Joseph Wiseman
| Joseph Wiseman | |
|---|---|
Wiseman in 1950
|
|
| Born |
May 15, 1918 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | October 19, 2009 (aged 91) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–2001 |
| Spouse(s) | (?–?; divorced) Nell Kinard (1943–?; divorced) (1 child) Pearl Lang (1964–2009; her death) |
| Children | Martha Graham Wiseman |
Joseph Wiseman (May 15, 1918 – October 19, 2009) was a Canadian theatre and film actor, best known for starring as the titular antagonist of the first James Bond film, Dr. No, his role as Manny Weisbord on the TV series Crime Story, and his career on Broadway. He was once called "the spookiest actor in the American theatre".
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Orthodox Jewish parents, Louis and Pearl Rubin (née Ruchwarger), Wiseman grew up in New York. At age 16, he began performing in summer stock and became professional, which displeased his parents.
Wiseman was an alumnus of John Adams High School, Queens, New York, (graduated June 1935), as was his Dr. No co-star, Jack Lord.
Wiseman made his Broadway debut in 1938, playing a small part in Robert E. Sherwood's Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Among the many productions he appeared in during a long career in live theatre, were the title role in In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer on Broadway in 1968, and the role of Father Massieu in the original Broadway production of Joan of Lorraine, the Maxwell Anderson play which eventually became the film Joan of Arc.
Wiseman appeared in several films in the 1950s. He made his first major film appearance in 1951's Detective Story, where he recreated his performance from Broadway as an unstable small-time hood. Soon after, he played Marlon Brando's archenemy in Viva Zapata! (1952). Wiseman's most famous role as the titular Dr. No in the first James Bond film by Eon Productions came from producer Harry Saltzman, who cast Wiseman in the role in December 1961. It was Wiseman's performance in Detective Story that won him the part. (Later in his life, he viewed the film with disdain, and preferred to be remembered for his theater career.)
...
Wikipedia