Karl Malden, 1912-2009
Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden died today, July 1, of natural causes at the age of 97. Born Mladen Sekulovich on March 22, 1912, the bulb-nose character actor was a star of both stage and screen. Raised in Gary, Indiana, Malden briefly attended a teacher's college, then enrolled in Chicago's Goodman Theatre Dramatic School. Following World War II-era service in the Army Air Force, Malden's career took off with the role of Mitch in the 1947 Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Marlon Brando.
Malden won the Academy Award for best supporting actor in the 1951 film of Streetcar, and he was nominated again for On the Waterfront (also with Brando) in 1954. He later starred alongside Michael Douglas in the television series The Streets of San Francisco, and won an Emmy for the TV movie Fatal Vision. Well-known as a spokesman for American Express Travelers Cheques, Malden also served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1993. Malden had been married to Mona Greenberg since 1938. --Tom Keogh
Ted Logan on July 01, 2009 at 08:09 PM
One of the good guys.
God bless you and thank you Mr Malden.
71 years of marriage, a great career.
Joe Tomato on July 01, 2009 at 09:12 PM
Ted Logan said:
"God bless you and thank you Mr Malden.
71 years of marriage"
Most modern-day Hollywood marriages don't last 71 weeks...
Peg C. on July 02, 2009 at 02:28 AM
Great actor and family man. I went to school with his daughter, Karla. My sympathies to his family.
Phil on July 02, 2009 at 08:37 AM
Also, Karl and Michael were both born in Gary, Indiana.
kamera stative on September 23, 2009 at 02:46 AM
One of my favourite performances ever is Malden in On the Waterfront. As much as I love Brando in that movie, the real "moment" for me is when Malden's priest is at Tommy's side in the end, shouting, "You gotta get up! Tommy, you gotta get UP!" Man, I get so swell with that old Catholic pride. I will always remember the ending of Nevada Smith with Steve McQueen as he shoots Karl Malden in the knees out in the middle of nowhere. It still makes my knees ache.