Vetren Actor Karl Malden dies

[Garry Russell]

One of the first actors faces I could put a name to in the Streets of San Francisco days

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8129710.stm


Garry

[DaveB]

Hi Garry..

That link isn't working at the mo but regardless, sorry to see Karl Malden has popped his clogs and yes.. who can forget him in The Streets of San Fransico.. A Quinn Martin Production! He must be one of my favourite American actors of all time. Never seen him give a bad show in anything he's played in and boy.. the list must be telephone directory size.

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Garry Russell]

Yo Dave

On Auntie Beeb now so I've swapped the link

Very good actor and one of the famous who lead a good private life, 97 years old was a good innings.

Streets of San Franciso alongside a young Michael Douglas..compulsive viewing in those days.

Garry

[fran65]

...goodbye ten. Stone! :-(

[Chris Trott]

Karl will be sorely missed I'm sure, but his legacy on film and TV will be thankfully around for all of us to enjoy. His portrayal of Omar Bradley in Patton was one of the most underappreciated in war history movies. One of the things I enjoyed after having seen the movie was read Patton's biography and read about how not only did the soldiers who served under Patton think that, except for the voice, that George Scott was a dead ringer for Patton, but that Malden was a dead ringer for Bradley, someone who had just as colorful of a career as Patton did, but without quite as many of the headlines for most of his career. "Streetcar" definitely made his name on the Silver Screen, but his body of work was extensive and impressive.

I only recently started watching "The Streets of San Francisco", but I definitely love watching it and seeing Karl in a more "relaxed" role where he could stretch out his abilities.

[Paul K]

Its for his role in 'Patton' that I'll best remember him too. It was very much George C Scott's film of course, but Karl Malden's portrayal of Bradley provided an telling counterpoint to Patton's complex and flawed character. For all its faults, and there are many, its still a very good film.

Off topic, Chris...which biographies of Patton have you read ? I've read the ones by Carlo D'Este and Ladislas Farago.

[Chris Trott]

To be absolutely honest, I don't remember which one it was I read. It was quite interesting because it was interspersed with interview excerpts from several of Patton's staff and soldiers in his various commands. When I look at the lists online, I think it was the Axelrod book that I read, but again, it's been several years and I checked it out of the library, so I obviously can't look at my book case and see.