O. Z. Whitehead

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O. Z. Whitehead
Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 29, 1998(1998-07-29) (aged 87)
Dublin
, Ireland
Years active1935–1997

Oothout Zabriskie Whitehead (March 1, 1911 – July 29, 1998)

"pioneered" as a Baháʼí) to Dublin, Ireland
in 1963.

Film, TV and theatre actor

Whitehead first appeared on Broadway in

Martin Beck Theatre performing in The Lake (1933) in 55 performances from December 1933 to February 1934 (which was Katharine Hepburn's first Broadway leading role) and 11 other plays by 1939.[2] Hepburn encouraged his early career.[3]

O. Z. Whitehead was one of the last surviving members of

Harry Carey, Jr. et al., Whitehead was one of the many actors regularly employed by Ford to breathe life into even the smallest roles in his films. His best-known part was that of Al in Ford's 1940 adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath
.

Whitehead's film debut was in

Oscar for Best Original Story[4] Whitehead most famously played Al Joad (Henry Fonda's younger brother) in John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath (1940) which was nominated for, and won, several Oscars.[5] Whitehead starred as Clarence in a stage production of Life with Father with Lillian Gish[6] among a total of more than 50 films and TV series episodes performances. Whitehead's first TV episode was The Arrow and the Bow in Cavalcade of America in 1953 and continued in other shows like Gunsmoke (1958’s “Lynching Man” where he is lynched), Bonanza (1960), and two episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960–61). In 1961 he made a guest appearance on Perry Mason
as murderer Harry Beacom in "The Case of the Cowardly Lion." Shortly thereafter Whitehead moved to Ireland and participated in theatre arts there.

In 1966 he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the

David Gray in the RTÉ television drama Caught in a Free State, set in neutral Ireland during World War II. His final role was as the narrator/Voice in the Irish horror film Biological Maintenance Department (1997).[1]

Following his move to Ireland he established the "O. Z. Whitehead Award" supporting theatre in 1966,[1] the first year including Dr. Michael McDonnell,[7] for his play All Gods Die on Friday.[8] Other winners have been Ivy Bannister,[9] Aodhan Madden,[10] and Francis Harvey.[11]

Personal life

As a child, Whitehead was fascinated by films and the theatre. He decided to make acting his career after his father took him to see Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan in The Kid in 1921.[2] After years on the stage, in film and on television, Whitehead struggled in the Hollywood studio system and became dissatisfied with the roles he was given.

A pacifist during World War II,[2] Whitehead first heard of the Baháʼí Faith in 1949.[1] At his first informational meeting on the religion, Whitehead heard well-known researcher Marzieh Gail. Whitehead joined the religion in late 1950[12] and gave public talks on the religion throughout that decade, such as at World Religion Day observances and other occasions.[13]

Whitehead went on a

pioneered to Dublin, while also taking on theatrical opportunities in the city. He was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly
of Dublin and the National Spiritual Assembly of Ireland following its formation in 1972, and served in that role for 15 years.

From about 1973 through the end of his life, Whitehead devoted much of his time to the concerns of the religion. The results of this work included the authoring of three books collecting biographies of early Baháʼí adherents, which were published during his 60s. Whitehead also supported the

PEN
.

Death

Whitehead died of cancer in Dublin in 1998, at the age of 87.

Partial filmography

Publications

  • ISBN 978-0-85398-065-0
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-85398-148-0
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-85398-403-0
    .
  • He also wrote an autobiographical 35 page chapter in O.Z. Whitehead (1994). Honnold, Annamarie (ed.). Why they became Baha'is - First Generation Baha'is By 1963. New Delhi, India: Baha'i Publishing Trust of India. pp. 204–239.
    ISBN 978-81-85091-72-3
    .

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Weinberg, Robert (1998). "Obituary O. Z. Whitehead Actor and writer". Baháʼí Studies Review. Vol. 8. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008.
  2. ^ a b c anonymous. "Theatrical performances of O.Z. Whitehead". Theatre. IMDb. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  3. ^ Ruane, Medb (31 July 1998). "O.Z. 'Zebby' Whitehead to be buried in Dublin today". Irish Times. Ireland. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  4. ^ anonymous. "The Scoundrel". Movies. IMDb. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  5. ^ anonymous. "Grapes of Wrath". Movies. IMDb. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  6. ^ "Oscar Serlin presents Clarence Day's Life with Father" (Press release). Oscar Serlin. 15 February 1940. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  7. ^ * "University Women plan reception". The Bridgeport Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut. 29 September 1976. p. 34. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Michael F. McDonnell". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. 6 April 2003. p. 21. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  9. ISBN 978-0-393-31360-4
    .
  10. ^ McGarry, Patsy (2 January 2015). "Death of playwright Aodhan Madden Dublin-born author was twice a winner of the Oz Whitehead Award for drama". Irish Times. Ireland. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  11. ISBN 978-1-900724-46-3
    .
  12. ^ "You Have Been Chosen The story of Carrie and Edward Kinney". Baháʼí News. No. 512. November 1973. pp. 10–15.
  13. ^ * "World Religion Observance set". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. 16 January 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 13 April 2016.

External links

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