Kevin McCarthy | |
|---|---|
 McCarthy in 1969 | |
| Born | (1914-02-15)February 15, 1914 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2010(2010-09-11) (aged 96) Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1937–2010 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Mary McCarthy (sister) |
Kevin McCarthy (February 15, 1914 – September 11, 2010) was an American stage, film and television actor, remembered as the male lead in the horror science fiction filmInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).[1]
Following several television guest roles, McCarthy gave his first credited film performance inDeath of a Salesman (1951), portraying Biff Loman toFredric March's Willy Loman. The role earned him aGolden Globe Award[2] and a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[3][4]
McCarthy was born inSeattle, Washington, the son of Roy Winfield McCarthy and Martha Therese (née Preston).[5] His father was descended from a wealthy Irish American family based inMinnesota. His mother was born in Washington State to aProtestant father and a non-observant Jewish mother; McCarthy's mother converted to Roman Catholicism before her marriage.[6] He was the brother of authorMary McCarthy, and a distant cousin of U.S. Senator and presidential candidateEugene McCarthy of Minnesota. His parents both died in the1918 flu pandemic, and the four children went to live with relatives inMinneapolis. After five years of near-Dickensian mistreatment, described in Mary McCarthy's memoirs, the children were separated: Mary lived with their maternal grandparents, and Kevin and his younger brothers were raised by relatives in Minneapolis.[1] McCarthy graduated in 1932 fromCampion High School inPrairie du Chien, Wisconsin,[7] then attended theUniversity of Minnesota, where he appeared in his first play, Shakespeare'sHenry IV, Part 1, and discovered a love of acting.
During his service inWorld War II in theUnited States Army Air Forces, McCarthy appeared in the AAF playWinged Victory and its 1944 film adaptation. McCarthy also appeared in a number of training films.
On 3/2/1987, Ray Loynd wrote in the Los Angeles Times. "He was a founding member of the Actors Studio, even before Lee Strasberg joined it in 1947. It was there that he struck up friendships with Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando. He also appeared with Brando in Harold Clurman’s 1948 production of “Truck Line Cafe.”
McCarthy was a founding member of TheActors Studio.[8] McCarthy's breakthrough film role was inDeath of a Salesman (1951) portrayingBiff Loman toFredric March'sWilly Loman. He had first performed the role in theLondon theatrical debut and was the only member of that ensemble to be cast inLászló Benedek's film adaptation. He received good notices for his onscreen work, receiving theGolden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor and a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
His starring roles include the lead in the science fiction film classicInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), which remains the film for which he is most widely known.[citation needed] On television, he starred in the short-lived seriesThe Survivors (1969) withLana Turner. He also appeared as a guest star in many television programs, playing a wide variety of character roles.
McCarthy acted withAlexis Smith in the NBCanthology seriesThe Joseph Cotten Show in the episode "We Who Love Her" (1956). He was cast in an episode of the religion anthology seriesCrossroads. McCarthy appeared in the 1959 episode "The Wall Between" ofCBS'sThe DuPont Show with June Allyson. He guest-starred in a classic episode of CBS'sThe Twilight Zone entitled "Long Live Walter Jameson" (1960) as the title character.
McCarthy made two appearances onThe Rifleman, starringChuck Connors andJohnny Crawford. He portrayed the historicalMark Twain in "The Shattered Idol" (episode 120; original air date: December 4, 1961) and Winslow Quince in "Suspicion" (episode 157; original air date: January 14, 1963).The Rifleman – Season 4 EpisodesThe Rifleman – Suspicion, Episode 157, Season 5
In 1963, McCarthy appeared in theABC medical dramaBreaking Point in the episode titled "Fire and Ice". He guest starred in the ABC dramaGoing My Way about theRoman Catholic priesthood in New York City. He was cast as well in a 1964 episode of the NBC dramaMr. Novak withJames Franciscus. In 1966, McCarthy appeared in the episode "Wife Killer" of the ABC adventure seriesThe Fugitive. In 1967, he guest starred in the episode "Never Chase a Rainbow" of NBC'swestern seriesThe Road West, starringBarry Sullivan. Also that year, he guest-starred in the episode "The Watchers" on the television seriesThe Invaders.
In 1968, McCarthy guest starred onHawaii Five-O in the episode "Full Fathom Five" as the chief antagonist, Victor Reese. He appeared as Maj. Gen Kroll in "The Night of the Doomsday Formula" in season 4 ofThe Wild Wild West.[9] In 1971, he guest-starred in the "Conqueror's Gold" episode ofBearcats!, which starredRod Taylor, with whom McCarthy had appeared in the filmsA Gathering of Eagles,Hotel, andThe Hell With Heroes.
In 1976, McCarthy starred in the Broadway playPoor Murderer. In 1977, he andClu Gulager, previously cast with Barry Sullivan on NBC'sThe Tall Man, appeared in the episode "The Army Deserter" of the NBC western seriesThe Oregon Trail withRod Taylor. In 1978, McCarthy played a cameo role in a remake ofInvasion of the Body Snatchers as a man running through the streets shouting a warning in the same manner as his character did in the original 1956 film. He appeared inNBC'sFlamingo Road (1980–1982) as Claude Weldon, father ofMorgan Fairchild's character. McCarthy appeared as Judge Crandall inThe Midnight Hour, a 1985comedy horror television film. Also that year, he guest-starred in a fourth-season episode ofThe A-Team called "Members Only".
In 1978, McCarthy began performing the one-man touring show "Give 'em Hell Harry" which he performed for over 20 years, taking it to every state but AK and SD. In a Los Angeles Times article of 3/2/1987, Ray Loynd quoted Kevin, about his approach to the character, saying, "What he represents is Mr. Ordinary Citizen who can achieve great things. His life should be an incentive to the man who thinks he can’t make it."
Then, Loynd continues, "Meanwhile, the day after he wraps Truman in Pasadena, McCarthy will head to Germany to shoot additional scenes for the jumbo $50-million NBC miniseries, “Poor Little Rich Girl,” starring Farrah Fawcett as late heiress Barbara Hutton. McCarthy plays her father, the brother of E. F. Hutton."
McCarthy was one of four actors (withDick Miller,Belinda Balaski andRobert Picardo) often cast by directorJoe Dante. McCarthy's most notable role in Dante's films was in 1987 as the prime antagonist, Victor Scrimshaw, inInnerspace. He also appeared in Dante's filmsMatinee, andLooney Tunes: Back in Action, the latter film even featuring McCarthy referencing his role inInvasion of the Body Snatchers.
In 1988, McCarthy played R.J. Fletcher, the antagonistic television station owner competing with"Weird" Al Yankovic's George Newman, an aimless young man who is tapped to run a failingUHF television station by his uncle, on the suggestion of his aunt, in the filmUHF directed by Jay Levey.
In 1996, he played Gordon Fitzpatrick inThe Pandora Directive, afull-motion video (FMV) adventure game starringTex Murphy.
In 2007, McCarthy appeared as himself in theAnthony Hopkins filmSlipstream, which made references to McCarthy's filmInvasion of the Body Snatchers.
On October 24, 2009, McCarthy was honored at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.[10]
His last role in a feature-length movie was as The Grand Inquisitor in the sci-fi musical comedyThe Ghastly Love of Johnny X (2012).
McCarthy was married toAugusta Dabney, with whom he had three children, from 1941 until their divorce in 1961. In 1979, he married Kate Crane, who survived him. The couple had two children.[1]
From 1942, McCarthy and his wife Augusta Dabney had a close friendship with actorMontgomery Clift. McCarthy and Clift were cast in a play together, Ramon Naya'sMexican Mural. They became best friends, acted together in several more projects, and were believed by some prominent individuals, includingTennessee Williams,Truman Capote[11] andGeorge Whitmore,[12] to have been lovers. They also collaborated on a screenplay for a film adaptation of the Tennessee Williams/Donald Windham playYou Touched Me!, but it never came to fruition.[13][14]
McCarthy died of pneumonia on September 11, 2010, atCape Cod Hospital inMassachusetts, at the age of 96.[15][16]
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Theatre Guild on the Air | The Damask Check[17] |
| 1953 | Radio Playhouse | Routine Assignment[18] |
Lewis' class included Herbert Berghof, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Mildred Dunnock, Tom Ewell, John Forsythe, Anne Jackson, Sidney Lumet, Kevin McCarthy, Karl Malden, E.G. Marshall, Patricia Neal, William Redfield, Jerome Robbins, Maureen Stapleton, Beatrice Straight, Eli Wallach, and David Wayne.
