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Roddy McDowall
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was a British-American actor whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across over 60 years. Born in London, he began his acting career as a child in his native England, before moving to the United States at the outbreak of World War II. He achieved prominence for his starring roles in How Green Was My Valley (1941), My Friend Flicka (1943), and Lassie Come Home (1943). Unlike many of his contemporaries, McDowall managed to evolve from child star into an adult performer and appeared on Broadway and in films, winning a Tony Award for his performance in Jean Anouilh's The Fighting Cock. For portraying Octavian in the historical epic Cleopatra (1963), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
McDowall played Cornelius and Caesar in the original Planet of the Apes film series, as well as Galen in the short-lived spin-off television series. His other notable films included Orson Welles' Macbeth (1948), The Longest Day (1962), Cleopatra (1963), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), Inside Daisy Clover (1965), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Funny Lady (1975), The Black Hole (1979), Fright Night (1985) and its sequel Fright Night Part 2 (1988), Overboard (1987), Shakma (1990) and A Bug's Life (1998). He was a frequent guest star on many television series, and won an Emmy Award for a 1961 episode of NBC Sunday Showcase.
McDowall served in various positions on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the selection committee for the Kennedy Center Honors, contributing to various charities related to the film industry and film preservation. He was a founding member of the National Film Preservation Board in 1989, and represented the Screen Actors Guild on that board until his death. Aside from his acting career, McDowall was active as a photographer and journalist, particularly of celebrities. For his contributions to the film and television industry, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
McDowall was born at 204 Herne Hill Road, Herne Hill, London, the only son of London-born Thomas Andrew McDowall (1896–1978), a merchant seaman of distant Scottish descent, and his Irish wife Winifred (née Corcoran). Both of his parents were enthusiastic about the theatre. McDowall and his elder sister, Virginia, were raised in their mother's Catholic faith. He attended St Joseph's College, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, a Roman Catholic secondary school in London.
After appearing as a child model as a baby, McDowall appeared in several films as a boy. After winning an acting prize in a school play at age nine, he started appearing in films: Murder in the Family (1938), I See Ice (1938) with George Formby, John Halifax (1938), and Scruffy (1938).
McDowall appeared in Convict 99 (1938) and Hey! Hey! USA (1938) with Will Hay, Yellow Sands (1938), The Outsider (1939), Murder Will Out (1939), Dead Man's Shoes (1940), Just William (1940), Saloon Bar (1940), You Will Remember (1941), and This England (1941).
McDowall's mother, a sibling, and himself moved to the United States in 1940 after the outbreak of World War II. He became a naturalized United States citizen on 9 December 1949, and lived in the United States for the rest of his life.
McDowall served in the U.S. Army Reserves, and after basic training, was assigned to the 67th Armored Infantry Battalion 13th Armored Division of the U.S. Army's Organized Reserve Corps headquartered in Los Angeles. Later, he was assigned to the 63rd Infantry Division, when in 1952, the 13th Armored Division was reflagged into the 63rd Infantry Division. McDowall served from 1946 to 1954, spanning from the end of World War II to the end of the Korean War. He later served in the 77th Infantry Division from 1960 to 1962.
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Roddy McDowall
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was a British-American actor whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across over 60 years. Born in London, he began his acting career as a child in his native England, before moving to the United States at the outbreak of World War II. He achieved prominence for his starring roles in How Green Was My Valley (1941), My Friend Flicka (1943), and Lassie Come Home (1943). Unlike many of his contemporaries, McDowall managed to evolve from child star into an adult performer and appeared on Broadway and in films, winning a Tony Award for his performance in Jean Anouilh's The Fighting Cock. For portraying Octavian in the historical epic Cleopatra (1963), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
McDowall played Cornelius and Caesar in the original Planet of the Apes film series, as well as Galen in the short-lived spin-off television series. His other notable films included Orson Welles' Macbeth (1948), The Longest Day (1962), Cleopatra (1963), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), Inside Daisy Clover (1965), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Funny Lady (1975), The Black Hole (1979), Fright Night (1985) and its sequel Fright Night Part 2 (1988), Overboard (1987), Shakma (1990) and A Bug's Life (1998). He was a frequent guest star on many television series, and won an Emmy Award for a 1961 episode of NBC Sunday Showcase.
McDowall served in various positions on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the selection committee for the Kennedy Center Honors, contributing to various charities related to the film industry and film preservation. He was a founding member of the National Film Preservation Board in 1989, and represented the Screen Actors Guild on that board until his death. Aside from his acting career, McDowall was active as a photographer and journalist, particularly of celebrities. For his contributions to the film and television industry, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
McDowall was born at 204 Herne Hill Road, Herne Hill, London, the only son of London-born Thomas Andrew McDowall (1896–1978), a merchant seaman of distant Scottish descent, and his Irish wife Winifred (née Corcoran). Both of his parents were enthusiastic about the theatre. McDowall and his elder sister, Virginia, were raised in their mother's Catholic faith. He attended St Joseph's College, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, a Roman Catholic secondary school in London.
After appearing as a child model as a baby, McDowall appeared in several films as a boy. After winning an acting prize in a school play at age nine, he started appearing in films: Murder in the Family (1938), I See Ice (1938) with George Formby, John Halifax (1938), and Scruffy (1938).
McDowall appeared in Convict 99 (1938) and Hey! Hey! USA (1938) with Will Hay, Yellow Sands (1938), The Outsider (1939), Murder Will Out (1939), Dead Man's Shoes (1940), Just William (1940), Saloon Bar (1940), You Will Remember (1941), and This England (1941).
McDowall's mother, a sibling, and himself moved to the United States in 1940 after the outbreak of World War II. He became a naturalized United States citizen on 9 December 1949, and lived in the United States for the rest of his life.
McDowall served in the U.S. Army Reserves, and after basic training, was assigned to the 67th Armored Infantry Battalion 13th Armored Division of the U.S. Army's Organized Reserve Corps headquartered in Los Angeles. Later, he was assigned to the 63rd Infantry Division, when in 1952, the 13th Armored Division was reflagged into the 63rd Infantry Division. McDowall served from 1946 to 1954, spanning from the end of World War II to the end of the Korean War. He later served in the 77th Infantry Division from 1960 to 1962.