Karl Malden

Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American stage, movie and television actor who first achieved acclaim in the original Broadway productions of Arthur Miller's All My Sons and Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire in 1946 and 1947. Recreating the role of Mitch in the 1951 film of Streetcar, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Malden was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun authenticity to roles in theater, film, and television", especially in such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront (1954), for which he received a second Best Supporting Oscar nomination.

He also played in high-profile Hollywood films such as I Confess (1953), Baby Doll (1956), The Hanging Tree (1959), Pollyanna (1960), One-Eyed Jacks (1961), How the West Was Won (1962), Gypsy (1962), Cheyenne Autumn (1964), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Patton (1970). From 1972 to 1977, he portrayed the leading role of Lt. Mike Stone in the primetime television crime drama The Streets of San Francisco. He was later an advertising spokesman for American Express.

Film and culture critic Charles Champlin described Malden as "an Everyman, but one whose range moved easily up and down the levels of society and the IQ scale, from heroes to heavies and ordinary, decent guys just trying to get along", and at the time of his death, Malden was described as "one of the great character actors of his time" who created a number of "powerhouse performances on screen".

Malden served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1992.

Early life Karl Malden, the eldest of three sons, was born Mladen Sekulovich in Chicago, Illinois, on March 22, 1912, his mother's 20th birthday. He was raised in a home at 457 Connecticut Street in Gary, Indiana.

His Serb father Petar Sekulović (; 1886–1975) worked in the steel mills and as a milkman, and his mother, Minnie Sekulovich (March 22, 1892 – July 15, 1995), was a Czech seamstress and actress. The Sekulovich family's roots trace back to Podosoje near Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Malden spoke only Serbian until he was in kindergarten; he remained fluent in the language until his death. Malden's father, who had a passion for music, organized the Serbian Singing Federation, uniting immigrant choral ensembles across the United States.

As a teenager, Malden joined the Karageorge Choir and acted in church plays produced by his father. He took part in many of these plays, which included a version of Jack and the Beanstalk, but mostly centered on the community's Serbian heritage. In high school, he was a popular student and the star of the basketball team (according to his autobiography, Malden broke his nose twice while playing, taking elbows to the face and resulting in his trademark bulbous nose).

He participated in the drama department and was narrowly elected senior class president. Among other roles, he played Pooh-Bah in The Mikado. After graduating from Emerson High School in 1931 with high marks, he briefly planned to leave Gary for Arkansas, where he hoped to win an athletic scholarship, but college officials did not admit him owing to his refusal to play any sport besides basketball. From 1931 until 1934, he worked in the steel mills, as had his father.

He changed his name from Mladen Sekulovich to Karl Malden at age 22, something director Elia Kazan urged him to do. He anglicized his first name by swapping its letters "l" and "a" and used it as his last and taking his grandfather's first name as his own. This was because the first theatre company he was in wanted him to shorten his name for its marquee. He thought that they wanted to fire him and were using his name as an excuse; although that was not the case, he still changed his name to give them no excuse.

Malden later stated that he regretted changing his name and tried to insert the name Sekulovich wherever possible in his work. For example, as General Omar Bradley in Patton, as his troops slog their way through enemy fire in Sicily, Malden says "Hand me that helmet, Sekulovich" to another soldier. In Dead Ringer, as a police detective in the squad room, Malden tells another detective: "Sekulovich, gimme my hat." In Fear Strikes Out, In On the Waterfront, in which Malden plays the priest, among the names of the officers of Local 374 called out in the courtroom scene is Mladen Sekulovich, Delegate (played by Fred Gwynne). Perhaps the most notable usage of his real name, however, was in the television series The Streets of San Francisco, where Malden's character, Mike Stone, employed a legman (played by Art Passarella) with that name.

Education and early stage work In September 1934, Malden left Gary, Indiana, to pursue formal dramatic training at the Goodman School (later part of DePaul University), then associated with the Goodman Theater in Chicago. Although he had worked in the steel mills in Gary for three years, he had helped support his family and was consequently unable to save enough money to pay for his schooling. Making a deal with the director of the program, he gave the institute the little money that he did have, with the director agreeing that, if Malden did well, he would be rewarded with a full scholarship. He won the scholarship.

When Malden performed in the Goodman's children's theater, he wooed actress Mona Greenberg (stage name: Mona Graham), who married him in 1938. He graduated from the Chicago Art Institute in 1937. Soon after, without work or money, Malden returned to his hometown.

Acting career around World War II He eventually traveled to New York City, and first appeared as an actor on Broadway in 1937. He did some radio work and then made his film debut with a small role in They Knew What They Wanted.

Malden also joined the Group Theatre, where he began acting in many plays and was introduced to a young Elia Kazan, who later worked with him on A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On the Waterfront (1954) and Baby Doll (1956).

His acting career was interrupted in 1942 by the Second World War, during which he served as a noncommissioned officer in the 8th Air Force of the United States Army Air Corps. Malden was discharged in 1946 as a Sergeant and was awarded the Air Force Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

In 1963, Malden was a member of the jury at the 13th Berlin International Film Festival.

Television work The Streets of San Francisco (1972–1977) In 1972, producer Quinn Martin gave Malden the role of Lt. Mike Stone in The Streets of San Francisco. Although the concept originated as a made-for-television movie, ABC quickly signed on to carry it as a series. Michael Douglas played Lt. Stone's young partner, Inspector Steve Keller.

Malden's character Stone was a widowed cop with more than 20 years of experience, who is paired with Keller, a recently graduated officer. During its first season, The Streets of San Francisco was a ratings winner among many other 1970s crime dramas. For his work as Lt. Stone, Malden was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times between 1974 and 1977, though he never won. After two episodes in the fifth season, Douglas left the show to act in movies; Lt. Stone's new partner was Inspector Dan Robbins, played by Richard Hatch. The show took a ratings nosedive after being rescheduled against another Quinn Martin series on CBS, Barnaby Jones, and ABC cancelled the series after five seasons and 120 episodes.

Later TV roles

In 1980, Malden starred in Skag, an hour-long drama that focused on the life of a foreman at a Pittsburgh steel mill. Malden described his character, Pete Skagska, as a simple man trying to keep his family together. The pilot episode for the series featured Skag temporarily disabled by a stroke, and it explored the effects the stroke had on Skag's family and co-workers. While Skag met with poor ratings, critics praised it; the series was cancelled after six episodes.

In 1981, Malden portrayed ice hockey coach Herb Brooks in a made for television account of the United States men's national ice hockey team's miraculous gold medal-winning run in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Malden told Sports Illustrated in December 1980 that he had never actually met Herb Brooks in preparation for his portrayal of him, but he studied him on videotape, especially his eyes. Malden said of Brooks "I'd hate to meet him in a dark alley. I think he's a little on the neurotic side. Maybe more than a little. Any moment you think he's going to jump out of his skin." Malden also remarked with disapproval that Brooks could've ventured an occasional smile during one of the less intense games. Malden also wondered how, after working hard over the course of seven months, Brooks could have simply walked away towards the team dressing room after his team clinched the improbable victory against the Soviet team.

In 1987, Malden was the host/narrator for the second and third television specials that later became the long-running series Unsolved Mysteries.

In the 1989 TV movie The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro, Malden portrayed Leon Klinghoffer, the only person to die in the 1985 terrorist incident.

His last acting role was in 2000 in the first-season episode of The West Wing titled "Take This Sabbath Day" in which he portrayed a Catholic priest, using the same Bible he had used in On the Waterfront.

Other work Malden delivered the line "Don't leave home without them!" in a series of U.S. television commercials for American Express traveler's cheques in the 1970s and 1980s. He also advertised the American Express card, with the famous opening line, "Do you know me?" These ads were occasionally spoofed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

From 1990 to 2009, Malden was a member of the United States Postal Service's Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), which evaluates potential subjects for U.S. postage stamps and reports its recommendations to the Postmaster General.

Personal life On December 18, 1938, Malden married Mona Greenberg (May 9, 1917 – July 13, 2019), who survived him. Their marriage was one of the longest in Hollywood's history, with their 70th wedding anniversary occurring in December 2008. In addition to his wife, Malden was survived by his daughters Mila and Carla and his son-in-law Tom. His other son-in-law Laurence predeceased him in 2007. Malden's mother lived to 103 years of age.

In 1997, Malden published his autobiography, When Do I Start?, written with his daughter Carla.

Death

Malden died at his home in Los Angeles on July 1, 2009, at the age of 97. He was reported to have been in poor health for several years. He is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He died on the same day as his frequent co-star Marlon Brando, who had died 5 years prior.

Malden's friend and former co-star Michael Douglas wrote a tribute to Malden for Time "Milestones" section.

Awards and recognition Malden won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1952 for A Streetcar Named Desire and was nominated in 1955 for his supporting role in On the Waterfront. Malden was president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1992. In October 2003, he was named the 40th recipient of the Screen Actors' Guild's Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.

In 1985, Malden won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his performance as Freddy Kassab in Fatal Vision. The same year, he was also awarded an honorary doctoral degree in fine arts by Emporia State University. On November 11, 2004, Douglas also presented Malden with the Monte Cristo Award of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, which is given for "distinguished careers exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's standard of excellence and pioneering spirit." Among other past winners were Jason Robards, Zoe Caldwell, Edward Albee, August Wilson, and Brian Dennehy.

On November 12, 2005, the United States House of Representatives authorized the United States Postal Service to rename the Los Angeles Barrington Postal Station as the Karl Malden Postal Station in honor of Malden's achievements. The bill, H.R. 3667, was sponsored by Representatives Henry Waxman and Diane Watson.

For his contribution to the film industry, Malden has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6231 Hollywood Blvd. In 2005, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In November 2018, a monument to Karl Malden was dedicated in Belgrade, Serbia.

Decorations

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1940 They Knew What They Wanted Red Film debut 1944 Winged Victory Adams 1946 13 Rue Madeleine Jump Master Uncredited 1947 Boomerang Detective Lieutenant White Uncredited Kiss of Death Sergeant William Cullen 1950 The Gunfighter Mac Where the Sidewalk Ends Lieutenant Thomas 1951 Halls of Montezuma Doc A Streetcar Named Desire Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 1952 The Sellout Captain Buck Maxwell Diplomatic Courier Sergeant Ernie Guelvada Operation Secret Major Latrec Ruby Gentry Jim Gentry 1953 I Confess Inspector Larrue Take the High Ground! Sergeant Laverne Holt 1954 Phantom of the Rue Morgue Dr. Marais On the Waterfront Father Barry Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 1956 Baby Doll Archie Lee Meighan Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture DramaNominated—BAFTA Film Award (Best Foreign Actor) 1957 Fear Strikes Out John Piersall Time Limit Prisoner Uncredited; Malden's only directing credit Bombers B-52 Master Sergeant Chuck V. Brennan 1959 The Hanging Tree Frenchy Plante Also directed but was not credited 1960 Pollyanna Reverend Paul Ford 1961 The Great Impostor Father Devlin One-Eyed Jacks Sheriff Dad Longworth Parrish Judd Raike 1962 All Fall Down Ralph Willart Birdman of Alcatraz Harvey Shoemaker Gypsy Herbie Sommers Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy How the West Was Won Zebulon Prescott 1963 Come Fly with Me Walter Lucas 1964 Dead Ringer Sergeant Jim Hobbson Cheyenne Autumn Captain Wessels 1965 The Cincinnati Kid Shooter 1966 Nevada Smith Tom Fitch Murderers' Row Julian Wall 1967 Hotel Keycase Milne The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin Judge Higgins Billion Dollar Brain Leo Newbigen 1968 Blue Doc Morton Hot Millions Carlton J. Klemper 1970 Patton General Omar N. Bradley 1971 The Cat o' Nine Tails Franco Arnò Wild Rovers Walter Buckman 1972 Summertime Killer Captain John Kiley 1979 Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Wilbur Hubbard Meteor Harry Sherwood 1982 Twilight Time Marko Sekulovic 1983 The Sting II Gus Macalinski 1986 Billy Galvin Jack Galvin 1987 Nuts Arthur Kirk

Television Year Title Role Notes 1949 The Ford Theatre Hour Friedrich Bhaer Episode: "Little Women" 1950 Armstrong Circle Theatre Himself Episode: "Anything But Love" 1952 Celanese Theatre Himself Episode: "The Animal Kingdom" 1972–1977 The Streets of San Francisco Detective Lieutenant Mike Stone 120 episodesNominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1974–1977)Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama (1976) 1977 Captains Courageous Disko Troop TV movie 1980 Skag Pete 'Skag' Skagska 6 episodes 1981 Word of Honor Mike McNeill TV movie 1981 Miracle on Ice Herb Brooks TV movie 1984 With Intent to Kill Thomas E. Nolan TV movie 1984 Fatal Vision Freddy Kassab TV miniseriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series 1985 Alice in Wonderland The Walrus TV movie 1988 My Father, My Son Elmo Zumwalt Jr. TV movie 1989 The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro Leon Klinghoffer TV movie 1990 Call Me Anna Dr. Harold Arlen TV movie 1991 Absolute Strangers Fred Zusselman TV movie 1992 Back to the Streets of San Francisco Mike Stone TV movie 1993 Vanished Without a Trace Ed Ray TV movie 1995 Biography P. T. Barnum (voice) TV series documentary 1998 The Lionhearts (voice) Episode: "Brown Dog Day" 2000 The West Wing Father Thomas Cavanaugh Episode: "Take This Sabbath Day"(final appearance)

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source 1952 Theatre Guild on the Air Lilim