Barry Fitzgerald
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 9, 1888
- Died
- January 14, 1961 (aged 72)
- Birthplace
- Dublin, Ireland
Biography
Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status. Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day. One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.
Known For
Filmography
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Cradle of Genius
Movie · as Self
Broth of a Boy
Movie · as Patrick Farrell
Play of the Week
TV · 1 ep
Rooney
Movie · as Grandfather
The Catered Affair
Movie · as Jack Conlon
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
Movie · as Harold "Stretch" Sears
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV · as Harold 'Stretch' Sears · 1 ep
Happy Ever After
Movie · as Thady O'Heggarty
General Electric Theater
TV · 1 ep
The Quiet Man
Movie · as Michaleen Oge Flynn
Ha da venì... don Calogero!
Movie · as Don Calogero
Silver City
Movie · as R.R. Jarboe
Union Station
Movie · as Inspector Donnelly
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Barry Flynn · 1 ep
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Story of Seabiscuit
Movie · as Shawn O'Hara
Top o' the Morning
Movie · as Sergeant Briany McNaughton
The Naked City
Movie · as Lt. Dan Muldoon
The Sainted Sisters
Movie · as Robbie McCleary
Miss Tatlock's Millions
Movie · as Denno Noonan
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
California
Movie · as Michael Fabian
Variety Girl
Movie · as Barry Fitzgerald
Welcome Stranger
Movie · as Dr. Joseph McRory
Easy Come, Easy Go
Movie · as Martin L. Donovan
Two Years Before the Mast
Movie · as Terence O'Feenaghty
And Then There Were None
Movie · as Francis Quinncannon
The Stork Club
Movie · as Jerry B. 'J.B.' / 'Pop' Bates
Incendiary Blonde
Movie · as Michael 'Mike' Guinan
Duffy's Tavern
Movie · as Bing Crosby's Father
Going My Way
Movie · as Father Fitzgibbon
None But the Lonely Heart
Movie · as Henry Twite
I Love a Soldier
Movie · as Murphy
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Movie · as Timothy Blake
Two Tickets to London
Movie · as Capt. McCardle
Corvette K-225
Movie · as Stooky
The Sea Wolf
Movie · as Cooky
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Movie · as Dennis O'Doul
How Green Was My Valley
Movie · as Cyfartha
The Long Voyage Home
Movie · as Cocky
San Francisco Docks
Movie · as The Icky
The Saint Strikes Back
Movie · as Zipper Dyson
Full Confession
Movie · as Michael O'Keefe
Pacific Liner
Movie · as Britches
Bringing Up Baby
Movie · as Mr. Gogarty
The Dawn Patrol
Movie · as Bott
Four Men and a Prayer
Movie · as Mulcahay
Marie Antoinette
Movie · as Peddler (uncredited)
Ebb Tide
Movie · as Huish
The Plough and the Stars
Movie · as Fluther Good
Guests of The Nation
Movie · as Captured British soldier
Juno and the Paycock
Movie · as The Orator