Osgood Perkins

Osgood Perkins
Osgood Perkins as Walter Burns in The Front Page (1928)
Born	James Ripley 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.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1922–1937
Spouse(s)	Janet Esselstyn Rane (married 1922–1937)
Children	Anthony Perkins

Osgood Perkins (born James Ripley Osgood Perkins, May 16, 1892 – September 21, 1937) was an American actor.

James Ripley Osgood Perkins was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, son of Henry Phelps Perkins, Jr., and his wife, Helen Virginia (née Anthony). His maternal grandfather was wood engraver Andrew Varick Stout Anthony. He was a descendant of Mayflower passenger John Howland. Perkins made his Broadway debut in 1924 in the George S. Kaufman – Marc Connelly play Beggar on Horseback. In the next twelve 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." Brooks and Perkins appeared together in Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926).

Perkins married Janet Esselstyn Rane in 1922. They had one child, actor Anthony Perkins. Osgood died of a heart attack in Washington, D.C., at age 45. His son was five years old at the time.