Re:
I thought it was rather crude. 'Don't think Mr. Widmark ever was a rude...
It's rather a dichotomy. We tend to ascribe the actor with the characteristics of the parts they play. Thus, John Wayne, who never served but played the part of war heroes, was held up as a super American - and he WAS patriotic, no doubt about it. But that didn't necessarily translate to a gentleman on a personal level.
Mr. Widmark played many a villain, but he was a real gentleman in private life. I always enjoyed Richard Widmark's acting, but as to him as a person, I witnessed one episode of his life that may not be a true indicator of his entire character, but it sure stuck in my memory.
From the Fall of 1963 to the Spring of 1964, I lived in Gunnison, Colorado. I was a junior in high school and my Father was then the Project Manager on the building of Blue Mesa Dam. The crew and cast of Cheyenne Autumn came to Gunnison for a few days to film a portion of the John Ford film. They stayed at a swanky all-log motel called, IIRC, Tomachie (SP?) Lodge, just outside town on the road back east towards Salida.
Dad came home that evening and took me and my Mom out to Tomachie Lodge. We got there about 8 to have dinner. As we passed the entrance to the bar, Dad pointed out John Ford and Richard Widmark drinking with several others. In the dinning room was Gilbert Roland, one of my Mom's favorite actors. As he left the restaurant, he passed by our table and Mom smiled at him. He gave her a big smile back. BTW My Mom was some looker back in the day.
Later, just as we were finishing up our meal, there was a loud crash, followed by the sounds of a fist fight highlighted by the unmistakable voice of Rickard Widmark shouting, "You son-of-a-bitch!"
As we looked back out the door into the lobby, Widmark and some other guy came rolling by in a blur of limbs and fists. They rolled on out of sight then a group of men ran past the doorway after them. Shortly, the fight sounds subsided and then the whole group, Widmark included, came walking back toward the bar.
May Dad was tickled by the whole thing, but Mom was mortified that Widmark has said "son-of-a-bitch" out loud in public. Different morals, different days.
As we left, the group, including Ford and Widmark were loudly drinking away their troubles.
Anyway, the rest of the story goes Tomachie Lodge tossed out the whole kit and kaboodle later that night after another brawl or two started and they all moved down to the Dos Rios Motel near our house on an island in the Gunnison River. In a couple of days, they were gone but not forgotten.
Don't know if Richard Widmark, John Ford or The Duke were real gentlemen or not in their private lives. The books I've read on Ford mark him as being a true SOB at many times (BTW read Maureen O'Hara's Tis Herself: A Memoir for some eye opening remarks on Pappy!) and John Wayne as a man who liked to drink, smoke and live his life pretty much the way he wanted without any apologies.
I've not read anything about Widmark's character one way or the other, but his shouting "You son-of-a-bitch!" and rolling by the dinning room doorway will be with me until they place me six feet down.
I've not read anything about Widmark's character one way or the other, but his shouting "You son-of-a-bitch!" and rolling by the dinning room doorway will be with me until they place me six feet down.
I've an idea that whoever he said that too - WAS one.
"He lived quietly and avoided the press, saying in 1971, "I think a performer should do his work and then shut up.". (We could use more actors like that!)
He was President of his high school graduating class, got full scholarship and was pres. of his college class...he married his high school sweetheart to whom he remained faithful...they were married for almost 55 years before she died...(happily married, per his wife who said he had never even looked at another woman...to which he was said to have replied "I happen to like my wife."
Character counts...
He said of Gary Cooper - another of my favorites (I think Ayn Rand's Fountainheadwas my favorite), he said: "Gary Cooper was a good friend. He was a great nature lover. He was like an American Indian, he knew every leaf that was turned over. It was an education to go for a walk with him. "
Ahh, and you mention Gilbert Roland = yeah. he was good.