Jack Warden was one of my favorite actors. He starred in many of my favorite films; 12 Angry Men, Brian's Song, Shampoo, All The President's Men, Heaven Can Wait, Death on the Nile, ...And Justice For All, Being There, The Verdict and Bulworth. These are just a sampling of the many films and TV appearances Warden made throughout his long career as one of Hollywood's most endearing character actors. A former boxer (he once fought on the same bill with Charles Durning at Madison Square Garden) and WWII paratrooper with the 101st Airborne, he became an actor after reading a play by Clifford Odets. 1950s television made him a household name with appearances in dozens of shows like The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables and 77 Sunset Strip. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Oscars for two out of the three films he made with Warren Beatty... Shampoo and Heaven Can Wait. He won an Emmy for his supporting role as Coach George Halas in the 1971 TV film, Brian's Song. His weekly series, Crazy Like A Fox in the 1980s, brought him two more nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Warden always reminded me of the great character performers who worked for the studios back in the 1930s and '40s. Men like Alan Hale, Ward Bond, Edward Arnold and Thomas Mitchell. Like his 12 Angry Men costar, E.G. Marshall, Warden was one of those irascible yet likeable characters who emerged from the early days of television into a reliable steadfast performer. He will be sorely missed.
Jack Warden Movies
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