Anthony Quinn

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Anthony Quinn (left) and Alan Bates in Zorba the Greek (1964).

Anthony Quinn, Pamela Brown, and Kirk Douglas in Lust for Life

Anthony Quinn

Mexican American actor

Also known as: Anthony Rudolph Oaxaca Quinn

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In full:: Anthony Rudolph Oaxaca Quinn

Born:: April 21, 1915, Chihuahua, Mexico

Died:: June 3, 2001, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. (aged 86)

Also Known As:: Anthony Rudolph Oaxaca Quinn

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1957); Academy Award (1953); Academy Award (1957): Actor in a Supporting Role; Academy Award (1953): Actor in a Supporting Role; Cecil B. DeMille Award (1987)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Avenging Angelo" (2002); "Terra de canons" (1999); "Camino de Santiago" (1999); "Oriundi" (2000); "Cosby" (1999); "Il sindaco" (1997); "Seven Servants" (1996); "La noche de los castillos" (1995); "A Walk in the Clouds" (1995); "Somebody to Love" (1994); "Last Action Hero" (1993); "A Star for Two" (1991); "Mobsters" (1991); "Only the Lonely" (1991); "Jungle Fever" (1991); "Revenge" (1990); "Ghosts Can't Do It" (1989); "The Cosby Show" (1989); "A Man of Passion" (1989); "Stradivari" (1988); "L'isola del tesoro" (1987); "Regina Roma" (1982); "Valentina" (1982); "The Salamander" (1981); "High Risk" (1981); "Lion of the Desert" (1980); "The Passage" (1979); "Caravans" (1978); "The Children of Sanchez" (1978); "The Greek Tycoon" (1978); "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977); "Target of an Assassin" (1977); "The Message" (1976); "L'eredità Ferramonti" (1976); "Bluff: Storia di truffe e di imbroglioni" (1976); "The Marseille Contract" (1974); "The Don Is Dead" (1973); "Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears" (1973); "Across 110th Street" (1972); "The Man and the City" (1971–1972); "Flap" (1970); "R.P.M." (1970); "A Walk in the Spring Rain" (1970); "A Dream of Kings" (1969); "The Secret of Santa Vittoria" (1969); "The Shoes of the Fisherman" (1968); "The Magus" (1968); "Guns for San Sebastian" (1968); "L'avventuriero" (1967); "The Happening" (1967); "The 25th Hour" (1967); "Lost Command" (1966); "La fabuleuse aventure de Marco Polo" (1965); "A High Wind in Jamaica" (1965); "Zorba the Greek" (1964); "Behold a Pale Horse" (1964); "The Visit" (1964); "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1963); "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962); "Requiem for a Heavyweight" (1962); "Barabbas" (1961); "The Guns of Navarone" (1961); "Portrait in Black" (1960); "The Savage Innocents" (1960); "Heller in Pink Tights" (1960); "Last Train from Gun Hill" (1959); "Warlock" (1959); "The Black Orchid" (1958); "Hot Spell" (1958); "Wild Is the Wind" (1957); "The Ride Back" (1957); "The River's Edge" (1957); "The Wild Party" (1956); "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1956); "Man from Del Rio" (1956); "Lust for Life" (1956); "ITV Play of the Week" (1956); "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951–1955); "Seven Cities of Gold" (1955); "The Naked Street" (1955); "The Magnificent Matador" (1955); "Attila" (1954); "Ulisse" (1954); "La strada" (1954); "The Long Wait" (1954); "Angels of Darkness" (1954); "Cavalleria rusticana" (1953); "Blowing Wild" (1953); "East of Sumatra" (1953); "Ride, Vaquero!" (1953); "Seminole" (1953); "City Beneath the Sea" (1953); "Against All Flags" (1952); "The Brigand" (1952); "The World in His Arms" (1952); "Viva Zapata!" (1952); "Mask of the Avenger" (1951); "Danger" (1951); "The Brave Bulls" (1951); "The Ford Theatre Hour" (1951); "Lights Out" (1951); "Somerset Maugham TV Theatre" (1951); "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse" (1951); "The Philco Television Playhouse" (1949); "Tycoon" (1947); "Black Gold" (1947); "California" (1947); "Sinbad, the Sailor" (1947); "The Imperfect Lady" (1947); "Back to Bataan" (1945); "Where Do We Go from Here?" (1945); "China Sky" (1945); "Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (1944); "Roger Touhy, Gangster" (1944); "Ladies of Washington" (1944); "Buffalo Bill" (1944); "Guadalcanal Diary" (1943); "The Black Swan" (1942); "The Ox-Bow Incident" (1942); "Road to Morocco" (1942); "Larceny, Inc." (1942); "The Perfect Snob" (1941); "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941); "Bullets for O'Hara" (1941); "Blood and Sand" (1941); "Thieves Fall Out" (1941); "Knockout" (1941); "Texas Rangers Ride Again" (1940); "City for Conquest" (1940); "The Ghost Breakers" (1940); "Road to Singapore" (1940); "Parole Fixer" (1940); "Emergency Squad" (1940); "Television Spy" (1939); "Island of Lost Men" (1939); "Union Pacific" (1939); "King of Chinatown" (1939); "King of Alcatraz" (1938); "Bulldog Drummond in Africa" (1938); "Hunted Men" (1938); "Tip-Off Girls" (1938); "Dangerous to Know" (1938); "The Buccaneer" (1938); "Daughter of Shanghai" (1937); "Partners in Crime" (1937); "The Last Train from Madrid" (1937); "Waikiki Wedding" (1937); "Swing High, Swing Low" (1937); "The Plainsman" (1936); "Parole!" (1936)

Anthony Quinn (born April 21, 1915, Chihuahua, Mexico—died June 3, 2001, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) was a Mexican-born American actor who appeared in more than 150 films but was universally identified with one role especially—the earthy, full-of-life title character in Zorba the Greek (1964), whom he inhabited so completely and comfortably that many of his later parts seemed also to be infused with that character’s spirit. He embraced his offscreen life with the same gusto, evidenced in part by the fact that his 13th child was born when he was in his 80s.

Quinn had a variety of jobs—prizefighter, painter, and musician and preacher for an evangelist among them—and, besides studying for the priesthood, considered becoming an architect. To aid him in the latter, he began taking acting lessons after Frank Lloyd Wright suggested that he improve his speech, and before long he was cast in the play Clean Beds. In 1936 Quinn appeared in a small part in the movie Parole, and he thereafter garnered a number of roles of various ethnic or outlaw characters in the films They Died with Their Boots On (1941), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Guadalcanal Diary (1943), and Back to Bataan (1945). His first lead role came in 1947 in Black Gold. That year Quinn went to New York City and made his Broadway debut in The Gentleman from Athens. He followed that with touring as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, returning to New York City in 1950 to replace Marlon Brando in that role and then touring in Born Yesterday and Let Me Hear the Melody. He also appeared in a number of live television programs.

Returning to Hollywood, Quinn had roles in The Brave Bulls (1951) and Viva Zapata! (1952), for which he won the first of his two Academy Awards for best supporting actor. He then made a few films in Italy, the most notable of which was Federico Fellini’s La strada (1954), in which he gave one of his finest performances. Quinn won his second Oscar for Lust for Life (1956) and went on to roles in the memorable motion pictures Wild Is the Wind (1957), The Savage Innocents (1959), The Guns of Navarone (1961), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Empty movie theater and blank screen (theatre, motion pictures, cinema).

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Quinn returned to the stage in 1982 to tour with and appear on Broadway in a revival of the musical version of Zorba, and he also became a successful artist and sculptor. His final movie role was in Avenging Angelo (2002).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.