Paul Muni
Paul Muni | |
---|---|
Died | August 25, 1967 Montecito, California, U.S. | (aged 71)
Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
Other names | Muni Weisenfreund |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1908–1962 |
Spouse |
Bella Finkel (m. 1921) |
Paul Muni (born Frederich Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund; September 22, 1895
Muni often played powerful characters, such as the lead role in Scarface (1932), and was known for his intense preparation for his parts, often immersing himself in the study of the real characters' traits and mannerisms. He was also highly skilled in makeup techniques, a talent that he had learned from his parents, who were also actors, and from his early years on stage with the Yiddish theater in Chicago. At the age of 12, he played the stage role of an 80-year-old man, and in his film Seven Faces, he played seven characters.
Muni appeared in 22 films and was nominated for the
Early life and career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2022) |
Muni was born in 1895 as Frederich Meier Weisenfreund to a
As a boy, he was known as "Moony".
A 1925
Muni began acting on
In 1921, he married Bella Finkel (February 8, 1898 – October 1, 1971), an actress in the Yiddish theatre and daughter of Moishe Finkel. They remained married until Muni's death in 1967.
Hollywood
In 1929, Muni was signed by
Muni soon returned to Hollywood to star in provocative
I had been wanting to see Scarface since 1974 ... The film just stopped me in my tracks. All I wanted to do was imitate Paul Muni. His acting went beyond the boundaries of naturalism into another kind of expression. It was almost abstract what he did. It was almost uplifting.
Al Pacino[7]
Scarface, part of a cycle of gangster films at the time,[8] was written by Ben Hecht[9]: 6 and directed by Howard Hawks. Critic Richard Corliss noted in 1974 that while it was a serious gangster film, it also "manages both to congratulate journalism for its importance and to chastise it for its chicanery, by underlining the newspapers' complicity in promoting the underworld image."[9]: 10
In 1935, Muni persuaded Warner Bros. to take a financial risk by producing the successful historical biography The Story of Louis Pasteur. This became Muni's first of many biographical roles. Until that film, most Warner Bros. stories had originated from current events and major news stories, with the notable exceptions of George Arliss's earlier biographical films Disraeli, Alexander Hamilton and Voltaire.[5] Muni won an Oscar for his performance.
Muni played other historical figures, including
In 1937, Muni played a Chinese peasant with a new bride in a film adaptation of
Dissatisfied with life in Hollywood, Muni chose not to renew his contract. He returned to the screen only occasionally in later years for such roles as Frédéric Chopin's teacher in A Song to Remember (1945). In 1946, he played a rare comic role in Angel on My Shoulder.
Later career
Muni then focused most of his energies on stage work, and occasionally on television roles. In 1946, he appeared on Broadway in
In 1952, Muni traveled to Italy to star in
A few years later, during 1955 and 1956, Muni had his biggest stage success in the United States as the crusading lawyer, Henry Drummond (based on
In early September 1955, Muni, then 59 years old, was diagnosed with a tumor of the left eye. The eye was removed in an operation at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. His right eye was reported to be normal.[13] In early December 1955, Muni returned to his starring role as Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind.[14]
His last movie role was as an aging doctor in The Last Angry Man (1959), and he was again nominated for an Oscar. After that, Muni mostly retired from acting to deal with failing eyesight and other health problems.[5] He made his final screen appearance on television, in a guest role on the dramatic series Saints and Sinners in 1962.
Acting techniques, reputation and legacy
Muni was noted for his intense preparation for his roles, especially the biographies. While preparing for The Story of Louis Pasteur, Muni said, "I read most everything that was in the library, and everything I could lay my hands on that had to do with Pasteur, with
As Muni was born into an acting family, with both of his parents professional actors, "he learned his craft carefully and thoroughly." On stage, "a Muni whisper could reach the last balcony of any theater", writes the Times. It wrote that his style "had drawn into it the warmth of the Yiddish stage", in which he made his debut at the age of 12. In addition, his technique in using makeup "was a work of art." Combined with acting which followed no "method", he perfected his control of voice and gestures into an acting style that was "unique."[15]
Film historian David Shipman described Muni as "an actor of great integrity",[16] noting he meticulously prepared for his roles. Muni was widely recognized as eccentric if talented: he objected to anyone wearing red in his presence, and he could often be found between sessions playing his violin. Over the years, he became increasingly dependent on his wife, Bella, a dependence which increased as his failing eyesight turned to blindness in his final years.[16] Muni was "inflexible on matters of taste and principle", once turning down an $800,000 movie contract because he was not happy with the studio's choice of film roles.[15]
Although Muni was considered one of the best film actors of the 1930s, some film critics such as David Thomson[17] and Andrew Sarris,[citation needed] accuse him of overacting. Thomson described Muni as "a crucial negative illustration in any argument as to what constitutes screen acting."[17]
German director William Dieterle, who directed him in his three biopics, also frequently accused him of overacting, despite his respect for the actor.[18]
Personal life
In his private life, Muni was considered to be very shy and was uncomfortable with being recognized in public. He enjoyed reading and taking walks with his wife in secluded sections of Central Park.
Muni campaigned for the reelection of President Herbert Hoover in 1932.[19]
After retiring from acting, he lived in California. In his den, which he called his "Shangri-La", he spent time reading books and listening to the radio.[15]
Death
Muni died of a heart disorder in Montecito, California in 1967 at the age of 71. He is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood.
Legacy and honors
Muni had four official
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for The Life of Emile Zola
- Tony Award for Best Actor in Inherit the Wind
- A star was installed in his honor on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6435 Hollywood Blvd.
- A film musical titled Actor: The Paul Muni Story (1978) was based on his life, with Herschel Bernardi starring.
- A biography titled Actor: The Life and Times of Paul Muni (1974) was written by Jerome Lawrence.[21]
In popular culture
Referring to his childhood during the Great Depression,
Muni and George Raft appeared as characters in the fifth season of Boardwalk Empire, meeting with Al Capone to discuss the film Scarface.[23]
Comedian and actor Paul Mooney took his stage name, which was also his childhood nickname, from Muni.[24]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1929 | The Valiant | James Dyke | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor |
1929 | Seven Faces | Papa Chibou / Diablero / Willie Smith / Franz Schubert / Don Juan / Joe Gans / Napoleon |
Lost film |
1932 | Scarface | Antonio "Tony" Camonte | |
1932 | I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang | James Allen | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor |
1933 | The World Changes | Orin Nordholm Jr. | |
1934 | Hi, Nellie!
|
Brad Bradshaw | |
1935 | Bordertown | Johnny Ramirez | |
1935 | Black Fury[a]
|
Joe Radek | |
1935 | Dr. Socrates | Dr. Lee Cardwell, nicknamed "Dr. Socrates" | |
1936 | The Story of Louis Pasteur | Louis Pasteur | Volpi Cup for Best Actor
|
1937 | The Good Earth | Wang Lung | Released in sepia tone
|
1937 | The Woman I Love | Lt. Claude Maury | |
1937 | The Life of Emile Zola | Émile Zola | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor |
1939 | Juarez
|
Benito Juárez | |
1939 | We Are Not Alone | Dr. David Newcome | |
1941 | Hudson's Bay | Pierre-Esprit Radisson | |
1942 | Commandos Strike at Dawn | Erik Toresen | |
1943 | Stage Door Canteen | Himself | |
1945 | A Song to Remember | Prof. Joseph Elsner | Filmed in Technicolor |
1945 | Counter-Attack | Alexei Kulkov | |
1946 | Angel on My Shoulder | Eddie Kagle / Judge Fredrick Parker | |
1952 | Imbarco a mezzanotte
|
The Stranger with a Gun | called Stranger on the Prowl in the U.S. |
1959 | The Last Angry Man | Dr. Samuel "Sam" Abelman | Mar del Plata Film Festival Award for Best Actor
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated — New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor |
Radio appearances
Year | Program | Episode/Source |
---|---|---|
1936 | Lux Radio Theatre | The Story of Louis Pasteur[26] |
Lux Radio Theater. "The Life of Emile Zola". May 8, 1939 Calvalcade of America. "Edwin Booth". March 31, 1941 The Free Company. "The Miracle Of The Danube". April 27, 1941 Calvalcade of America. "Bolivar, The Liberator". October 6, 1941 Calvalcade of America. "Eagle's Nest". December 28, 1942 Radio Hall of Fame. "No Uncommon Clay". April 30, 1944 Suspense Theater. "The Search For Henri Leferve". July 6, 1944 Arch Ololer's Plays. "This Living Book". October 11, 1945 Academy Award Theater. April 13, 1946 Eternal Light. "And It Came To Pass". December 7, 1947 Studio One. "Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse". January 20, 1948 Calvalcade of America. "Alerting of Dr. Pomerantz". February 16, 1948 Calvalcade of America. "Garden Key". November 8, 1948 Biography in Sound. "Clarence Darrow". September 13, 1956
Notes
- ^ Muni was not nominated for an Oscar for his performance in Black Fury. For two years only, the Academy allowed a write-in vote. This meant that technically, any performance was eligible for an award. This decision was made in 1935 in response to the controversy surrounding Bette Davis failing to get a nomination for her performance in Of Human Bondage. Muni came in 2nd in the vote for Best Actor, but the Academy does not recognize Muni or Davis as nominees in those years.[25] The Academy's nomination and winner database does note this under the 1935 Best Actor category and under the Paul Muni search, as well as for Davis in 1934 and Best Actress.
See also
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of German-speaking Academy Award winners and nominees
References
- ^ "Ksiega urodzin izraelickiego okregu metrykalnego Lwów: Rocznik 1895" [Book of Jewish Births for the Record District of Lviv: Year 1895]. Central Archive of Historical Records. February 12, 2016. p. 384. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
Entry Number 1258 – Born: September 14, 1895; Naming or Circumcision Date: September 22, 1895;
- ^ "On The Screen". Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. October 27, 1967.
- ISBN 978-1557834584.
... Muni Weisenfreund, now Paul Muni
- ^ ISBN 978-1558624528.
- ^ ISBN 978-0811854672.
- ^ Strauss, Theodore (December 17, 1939). "Paul Muni, Less The 'Mr.,' Returns; Paul Muni, Less The 'Mr.,' Returns To Town". The New York Times. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ISBN 978-1429993296.
- ^ See also Little Caesar and The Public Enemy (both 1931).
- ^ ISBN 978-0715368268.
- ^ a b Denby, David (September 9, 2013). "Hitler in Hollywood". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- ^ A Flag Is Born Archived March 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, April 2004
- ^ "Paul Muni Quits Broadway Play; Has Eye Ailment". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. August 31, 1955.
- ^ "Paul Muni Loses Left Eye to Tumor". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 7, 1955.
- ^ "Ovation Greets Paul Muni On Return To Play". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. December 2, 1955.
- ^ a b c d e "Paul Muni, Actor, Dies on Coast; Won Fame in Biographical Roles; Portrayed Darrow, Pasteur, Zola, Juarez and Gangster in Stage and Film Career". The New York Times. August 26, 1967.
- ^ ISBN 978-0600338178.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-375-71184-8.
- ISBN 978-0231166799.
- The Napa Daily Register. November 2, 1932. p. 6.
- ^ "1928/29 2nd Academy Awards". Academy Awards Database. September 24, 2014. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013.
- ^ "Anecdotes of the Famous: Keeping Cool". The Milwaukee Journal. January 6, 1976. p. 40. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "M*A*S*H (MASH) s04e18 Episode Script". Springfield! Springfield!. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Boardwalk Empire – Paul Muni and George Raft scene". YouTube. October 13, 2014. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.
- ISBN 978-1-4165-8795-8.
- ^ "Academy Awards statistics". Academy Awards Database. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ "Those Were the Days". Nostalgia Digest. 43 (3): 33. Summer 2017.
Further reading
- Druxman, Michael B (1974). Paul Muni: His Life and His Films. South Brunswick: A.S. Barnes. OCLC 762401.
- Fárberman, Boris; Muni, Paul (1970). Paul Muni (in Spanish). Buenos Aires: Ejecutivo Sudamericano del Congreso Judío Mundial. OCLC 7019258.
- Gerlach, Michael Christopher (1971). The acting of Paul Muni (Thesis). Ann Arbor: OCLC 6840065.
- OCLC 1083129.
- Grimshaw, Myrtle Lecky (1945). "Paul Muni, Master Character Actor". In Lotz, Philip Henry (ed.). Distinguished American Jews. Creative Personalities Series. Vol. 6. New York: Association Press. OCLC 2055635.
- Melamed, S.M. (September 27, 1925). "The Yiddish Stage". The New York Times. p. X2.
External links
- Paul Muni at the Internet Broadway Database
- Paul Muni at IMDb
- Paul Muni at the TCM Movie Database
- Paul Muni papers, circa 1920–1967, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- Photos of Muni in various costumes and makeup
- Paul Muni: Scarface and Beyond
- Paul Muni in The Amazing Doctor Clitterhouse (1947 radio version)
- Photographs and literature
- Paul Muni at Find a Grave