Ned Beatty | |
|---|---|
 Beatty at the42nd Primetime Emmy Awards in 1990 | |
| Born | Ned Thomas Beatty (1937-07-06)July 6, 1937 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | June 13, 2021(2021-06-13) (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1956–2013 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 8 |
Ned Thomas Beatty (July 6, 1937 – June 13, 2021) was an American actor. In a career that spanned five decades, he appeared in more than 160 film and television roles. Throughout his career, Beatty gained a reputation for being "the busiest actor in Hollywood".[1][2] His film appearances includedDeliverance (1972),White Lightning (1973),All the President's Men (1976),Network (1976),Superman (1978),Superman II (1980),Back to School (1986),Rudy (1993),Shooter (2007),Toy Story 3 (2010), andRango (2011). He also had the series regular role ofStanley Bolander in the first three seasons of the hit NBC TV dramaHomicide: Life on the Street.
Beatty was nominated for anAcademy Award, twoEmmy Awards, anMTV Movie Award for Best Villain, and aGolden Globe Award; he also won aDrama Desk Award.
Beatty was born on July 6, 1937, inLouisville, Kentucky,[3] to Margaret (née Fortney) and Charles William Beatty.[4][5] He had an older sister, Mary.[6] In 1947, Beatty began singing ingospel andbarbershop quartets inSt. Matthews, Kentucky, and at his local church. He graduated fromEastern High School and subsequently received a scholarship to sing in thea cappella choir atTransylvania University inLexington, Kentucky; he attended but did not graduate.[4]
In 1956, Beatty made his stage debut at age 19, appearing inWilderness Road, an outdoor-historical pageant located inBerea, Kentucky. During his first ten years of theater, he worked atBarter Theatre inAbingdon, Virginia, the State Theatre of Virginia. Returning to Kentucky, Beatty worked in the Louisville area through the mid-1960s, at the Clarksville Little Theater (Indiana) and the newly foundedActors Theater of Louisville. His time at the latter included a run asWilly Loman inDeath of a Salesman in 1966.
Throughout his career, Beatty had no regrets about mostly only playing supporting roles: "[Leading roles] are more trouble than they're worth. I feel sorry for people in a star position. It's unnatural".[7]
In 1972, Beatty made his film debut as Bobby Trippe inDeliverance, starringJon Voight andBurt Reynolds, and set in northernGeorgia. Beatty's character is forced to strip at gunpoint by two mountain men who humiliate and rape him, a scene so shocking that it is still referred to as a screen milestone.[8][9] Beatty admitted that most of the people who worked on the film did not want to do that scene, but it was an important one.[7] The film was the fifth highest grossing that year, and also featured "Dueling Banjos" as its theme tune, which went on to be a number one hit record. In 1972, he also appeared inThe Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, a western withPaul Newman.[10]
In 1973, Beatty had roles inThe Thief Who Came to Dinner,The Last American Hero, andWhite Lightning. The latter film reunited Beatty with hisDeliverance co-starBurt Reynolds.[11] He also appeared in an episode of the TV seriesThe Waltons that year, as well as the TV movieThe Marcus-Nelson Murders, which was the pilot for the seriesKojak.[12] The next year, he appeared in the televisionminiseriesThe Execution of Private Slovik and in the two-part episode ofThe Rockford Files, "Profit and Loss".[12] In 1975, he appeared inW.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, in Robert Altman'sNashville,[13] and as Colonel Hollister in theM*A*S*H episode, "Dear Peggy".[10] He appeared in the NBC-TV movieAttack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan as Deputy Sheriff Ollie Thompson (1975). Beatty also made an appearance onGunsmoke in "The Hiders" episode in 1975.
Beatty received his onlyAcademy Award nomination, forBest Supporting Actor category for the acclaimed filmNetwork (1976), portraying a television network's bombastic but shrewd chairman of the board who convinces the mad Howard Beale character (portrayed byPeter Finch) that corporation-led global dehumanization is not only inevitable, but is also a good thing. Neither Beatty norWilliam Holden, who shared the lead role with Finch, won an Oscar. The other three acting awards besides the best supporting actor category were swept byNetwork performers:Best Actor forPeter Finch,Best Actress forFaye Dunaway, andBest Supporting Actress forBeatrice Straight. The Best Supporting Actor award went toJason Robards for his role inAll the President's Men, which also starred Beatty.[14]
In 1976, he also appeared inThe Big Bus,Silver Streak, andMikey and Nicky.[13] In 1977, he returned to work withJohn Boorman inExorcist II: The Heretic (1977), and appeared in "The Final Chapter", the first episode of the television seriesQuinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected.[citation needed] During 1977-78, he starred in the short-lived sitcomSzysznyk on CBS.[10]
In 1978, Beatty appeared inGray Lady Down (1978), a drama aboard a submarine starringCharlton Heston. The film is significant chiefly for being the screen debut ofChristopher Reeve, Beatty's future co-star. Later that year, Beatty was cast byRichard Donner to portrayLex Luthor's inept henchman Otis inSuperman: The Movie (1978), as he would in the1980 sequel, where his character is seen being left behind in prison. He received his first nomination forEmmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for the television seriesFriendly Fire (1979). In 1979, he was also seen inWise Blood, directed byJohn Huston, and1941, directed bySteven Spielberg.[12]
In 1980, Beatty appeared inRonald Neame's filmHopscotch withWalter Matthau. In 1981, Beatty appeared in the comedy/science fiction filmThe Incredible Shrinking Woman, directed byJoel Schumacher and starringLily Tomlin. In 1982, Beatty returned to work withRichard Donner andRichard Pryor in the comedyThe Toy. Beatty worked withBurt Reynolds again in the auto-racing farceStroker Ace (1983).[11]
In the middle of the 1980s, Beatty appeared in the comedy filmRestless Natives (1985), directed byMichael Hoffman. By the end of the 1980s, Beatty appeared in another comedy film, as the academic "Dean Martin" inBack to School (1986), starringRodney Dangerfield. He played a corrupt cop in the 1987 American neo-noir crime filmThe Big Easy, directed byJim McBride and starringDennis Quaid, and continued with a spy drama,The Fourth Protocol (1987), oppositeMichael Caine andPierce Brosnan.
In 1988, Beatty appeared with the main character Thelonious Pitt inShadows in the Storm, and reunited withBurt Reynolds andChristopher Reeve for the comedy filmSwitching Channels, his fifth time in a movie with Reynolds.[11] He appeared inPurple People Eater (1988), portraying a simple grandfather. In 1989, Beatty madeChattahoochee, portraying Dr. Harwood. He had a recurring role as the father ofJohn Goodman's characterDan Conner on the TV comedy seriesRoseanne (1989–1994).
Entering the 1990s, Beatty gained his third nomination for anEmmy Award forOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special category forLast Train Home (1990). A year later, he appeared in the British filmHear My Song (1991), in which he portrayed tenorJosef Locke, for which he was nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.[15]
In 1990, Beatty worked again withLinda Blair inRepossessed (1990), a spoof ofThe Exorcist. He appeared in theMarvel Comics superhero adventureCaptain America (1990). He portrayed the father of the bride inPrelude to a Kiss (1992), oppositeMeg Ryan andAlec Baldwin. In 1993, he appeared in the true story based filmRudy, playing aNotre Dame Fighting Irish football fan whose son, against all odds, makes the school's football team. In 1992, he playedBlanche Devereaux's developmentally disabled older brother in the TV showThe Golden Palace. Beatty starred in the television seriesHomicide: Life on the Street as DetectiveStanley Bolander for its first three seasons (1993–1995).[citation needed]
Beatty made the 1994 science-fiction filmReplikator (1994) and mystery-comedyRadioland Murders. In 1995, he worked withSean Connery andLaurence Fishburne in thethrillerJust Cause. He appeared asJudge Roy Bean in the TV miniseries adaptation ofLarry McMurtry's western novel,Streets of Laredo (1995).David Fincher andAndrew Kevin Walker wanted Beatty to play John Doe inSeven (1995), because of his resemblance to the 1969 composite sketch of theZodiac Killer; Beatty declined, describing the script as the "most evil thing I've ever read."[16] He appeared in a 1998 sports-drama film written and directed bySpike Lee and starringDenzel Washington,He Got Game. In 1999, Beatty returned to work withCookie's Fortune,Life, andSpring Forward.[citation needed]
.jpg)
In the beginning of the 2000s, he was a member of the original cast of the television police drama reunion filmHomicide: The Movie (2000), reprising his role of DetectiveStanley Bolander. In 2002, he appeared inPeter Hewitt's filmThunderpants. In 2003, he portrayed a simple sheriff inWhere the Red Fern Grows.
Beatty also enjoyed a career as a stage actor, including a run in theBroadway and London productions ofCat on a Hot Tin Roof withBrendan Fraser andFrances O'Connor. He won aDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for playing Big Daddy in a production ofCat on a Hot Tin Roof.[17][18]
In the middle of the 2000s, Beatty appeared in the television filmThe Wool Cap (2004) withWilliam H. Macy, and in 2005, in an American independent film directed and written byAli Selim,Sweet Land. In March 2006, Beatty received theRiverRun International Film Festival's "Master of Cinema" Award (the highest honor of the festival), inWinston-Salem, North Carolina.
At the end of the 2000s, Beatty portrayed a corrupt U.S. Senator in the film version ofStephen Hunter's novelPoint of Impact retitledShooter (2007), directed byAntoine Fuqua and starringMark Wahlberg,Michael Peña, andDanny Glover; in a drama film written and directed byPaul Schrader,The Walker (2007), and as the honorable U.S. CongressmanDoc Long in the true storyCharlie Wilson's War (2007), withTom Hanks andJulia Roberts, directed byMike Nichols. He also worked withTommy Lee Jones in the thrillerIn the Electric Mist (2009).
In 2010, Beatty starred in the thrillerThe Killer Inside Me (2010), which was part of theSundance Film Festival.[19] He also voicedLots-O'-Huggin' Bear in the 2010 Disney/Pixar filmToy Story 3 (2010) oppositeCharlie Wilson's War costarTom Hanks, who was reprising his role ofWoody from the first two films.[13] In 2011, Beatty worked with actorJohnny Depp and directorGore Verbinski in the animated filmRango (2011),[20] playing the role of Tortoise John.[15] He appeared briefly in the filmFunny Guy and in the filmRampart (2011), oppositeWoody Harrelson, which is set in 1999 Los Angeles. Beatty's final television appearance was in sitcom television seriesGo On (2013), starringMatthew Perry.[21]
Beatty's next film wasThe Big Ask (2013), a dark comedy about three couples who head to the desert to help their friend heal after the death of his mother. The film featuredGillian Jacobs,Zachary Knighton,David Krumholtz,Melanie Lynskey,Ahna O'Reilly, andJason Ritter, and was directed by his son Thomas Beatty and Rebecca Fishman. His other next movie wasBaggage Claim (2013), an American comedy film directed byDavid E. Talbert and written by Talbert based on his book of the same name, oppositePaula Patton,Adam Brody,Djimon Hounsou,Taye Diggs,Christina Milian andDerek Luke, which was also Beatty's final film role before his retirement.[13]
Beatty was married four times. His first wife was Walta Chandler; they were married from 1959 until 1968 and had four children.[22] His second wife was actress Belinda Rowley; they were married from 1971 to 1979 and had two children.[22] His third wife was Dorothy Adams "Tinker" Lindsay; they were married from June 28, 1979, to March 1998 and had two children.[22] His fourth wife was Sandra Johnson; they were married on November 20, 1999, and lived in Los Angeles, California.[22] They also maintained a residence inKarlstad, Minnesota.[22]
Beatty was not related to fellow Hollywood starWarren Beatty, also born in 1937. When asked if they were related, Beatty had been known to joke that Warren was his "illegitimate uncle".[23]
On June 29, 2012, Beatty attended a 40th anniversary screening ofDeliverance at Warner Bros., withBurt Reynolds,Ronny Cox andJon Voight.[24][25]
He supportedJesse Jackson's1988 presidential campaign.[26]
Beatty died at his home in Los Angeles, on June 13, 2021, at the age of 83.[27][28][29]
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Ned Beatty" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 |
| Year | Films | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Deliverance | Bobby Trippe | |
| The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean | Tector Crites | ||
| 1973 | The Thief Who Came to Dinner | Deams | |
| The Last American Hero | Hackel | ||
| White Lightning | Sheriff J.C. Connors | ||
| 1975 | W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings | 'Country Bull' Jenkins | |
| Nashville | Delbert Reese | ||
| 1976 | All the President's Men | Martin Dardis | |
| The Big Bus | Scotty 'Shorty Scotty' | ||
| Network | Arthur Jensen | Nominated –Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| Silver Streak | FBI Agent Bob Stevens / Bob Sweet | ||
| Mikey and Nicky | Kinney | ||
| 1977 | Exorcist II: The Heretic | Edwards | |
| Alambrista! | Anglo Coyote | ||
| 1978 | Gray Lady Down | Mickey | |
| The Great Bank Hoax | Julius Taggart | ||
| Superman | Otis | ||
| 1979 | Promises in the Dark | Bud Koenig | |
| Wise Blood | Hoover Shoates | ||
| 1941 | Ward Douglas | ||
| 1980 | The American Success Company | Mr. Elliott | |
| Hopscotch | G.P. "See you next Tuesday" Myerson | ||
| Superman II | Otis | ||
| 1981 | The Incredible Shrinking Woman | Dan Beame | |
| 1982 | The Toy | Sydney Morehouse | |
| The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Lynch Mob Leader | ||
| 1983 | Stroker Ace | Clyde Torkle | |
| Touched | Herbie | ||
| 1985 | Restless Natives | Bender | |
| 1986 | Back to School | Dean David Martin | |
| 1987 | The Big Easy | Jack Kellom | |
| The Fourth Protocol | General Pavel Borisov | ||
| Rolling Vengeance | 'Tiny' Doyle | ||
| The Trouble with Spies | Harry Lewis | ||
| 1988 | Shadows in the Storm | Thelonious Pitt | |
| Switching Channels | Roy Ridnitz | ||
| The Unholy | Lieutenant Stern | ||
| Midnight Crossing | Ellis | ||
| After the Rain | Kozen | ||
| Purple People Eater | Sam Johnson | ||
| 1989 | Time Trackers | Harry Orth | |
| Physical Evidence | James Nicks | ||
| Tennessee Nights | Charlie Kiefer | ||
| Chattahoochee | Dr. Harwood | ||
| Ministry of Vengeance | Reverend Bloor | ||
| 1990 | Going Under | Admiral Malice | |
| Big Bad John | Charlie Mitchelle | ||
| Angel Square | Officer Ozzie O'Driscoll | ||
| A Cry in the Wild | Jake Holcomb | ||
| Repossessed | Ernest Weller | ||
| Fat Monroe | Fat Monroe | Short | |
| Captain America | Sam Kolawetz | ||
| 1991 | Hear My Song | Josef Locke | Nominated –Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture[15] |
| 1992 | Blind Vision | Sergeant Logan | |
| Prelude to a Kiss | Dr. Boyle | ||
| 1993 | Warren Oates: Across the Border | Narrator | Documentary |
| Rudy | Daniel Ruettiger, Sr. | ||
| Ed and His Dead Mother | Uncle Benny | ||
| 1994 | Replikator | Inspector Victor Valiant | |
| Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart | Unknown | ||
| Radioland Murders | General Walt Whalen | ||
| 1995 | The Affair | Colonel Banning | |
| Just Cause | McNair | ||
| 1997 | The Curse of Inferno | Moles Huddenel | |
| 1998 | He Got Game | Warden Wyatt | |
| 1999 | Cookie's Fortune | Lester Boyle | |
| Life | Dexter Wilkins | ||
| 2000 | Spring Forward | Murph | |
| 2002 | This Beautiful Life | Bum | |
| Thunderpants | General Ed Sheppard | ||
| 2003 | Where the Red Fern Grows | Sheriff Abe McConnell | |
| 2005 | Sweet Land | Harmo | |
| 2007 | Shooter | Senator Charles F. Meachum | |
| The Walker | Jack Delorean | ||
| Charlie Wilson's War | Clarence 'Doc' Long | ||
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | Twinky LeMoyne | |
| 2010 | The Killer Inside Me | Chester Conway | |
| Toy Story 3 | Lotso | Voice[30] IGN Award for Favorite Villain[31] Nominated—IGN Movie Award for Best Ensemble Cast[32] Nominated –MTV Movie Award for Best Villain[15] | |
| 2011 | Rango | Tortoise John | Voice[30] |
| Rampart | Hartshorn | ||
| 2013 | The Big Ask | Old Man Carl | |
| Baggage Claim | Mr. Donaldson |
|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Footsteps | Frank Powell | Television film |
| 1973 | The Waltons | Curtis Norton | Episode: "The Bicycle"[33] |
| Kojak | Det. Dan Corrigan | Episode: "The Marcus-Nelson Murders" | |
| Dying Room Only | Tom King | Television film | |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files | Leon Fielding | Episode: "Profit and Loss" |
| The Execution of Private Slovik | Father Stafford | Television film | |
| 1975 | Lucas Tanner | Harold Ogden | Episode: "A Touch of Bribery" |
| The Deadly Tower | Allan Crum | Television film | |
| M*A*S*H | Colonel Hollister | Episode: "Dear Peggy" | |
| Gunsmoke | Karp | Episode: "The Hiders"[33] | |
| Petrocelli | Gage | Episode: "Death Ride"[33] | |
| Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan | Deputy Sheriff Ollie Thompson | Television film | |
| The Rookies | Frank Forest | Episode: "Shadow of a Man"[33] | |
| 1976 | Hunter | Lt. Kluba | Unaired pilot for 1977 series |
| Hawaii Five-O | Keith Caldwell | Episode: "Oldest Profession - Latest Price"[33] | |
| NBC Special Treat | Big Henry | Episode: "Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid"[33] | |
| 1977 | Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected | McClaskey | Episode: "The Final Chapter"[33] |
| Tail Gunner Joe | Sylvester | Television film | |
| The Streets of San Francisco | Eddie Boggs | Episode: "Hang Tough"[33] | |
| Delvecchio | Wakefield | Episode: "The Madness Within" parts 1 and 2[33] | |
| Nashville 99 | Randy Blair | Episode: "Sing Me a Song to Die By"[33] | |
| Lucan | Larry MacElwaine | Television film[33] | |
| Visions | Anglo Coyote / Pinky | 2 episodes[33] | |
| 1977–1978 | Szysznyk | Nick Szysznyk | 15 episodes[33] |
| 1978 | A Question of Love | Dwayne Stabler | Television film |
| 1979 | Friendly Fire | Gene Mullen | Nominated –Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
| 1980 | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | Congressman Leo Ryan | Television film |
| 1981 | The Violation of Sarah McDavid | Dr. Walter Keys | Television film |
| Splendor in the Grass | Ace Stamper | Television film | |
| 1982 | A Woman Called Golda | Senator Durward | Television film |
| Faerie Tale Theatre | The King | Episode: "Rumpelstiltskin" | |
| 1983 | Kentucky Woman | Luke Telford | Television film |
| 1984 | The Last Days of Pompeii | Diomed | Miniseries |
| The Haunting of Barney Palmer | Cole Scholar | Television film | |
| Murder, She Wrote | Chief Roy Gunderson | Episode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" | |
| Celebrity | Otto Leo | Miniseries | |
| 1985 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Larry Broome | Episode: "Pilot"; segment: "Incident in a Small Jail" |
| Robert Kennedy and His Times | J. Edgar Hoover | Miniseries | |
| Konrad | Mr. Thomas | Television film | |
| Hostage Flight | Art Hofstadter | Television film | |
| 1985-1986 | Highway to Heaven | Bill Cassidy / Willy The Waver / Melvin Rich | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Dolly | John Pacer | 1 episode |
| 1988 | Go Toward the Light | George | Television film |
| 1989–1994 | Roseanne | Ed Conner | 6 episodes[10][34] |
| 1989 | Spy | Thomas Ludlow | Television film |
| Last Train Home | Cornelius van Horne | Nominated –Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | |
| B.L. Stryker | Ryan Quinn | Episode: "The King of Jazz" | |
| 1990 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | Himself | Episode: "The Wedding Show" |
| The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story | Edward C. Acker | Television film | |
| 1992 | Road to Avonlea | Wally Higgins | Episode: "The Calamitous Courting of Hetty King"[33] |
| Trial: The Price of Passion | Scoot Shepard | Television film | |
| Illusions | George Willoughby | Television film | |
| 1993 | The Golden Palace | Tad Hollingsworth | Episode: "Tad" |
| The Boys | Herbert Francis "Bert" Greenblatt | 6 episodes[10] | |
| 1993–1995 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Stanley Bolander | 33 episodes |
| 1995 | Streets of Laredo | JudgeRoy Bean | Miniseries |
| 1996 | Crazy Horse | Dr. Valentine McGillicuddy | Television film |
| Gulliver's Travels | Farmer Grultrud | "Part 1" | |
| 1999 | Hard Time: Hostage Hotel | Tony | Television film |
| 2000 | The Wilgus Stories | Fat Monroe | Television film |
| Homicide: The Movie | Stanley Bolander | Television film | |
| 2001 | I Was a Rat | Mudduck | Miniseries |
| 2002 | Roughing It | Slade | Television film |
| 2004 | The Wool Cap | Mr. Gigot | Television film |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. David Lowry | Episode: "Sweet Jane"[35] |
| 2008 | Law & Order | Judge Malcolm Reynolds | Episode: "Zero" |
| 2013 | Go On | Coach Spence | Episode: "Go Deep" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine | Sheriff Francis Wompler | Appears in live action video sequences[36] |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3: The Video Game | Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | The Great White Hope | Various | Replacement |
| 2004 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Big Daddy Pollitt | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Network | Nominated | [37] |
| 2004 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Won | [38] |
| 1991 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Hear My Song | Nominated | [39] |
| 2011 | MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Villain | Toy Story 3 | Nominated | [18] |
| 1979 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special | Friendly Fire | Nominated | [40] |
| 1990 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | Last Train Home | Nominated |
