Posted on 09/13/2010 10:19:43 AM PDT by JoeProBono
Golden Globe-winning actor Kevin McCarthy, who played the doctor trying to save his neighbors in the sci-fi film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, has died. He was 96.
McCarthy died Saturday, a Cape Cod Hospital spokesman told The Associated Press. The cause of death or any other details were not released.
McCarthy's career began on the stage. His 1938 Broadway debut in Abe Lincoln in Illinois earned him membership in the Actors Studio. McCarthy was chosen to play Willy Loman's son, Biff, in the London production of Death of a Salesman, a role which McCarthy also played in the 1951 film, earning a best supporting actor Oscar nomination. He was named New Star of the Year by the Golden Globes in 1952.
McCarthy's best-known role, however, was that of the frantic doctor who tried in vain to warn his neighbors that pod people from space were taking over the people of Earth. The film was a box-office flop, but it has earned cult status since. It has been remade several times, most notably in 1978 starring Donald Sutherland and again in 2007 as The Invasion starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.
McCarthy's other film roles included Gathering of Eagles, The Best Man, Mirage, Hotel, The Howling, and Twilight Zone: The Movie, He also appeared as Marilyn Monroe's estranged husband in the 1961 classic The Misfits, Monroe's last film.
McCarthy also appeared on such TV shows as ABC medical drama Breaking Point, The Survivors, The Fugitive, and The A-Team. In 1978, he played Harry Truman in the touring one-man show "Give 'em Hell, Harry," He performed the role in more than 350 venues, according to the AP.
A great movie, better IMHO than either of its imitators.
God bless you Mr McCarthy, and thanks for at least one great film.
McCarthy was one of the great leading men of all time.
Few times he played a hero but when he did, he was excellent.
But when he played a villain he did so with great aplomb.
Quite often McCarthy’s performances were studies in underacting and subtlety. He never needed to be hammy.
He also had a famous sibling. Mary McCarthy who wrote “The Group”.
“The cause of death or any other details were not released.”
Hmmmm.......cause of death was probably reaching age 96.
*sigh* All my favorites are checking out.
Rest In Peace, Kev, it was a blast.........
RIP.
“Innerspace” was good, too.
I loved him in Innerspace.
MCCarthy was one of my faborites of all time.
Other great actors:
John Wayne
Richard Widmark
Bob Hope
Cary Grant
James Stewart
Gregory Peck
Charlton Heston
Spencer Tracy
One of the best sci fi movies ever made!
He was also great in "UHF."
I also liked him in KANSAS CITY BOMBER with Raquel Welch, a great movie about the roller derby and one of the better Raquel Welch movies.
RIP Mr. McCarthy. Thanks for scaring the crap out of me when I was 9.
Kevin was the brother of novelist Mary McCarthy-—famous for her book “The Group”
The book was adapted as a 1966 movie of the same name starring Candace Bergen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.