Montgomery Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American actor. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift appeared on Broadway at the age of thirteen. He achieved success on the stage and starred there for ten years before moving to Hollywood, debuting in 1948's Red River opposite John Wayne.
Clift was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor that same year for The Search. He had a highly successful film career, performing in many Oscar-nominated roles and becoming a matinee idol for his good looks. Amazingly, Clift was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for Judgement At Nuremberg in a role that only took up seven minutes of screen time. But the public never knew until after his death that he was a bisexual, and his guilt over this led to his continuing alcoholism and drug use. In 1956, while filming Raintree County, he smashed his car into a tree, and only quick thinking by co-star Elizabeth Taylor, who pulled two teeth out of his throat to keep him from choking, saved his life. He needed reconstructive surgery on his face, but returned to acting and to stardom.
He turned down the starring roles in East of Eden and Sunset Boulevard.
Montgomery Clift died at the age of 45 of heart problems brought on by his drug and alcohol addictions. He is interred in the Quaker Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
Academy Award Nominations
Clift has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6104 Hollywood Blvd.
Filmography
Last updated: 05-16-2005 21:11:54
