RIP Richard Widmark

[Mr.Wizard]

As Tommy Udo, a giggling, psychopathic killer in the 1947 gangster film “Kiss of Death,” Mr. Widmark tied up an old woman in a wheelchair (played by Mildred Dunnock) with a cord ripped from a lamp and shoved her down a flight of stairs to her death.
The Link

 

[RabidLonghorn]

Wgat a great actor
RIP

 

[RomaVicta]

A lot of great work, RIP.

You may want to check out "The Bedford Incident," a taut, cold war navy movie that Widmark poured his heart and support into. Gritty and good.

As Udo, it was that laugh that made the scene immortal. Men of my Dad's generation (WWII) seem to have a solid memory of Johnny Udo sort of like my generation's memory of Alexander de Large.

 

[Basketball Jones]

Bedford Incident is awesome. They occasionally play it on AMC (or maybe Turner). He was also very good in "When the Legends Die"

 

[RomaVicta]

Wow, I haven't thought of When the Legends Die in a long time. I thought it was great when it came out a million years ago, I've been almost afraid to see it again for fear it wouldn't stand up. I'll check it out.

 

[Basketball Jones]

Roma:

I saw When the Legends Die on cable (AMC?) not too long ago --like you, I hadn't seen it in many years. It was still a very good movie -- seems to have held up pretty well.

 

[BA93]

Love the Bedford Incident. Have an old paperback copy of the book, and you can read it and not imagine Widmark as the captain.

 

[1918Speedway]

Solid actor. May he rest in peace.

 

[badexcuse]

He was awesome - God Bless.

 

[Giovanni Jones]

Long ago (this was back before cable when local stations would show old movies late at night) I caught a showing of The Long Ships (1963) in which Widmark portrayed the captain of a band of vikings who are out to plunder a gigantic golden bell from an old church. There's a scene where they've rigged a scaffold and ropes and pulleys to gently lower the thing down, but a rope snaps and the whole thing starts coming apart and the bell tumbles and rolls downhill, smashing everything and everyone in its path before it mercifully comes to a halt.

Widmark views the devastation and deadpans, "well, that's one way ..."

 

[gardere_owns_OU]

damnit. i'm torn over this one.