Edmund Purdom | |
|---|---|
 Edmund Purdom in 1962 | |
| Born | Edmund Cutlar Purdom (1926-12-19)19 December 1926 Welwyn Garden City,Hertfordshire, England |
| Died | (2009-01-01)1 January 2009 (aged 82) Rome, Italy |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–2001 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Edmund Cutlar Purdom (19 December 1926 – 1 January 2009)[1][2] was an English actor,voice artist, and director. He worked first on stage in Britain, performing various works byShakespeare, then in the United States on Broadway and in Hollywood, and eventually in Italy. He is perhaps best known for his starring role in 1954's historical epicThe Egyptian.
By taking over important roles exited byMario Lanza andMarlon Brando, Purdom was known by the mid-1950s as "The Replacement Star". After the failure of his Hollywood career, Purdom returned briefly to the United Kingdom and then settled in Italy, where he spent the remainder of his life appearing inlocal films. Between the 1970s and 1990s, he was a regular in Europeangenre cinema, working with directors likeJuan Piquer Simón,Joe D'Amato,Sergio Martino andRuggero Deodato. His daughter, Lilan Purdom, became a journalist for French TV Channel TF1. She is the author of the bookHollywood Garage, about her father's career.[citation needed]
Edmund Cutlar Purdom[3] was born inWelwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire on 19 December 1926, the youngest of four children ofCharles Purdom, a London drama critic, and his wife, Lillian Antonia (née Cutlar). Raised Catholic, Purdom was educated byJesuits atSt Ignatius College, Stamford Hill, and, later, by Benedictines atDownside School.[4]
He began his acting career in 1946, aged 19, by joining the Northampton Repertory Company, appearing in productions that includedRomeo and Juliet andMolière'sThe Imaginary Invalid. After two years of military service where he joined the Army'sCentral Pool of Artists, he joined theRoyal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon for two seasons.Laurence Olivier saw Purdom and offered him a chance to tour in the U.S.[5]
In 1951–1952, Purdom appeared in small roles with theLaurence Olivier/Vivien Leigh company on Broadway inShakespeare'sAntony and Cleopatra andShaw'sCaesar and Cleopatra. His good looks brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Universal tested him for the part of the leading girl's brother inThe Mississippi Gambler but decided he was too British.20th Century Fox tested him for a role inMy Cousin Rachel. MGM offered him a small role inRhapsody, which he turned down.[6]
He made a screen test at Warner Brothers, directed byMichael Curtiz, from a scene fromForce of Arms but Warners were not interested. As Purdom had left his play, he did not have the fare to return to Britain, so he decided to stay in Hollywood.[7]
"I was so broke", Purdom recalled, "that I couldn't afford to pay the doctor's bill when my daughter was born. I had no money for bus fare. I had to walk from studio to studio looking for a job. Once we were evicted for not paying the rent."[8]
He managed to get a small part inJulius Caesar at MGM.George Cukor recommended him toCharles Brackett for the small role ofCharles Lightoller inTitanic (1953). This brought Purdom to the attention of executives at MGM who signed him to a long-term contract.[9]
Mario Lanza was fired from the lead role in a new version ofThe Student Prince (1954). Purdom was suggested for the part and he did a successful test, directed byGeorge Sidney.[10] He was cast oppositeAnn Blyth. The film was directed byRichard Thorpe. Purdom lip-synched to Lanza's singing voice.[11]
Advance word onThe Student Prince was promising, and when20th Century Fox needed an actor at the last minute to replaceMarlon Brando as the title character inThe Egyptian, its most lavish production of 1954, Purdom was cast overJohn Derek,John Cassavetes andCameron Mitchell.[12]
MGM's head of productionDore Schary announced the studio would build up Purdom as a star.[13] He was cast in three films: another MGM musical,Athena; the title role in the biblical epicThe Prodigal, MGM's most lavish production of 1955, oppositeLana Turner; and the swashbucklerThe King's Thief (1955), in a role originally meant forStewart Granger. There was some talk he would appear in the remake ofBen Hur.[14]
The Student Prince was released and became a hit. Purdom was called "the most promising new star in Hollywood".[5]Hedda Hopper called Purdom "the most surprising and notable figure this year in Hollywood...a fine actor in the great romantic tradition."[7]
Schary later wrote in his memoirs that "Lanza's recordings were the prime ingredient for the picture's success, and that success went to Purdom's head. He believed he was responsible for the happy result. He asked for a new contract. We denied it. He asked for a release. We granted it."[15] Another contributing factor may have been that whileThe Student Prince had been a hit,The Egyptian was a box-office disappointment.Athena,The Prodigal andThe King's Thief were all flops.[citation needed]
There was more bad publicity when he had an affair withLinda Christian (when she was married toTyrone Power) leading to him divorcing his first wife.[16] The split was bitter and public, and his wife later sued him for child support.[17] Purdom argued for a reduction in child support because he no longer had his MGM contract worth $40,000 per year. He told the court he had renegotiated it in order to seek more money by freelancing and that he was in debt for $11,500. He said MGM had an option on his services for three films over three years. "It is my greatest desire to get back in front of the camera at the present time," he said.[18]
He was announced forLoser Takes All (1956) but did not appear in the final film.[19]
ForAllied Artists, Purdom madeStrange Intruder (1956) withIda Lupino. In 1957, he married Alicia Darr, who later got in a brawl with Christian.[20] He continued to be sued for debts by his ex-wife and his lawyers.[21]
Purdom returned to Broadway, appearing inChild of Fortune, an adaptation ofHenry James'sThe Wings of the Dove, forJed Harris.Brooks Atkinson ofThe New York Times stated Purdom "plays the part of the faithless suitor like a cultivated gentleman but his style is heavy."[22] The play closed after 23 performances.[23]
In 1958, Purdom went back to theUK, where he played the lead role inSword of Freedom (also known asMarco the Magnificent), a swashbuckler television series made forITC Entertainment. He then went toItaly, where the film industry was booming and there was a demand for English-speaking actors in order to ensure international distribution for the films. Purdom eventually settled permanently in Italy. His films includedHerod the Great (1959),The Cossacks (1960),The Loves of Salammbo (1960),Suleiman the Conqueror (1961) andNefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961). He also occasionally worked in England on films such asMalaga (1960) andThe Comedy Man (1964).
In 1962, he said "I couldn't stand Hollywood. The people, their status, symbols and public image were too much. I walked out. Perhaps I should have been more patient."Hedda Hopper wrote in response to this: "the truth is he did his best to become a star here, but he didn't make the grade – even with Mario Lanza's voice; but he did walk out on his wife and family and start gallivanting around with Linda Christian. I'll bet he'll come hopping back if anyone crooked a finger."[24] He married Christian in 1962, but they divorced the following year.[25]
He continued to work extensively in ItalianB-films, on television and as avoice dubbing actor for many years (recording dialogue translated from Italian into English for sales of Italian films in English-speaking countries).
He had roles in TV movies and miniseries, such asSophia Loren: Her Own Story (asVittorio De Sica) andThe Winds of War. In 1984, he came back to his native country to direct the horror filmDon't Open till Christmas. He narrated a popular short documentary on the life ofPadre Pio. He also narrated the 1997 documentary,7 Signs of Christ's Return.[26] His last role was inThe Knights of the Quest (2001).
Purdom died from heart failure on 1 January 2009 in Rome at age 82. He was survived by his fourth wife, Vivienne, a photographer, and his two daughters by his first wife.[27]
Purdom was married four times and divorced three times.
His elder daughter, Lilan Purdom, became a journalist with the French television channel TF1.[1]
