Glenn Ford in 1998
Posted on 05/01/2006 2:44:48 PM PDT by Borges
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Glenn Ford, stalwart hero of Westerns, comedies and urban dramas during Hollywood's Golden Age, emerged from 15 years of seclusion to celebrate his 90th birthday with friends and co-workers at his home.
However, Ford, who turned 90 on Monday, was unable to enjoy the celebration, held the previous day. He was lucid and communicative in the morning, family members said, but his condition worsened in the afternoon. A few guests made visits to his bedroom, but he was unable to respond.
"Dad has had a series of ministrokes starting 15 years ago," said his son, Peter Ford. "For 12 years, my family has lived in the house to take care of him." Peter, whose mother was Eleanor Powell, the first of Ford's three wives, added that his father "has good days and bad days."
He reported that his father doesn't like many of today's movies-DVDs of Oscar-nominated films are sent to him because he is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
But he enjoys watching vintage films, including his own. "One picture that he didn't like was The Loves of Carmen with Rita Hayworth, which (Columbia boss) Harry Cohn forced him to make," Peter Ford said.
Ford's life and career were intertwined with Hayworth's. They met as young contract players at Columbia Pictures, and both achieved top stardom in the sensual Gilda. In 1960, Hayworth sold Ford her next-door property where he built his house, a javelin's throw from the Beverly Hills Hotel.
His Beverly Hills house is a virtual shrine to its owner. The entrance leads to a two-storey covered atrium with tropical foliage in the middle and balconies plastered with large posters, some in foreign languages, of Ford movies.
The lower level features a remarkably accurate life-size wax figure of Ford in The Teahouse of the August Moon. It was formerly in the Hollywood Wax Museum. The adjacent poolroom has four walls packed with photos, most of them autographed, of his fellow stars.
Ford was scheduled to appear Monday night at a celebration of his life and work presented by the American Cinematheque. The program was to feature comments by his co-stars and a screening of Gilda.
Ford was born in Quebec and moved to California with his family as a child.
Liked him best in "Torpedo Run" and as Dave the Dude in "Pocket Full of Miracles"
I miss the star system of the old days...Stars of Ford's era seemed bigger than life - not "this weeks" hottie.
He made many good movies, I liked the Rounders with he and Fonda for a comedy.
Liked him best in a whole lot of movies. :-)
Today, I liked him best in Rounders with Henry Fonda. Loved that mean and nasty crazy horse, too.
Great actor. They just don't make 'em like they used to.
Liked "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" - although I guess that was really Ronnie Howard's movie.
"The Rounders" and "Pocketful of Miracles" were good too.
Another western where he was a good bad guy. Van Heflin was hired to take him to jail by train. Can't think of the name of it, but he turned out to be pretty OK by the time it was over.
Just an all around believable guy in a variety of roles. Very good with horses - grew up around them.
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
He has always had that "something extra" air about him. One of my favorite actors, who IIRC, served in the Navy during WWII.This could be why he never looked like he was acting in his movies. We wish you well Glenn.
Ford and Brando were also in Superman though they never shared a scene. Ford had a great death scene in Superman.
I have heard that he also sevred in Vietnam as some sort a Special Forces type..can anyone confirm
And the classic film noir, THE BIG HEAT! Another great Glenn Ford film.
Sounds like he has the same taste as me.
Glenn Ford had class, not like today's Hollywood airheads.
The Sheepman was cool
'Gilda' was a wonderful film, and I love many of his westerns, but my favorite Glenn Ford films is 'Blackboard Jungle.'
They were scared that the opening credits of the Blackboard Jungle alone would cause riots in theaters.
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