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Barry Fitzgerald

Barry Fitzgerald

Actor · 1888 – 1961 · Dublin, Ireland

Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status. Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day. One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.

Movies24

  • Movie7.5

    Bringing Up Baby

    1938 · 1.1K votes

  • Movie7.3

    The Quiet Man

    1952 · 627 votes

  • Movie7.3

    How Green Was My Valley

    1941 · 470 votes

  • Movie7.2

    The Sea Wolf

    1941 · 71 votes

  • Movie7.1

    And Then There Were None

    1945 · 426 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Going My Way

    1944 · 199 votes

  • Movie7.2

    The Naked City

    1948 · 292 votes

  • Movie6.6

    The Long Voyage Home

    1940 · 105 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Marie Antoinette

    1938 · 37 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Union Station

    1950 · 52 votes

  • Movie7.2

    The Catered Affair

    1956 · 48 votes

  • Movie4.6

    Juno and the Paycock

    1930 · 63 votes

  • Movie5.9

    Tarzan's Secret Treasure

    1941 · 85 votes

  • Movie6.0

    The Story of Seabiscuit

    1949 · 14 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Welcome Stranger

    1947 · 7 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Corvette K-225

    1943 · 13 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Variety Girl

    1947 · 12 votes

  • Movie5.6

    Top o' the Morning

    1949 · 8 votes

  • Movie6.7
  • Movie7.0
  • Movie5.8

    The Saint Strikes Back

    1939 · 21 votes

  • Movie6.5
  • Movie6.3
  • Movie6.5

    Four Men and a Prayer

    1938 · 13 votes

Series6

  • TV7.0

    What's My Line?

    1950 · 29 votes

  • TV7.8

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    1955 · 265 votes

  • TV6.8

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    1948 · 23 votes

  • TV8.0

    Play of the Week

    1959 · 1 votes

  • TV6.7

    Lux Video Theatre

    1950 · 7 votes

  • TV6.8