, one can at least fall back on the basics. news.AmoMama.com does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. [96], Clift supported Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 United States presidential election.[97]. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. The accident permanently damaged his looks and health, and his fortunes were further eroded by his abuse of drugs and alcohol. At 6:30a.m., James woke up and went to wake Clift, but found the bedroom door closed and locked. (1936), Titled Marnie the Victor, in Clifts handwriting. Clift's early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. He is best remembered for his roles in Howard Hawks' Red River (1948), William Wyler's The Heiress (1949), George Stevens' A Place in the Sun (1951 . He said that he was with Monty at a party on Fire Island [and Clift said] 'I've got an idea for a musical. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. His next four films were The Young Lions (1958), which is the only film featuring both Clift and Marlon Brando, Lonelyhearts (1958), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) and Elia Kazan's Wild River, released in 1960. Clift also took to drinking, and his addiction was well known amongst his colleagues. Ah, Monty in just about anything (even after his face-scarring accident). Clift had traveled extensively with his family while growing up, and it was while he and the family were in Florida that he landed his first part, per Britannica. Clifts undated images depict a more mature Loy, with whom he starred in the 1958 film Lonelyhearts. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. [66][67][68] Clift's longest relationships were with men. In this film, Clift plays an ambitious fortune hunter who lands a job in his uncle's factory, dates (and impregnates) a fellow worker (played by a youthful Shelley Winters), but soon falls for Taylor's character - a rich, beautiful young woman well above his social station in life and ostensibly out of his reach. Before its signature I am an actor opening bit, the SAG Awards 2023 red carpet is the place to be. Another confidant said his personal life didnt bother him. His jawbone and front teeth were smashed, which later affected his confidence and led to his decline and sudden death in 1966. He is best remembered for his role as Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt in the 1953 film From Here to Eternity. And Jerry said that he just couldn't get it out of his head. The accident changed. [23] In 1949, as part of the promotional campaign for the film The Heiress, he played Heathcliff in the one-hour version of Wuthering Heights for Ford Theatre. By Zoe Papadakis | Tuesday, 25 August 2020 11:49 AM EDT. Films like A Place in the Sun and From Here to Eternity made Clift a rare performer enjoyed by audiences and critics alike, but when he passed away in 1966 aged just 45, the actor had long since become best known for his personal dramas, in particular a disfiguring 1956 car accident that undid his once near-saintly beauty and accelerated his . Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha Nebraska. "Monty," as the performer was known to family and. He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. for The Theatre Guild on the Air. He even appeared in the original production of Tennessee Williams' play "You Touched Me" (1945) (per Playbill). Who Is Julian Sands' Wife? Marlena Brause Self Employed. She left him when one of his beatings made. "I love Marilyn Monroe," said designer Tommy Hilfiger, explaining why he splurged on the jeans she wore in 1954's River of No Return and the cowboy boots she donned in '61's The Misfits. Clift detested Waynes antiquated male constraints. Despite the studio's concerns over profits, Clift correctly predicted the film would do well, if only because moviegoers would flock to see the difference in his facial appearance before and after the crash.[42]. He is best remembered for his roles in Howard Hawks's Red River (1948), George Stevens's A Place in the Sun (1951), Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity (1953), Stanley Kramer's Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), and John Huston's The Misfits (1961). Taped interviews with his brother reveal that the actor felt those roles werent quite right for him and he didnt want to make the wrong first impression. When Clift made his debut on Broadway at the age of 14 he began to realize how isolated and special his childhood had been, a fact he struggled with all his life. With his next two films, The Misfits (1961) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Clift pivoted to somewhat smaller supporting or cameo roles that required less overall screen time while still delivering demanding performances. Over the next 10 years, he earned prominent roles in plays by Tennessee Williams and Thornton Wilder, opposite stars like Fredrick March and Tallulah Bankhead. How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor showed early. In a new documentary, myths and assumptions about the Oscar-nominated heartthrob who struggled with his sexuality are replaced with the little-known truth. He was not worried [about being gay], Larson asserts in the film. Elizabeth Taylor tried to seduce fellow screen legend Montgomery Clift and stood by him after coming out to her: 'They were soulmates' By Christopher Rogers For Dailymail.Com. Clift would appear in one last film, The Defector, before dying, apparently in his sleep, in 1966, at the age of 45 a culmination of years of drug and alcohol abuse. Before the terrible incident, the star made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. After midnight, shortly before 1:00a.m., James went to his own bedroom to sleep, without saying another word to Clift. Loy responded to him almost visibly, an observer reportedly once said. Whether he was leaving from or arriving at Taylor's home, it is an undisputed fact that Clift drove his car into a telephone pole and suffered horrific injuries, including significant facial damage (via Vanity Fair). 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