James Ridley Osgood Perkins (May 16, 1892 – September 21, 1937) was an American actor.[1]
Osgood Perkins | |
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![]() Perkins as Walter Burns in The Front Page (1928) | |
Born | James Ridley Osgood Perkins (1892-05-16)May 16, 1892 West Newton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Died | September 21, 1937(1937-09-21) (aged 45) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | unknown–1935 |
Spouse | Janet Esselstyn Rane
(m. 1922) |
Children | Anthony Perkins |
Relatives | Oz Perkins (grandson) Elvis Perkins (grandson) |
Perkins was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, son of Henry Phelps Perkins Jr., and his wife, Helen Virginia (née Anthony).[2] His maternal grandfather was wood engraver Andrew Varick Stout Anthony.[3] He was a graduate of Harvard College.[4]
Perkins made his Broadway debut in 1924 in the George S. Kaufman – Marc Connelly play Beggar on Horseback. In the next 12 years, he would appear in 24 Broadway productions, including The Front Page and Uncle Vanya.
Despite his success as a leading man in the theatre, Hollywood viewed him as a character actor. He appeared in 12 silent films, including Puritan Passions, before moving to talkies such as Scarface and Gold Diggers of 1937.
"The best actor I ever worked with was Osgood Perkins," Louise Brooks told Kevin Brownlow. "You know what makes an actor great to work with? Timing. You don't have to feel anything. It's like dancing with a perfect dancing partner. Osgood Perkins would give you a line so that you would react perfectly. It was timing -- because emotion means nothing."[citation needed] Brooks and Perkins appeared together in Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926).
On September 21, 1937, Perkins died of a heart attack in his bathtub shortly after playing in a performance of Susan and God.[5]
Perkins was inducted, posthumously, into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981.[6]
Perkins married Janet Esselstyn Rane in 1922. They had one child, actor Anthony Perkins.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1922 | The Cradle Buster | Crack 'Spoony' | Film Debut |
1923 | Puritan Passions | Dr. Nicholas | |
1924 | Grit | Boris Giovanni Smith | |
1925 | Wild, Wild Susan | M. Crawford Dutton | |
1926 | Love 'Em and Leave 'Em | Lem Woodruff | |
1927 | High Hat | The Assistant Director | |
Knockout Reilly | Spider Cross | ||
1929 | Syncopation | Hummel | |
Mother's Boy | Jake Sturmberg | ||
1931 | Tarnished Lady | Ben Sterner | |
1932 | Scarface | John "Johnny" Lovo | |
1934 | Madame DuBarry | Duc de Richelieu | |
Kansas City Princess | Marcel Duryea - French Private Eye | ||
The President Vanishes | Harris Brownell | ||
Secret of the Chateau | Martin | ||
1935 | I Dream Too Much | Paul Darcy | |
1936 | Gold Diggers of 1937 | Morty Wethered | |
1937 | A Star Is Born | Otto | Final Film (Uncredited) |
General | |
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National libraries | |
Other |