Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. Monty and the family called her "Ethel" which was their mother's name though there mother went by "Sunny". Include gps location with grave photos where possible. In 1939, as a member of the cast of the 1939 Broadway production of Nol Coward's Hay Fever, Clift participated in one of the first television broadcasts in the United States: the Hay Fever performance was broadcast by NBC's New York television station W2XBS (the forerunner of WNBC) and was aired during the 1939 New York World's Fair. In the mid 1920's his family moved to Chicago and later, in the early 1930's the family settled in New York City. He was remarkably handsome (not so unusual). During her lifetime, she gave her time and organizational talents generously for the benefit of many persons.Ethel is survived by 4 of her 5 children (their spouses) and 11 grandchildren: Mary Blair Moredock, deceased 2011, (Steve) and Christopher; Campbell McGinnis (Jayne), Bill, Devon and Paul; John Montgomery McGinnis (Brandee), Heather, Kim, Skye, Travis, and Kendall; Robert Clift McGinnis; Michael James McGinnis (Cate), Elizabeth and Hanna.Burial was at a private family service at Austin Memorial Park. In general, the word of choice to describe him seems to be 'tortured'. But his life was also and remains one of the most tragic in Tinseltown history. Inside, he found Clift dead: he was undressed, lying in his bed still wearing his eyeglasses and with both fists clenched by his side. [49][50] On a taped phone call, Clift said that he played the character in a way that "holds onto himself, in spite of himself" with dignity.[51]. MrW, have you seen the pictures of him and Elisabeth Taylor goofing around? Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. He looks like Tom Cruise to me except authentic and not crazy. To hell with it. [26] By this time, Clift had developed what would come to be regarded as his signature acting style and biggest impact on the future of modern film acting, as told by biographer Robert LaGuardia: He managed to convince the audience that he was unmitigated male sexuality without making a vulgar display of himself, as most other actors of his age and type would have. [96], Clift supported Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 United States presidential election.[97]. He had a twin sister, Ethel and an older brother, Brooks, and his family were comfortably off. Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. He and his private nurse, Lorenzo James, had not spoken much all day. Clift co-starred with Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun, Raintree County and Suddenly, Last Summer. Still, the last half of his 20-year career has been referred to as the "longest suicide in Hollywood history" by acting teacher Robert Lewis because of Clift's subsequent abuse of painkillers and alcohol. Clift later stated that he could never have finished the film without McDowall's moral support. Luckily, she had a charming trio of offspring to help: Clift a twin sister, Ethel, who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (1919-1986), marking Clift out as the only sibling not named after a parent. Try again. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Immediately following the end of the war in September 1945 (in what would be Clift's penultimate Broadway performance) he starred in the stage adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's short story You Touched Me. Confusing! Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. I love the stage, but after a few months you can get tired. Additional comments may not be added to this entry at this time. The actor was reported to be naked at the time and couldn't recollect anything leading up to his being found. (Brando was also from Omaha clearly there was something in the water in the early '20s there that bred hotness. David Gritten salutes a new BFI season of films starring Hollywood great Montgomery Clift. She was born first making Monty the youngest of the Clift's three children. And Jerry said that he just couldn't get it out of his head. This account has been disabled. [95], Clift was also friends with Marlon Brando, who dropped by his home offering to accompany him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Clift also had a twin sister Ethel and a brother William Brooks Jr. His mother Sunny was an adopted child, but at 18 was told that her real parents were of prominent Yankee families. Montgomery Clift is American by birth. Marge (1948-1996) and Mary Ann Ganser (1948-1970), members of The Shangri-Las. She liked making friends with persons of different cultures and formed the belief that there was great value in understanding and appreciating the views of others. Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska, a son of William Brooks Clift ? Monty and the family called her "Ethel" which was their mother's name though there mother went by "Sunny". [7][8] Clift had a twin sister, Roberta (who later went by "Ethel"), who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986), known as "Brooks," who had a son with actress Kim Stanley and was later married to political reporter Eleanor Clift. Edward Montgomery Clift, often referred to as "Monty," was born on October 17, 1920, to Ethel "Sunny" Anderson and William Clift. Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. While the press assumed that Balaban and Clift were an item, Clift secretly dated British actor Roddy McDowall. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean, Clift was considered one of the original method actors in Hollywood (though Clift distanced himself from the term); he was one of the first actors to be invited to study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. a vice-president of Omaha National Bank - and his wife, the former Ethel Fogg. That's him with his twin sister Roberta above. By 1950, he was troubled with allergies and colitis (the U.S. Army had rejected him for military service in World War II for chronic diarrhea) and, along with pill problems, he was alcoholic. In the James Kirkwood novel "Hit Me with a Rainbow", early on the lead character is told that he resembles Montgomery Clift. October 17 Actor #9. "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta, to a banking family, his mother, Ethel, had been born out of wedlock, and she determined that the children would grow up knowing their true southern aristocratic heritage. Try again later. Brother. Edward Montgomery Clift. Montgomery Clift was born in 1920 to wealthy enough parents, with an older brother, twin sister, and an apparently overbearing mother. June 16th is mine, and I keep thinking about the good/bad twin performances by Sean Young in "A Kiss Before Dying.". Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. She also worked on the Junior League teacher recruitment program, and soon learned there were not enough teachers to take care of all the children. I keep my family out of my public life because it can be an awful nuisance to them. - charlea. Clift's childhood was unconventional. Judy Balaban, his daughter, has stated that she had an immediate connection with Clift and the two were "joined at the hip," dating for many months following. In the mid 1920s his family moved to Chicago and later, in the early 1930s the family settled in New York City. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. [57] In preparation for the shooting of this film, Clift accepted the role of James Bower in the French Cold War thriller The Defector, which was filmed in West Germany from February to April 1966. Elizabeth Taylor put her salary on the line as insurance in order to have Clift cast as her co-star in Reflections in a Golden Eye, to be directed by John Huston. My childhood was hobgoblin - my parents traveled a lot. [37] Clift had veered off one of the twisting hairpin turns and smashed into a telephone pole and the surrounding cliffside. Ed Stephan , Other Works I would rather do three movies than play in one stage hit. He shifted his moods erratically, from a brooding pose to a bursting smile. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). [36], On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious car crash after leaving a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Michael Wilding. [4] A documentary titled Making Montgomery Clift was made by his nephew in 2018, to clarify many myths that were created about the actor.[5]. Edward Montgomery Clift Early life Montgomery Clift was born 17 Oct 1920, several hours after his twin sister Roberta Ethel "Sister", in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska-- the son of William Brooks "Bill" Clift and his wife Ethel "Sunny" Blair. If it's your birthday we'll celebrate both of you in the comments. Following his car accident and plastic surgery, Monty Clift could only be filmed from one side of his face as the other side (his left) was rendered nearly immobile. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. His father made a lot of money in banking but was quite poor during the depression. [18][19] He instead continued to flourish onstage and appeared in works by Moss Hart and Cole Porter, Robert Sherwood, Lillian Hellman, Tennessee Williams, and Thornton Wilder, creating the part of Henry in the original production of The Skin of Our Teeth. [87] It is said that McDowall took the breakup with Clift hard. I also thought watching this that MC was probably more complex than any biography until now (written or filmed) has been able to capture. by admin. She developed an intense decade-plus obsession over the young actor, even financing an experimental play, "Mexican Mural" for him. He insisted on performing his stunts himself, including swimming in the river Elbe in March. Monty theorized without a ton of conviction that his drive toward acting may have had to do with competition with his sister (and older brother), neither of whom pursued acting. Roberta (A.K.A. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. His New York Times obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". [73][74][75] In 1948, when Clift left Robbins to pursue a movie career in Hollywood, the announcement devastated Robbins. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Wait, so Monty made Red River in 1946? How can you interest the audience if you're not interested yourself? Learn more about merges. [93][94] In his memoir, Arthur Laurents suggests that Clift had a fling with Farley Granger. These were extremely unorthodox, risky procedures, and had the effect of involving the audience with him, an exceedingly selfish aim if one thinks only in terms of the play, but a daring and stupendously courageous maneuver when one thinks of the ground he was breaking. Good dialogue simply isn't enough to explain all the infinite gradations of a character. [63], Many of Clift's biographers note his relationships with men and some few women based on friends' accounts and interviews. Montgomery Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska on October 17, 1920, hours after his twin sister Roberta (Ethel). There was a problem getting your location. [23] In 1949, as part of the promotional campaign for the film The Heiress, he played Heathcliff in the one-hour version of Wuthering Heights for Ford Theatre.