Barry Fitzgerald

Known for ActingBorn 1888-03-09Died 1961-01-14Dublin, Ireland

Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status. Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day. One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.Read more

Movies & web series

Cradle of Genius

Play of the Week

Ha da venì... don Calogero!

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered

Two Tickets to London

Bringing Up Baby

The Quiet Man

The Sainted Sisters

The Catered Affair

San Francisco Docks

How Green Was My Valley

The Naked City

The Sea Wolf

What's My Line?

Easy Come, Easy Go

And Then There Were None

Ebb Tide

General Electric Theater

The Ed Sullivan Show

Welcome Stranger

California

Lux Video Theatre

The Dawn Patrol

Going My Way

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday

Silver City

The Long Voyage Home

Union Station

Two Years Before the Mast

Marie Antoinette

Variety Girl

Four Men and a Prayer

Duffy's Tavern

None But the Lonely Heart

Miss Tatlock's Millions

Corvette K-225

Rooney

The Story of Seabiscuit

I Love a Soldier

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

The Saint Strikes Back

Top o' the Morning

The Plough and the Stars

Happy Ever After

Full Confession

Pacific Liner

The Stork Club