Hume Cronyn

At 91 years old, Hume Cronyn has this physical status:

Hume Blake Cronyn Jr., OC (July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian actor of stage and film who spent a long career, often appearing in public with Jessica Tandy, his wife of more than 50 years.

Early life

Cronyn, one of five children, was born in London, Ontario, Canada. Hume Blake Cronyn, Sr., was a businessman and a Member of Parliament for London (after whom the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory at Western University, which was previously known as The University of Western Ontario, and Humecronyn were named). Frances Amelia (née Labatt), the son of John Labatt and the granddaughter of John Kinder Labatt, was an heiress of the brewing firm of the same name; she was the daughter of John Labatt and the granddaughter of John Kinder Labatt. Right Reverend Benjamin Cronyn, an Anglican cleric of the Anglican diocese of Huron, was the first bishop of the Anglican diocese of Huron and established Huron College, which later expanded the University of Western Ontario.

Benjamin, Jr., the son of a wealthy man and early mayor of London, Ontario, was later charged with fraud and fled to Vermont, but he was later charged for escape. He built an Oakwood mansion, which now serves as the head office of the Info-Tech Research Group, during his time in London. Cronyn was also a cousin of Canadian-born theater producer Robert Whitehead and a first cousin of Canadian-British artist Hugh Verschoyle Cronyn (1905–1996).

Cronyn was the first Elmwood School boarder in Ottawa (at the time Elmwood was called Rockliffe Preparatory School) and boarded Elmwood between 1917 and 1921. Cronyn left Elmwood and attended Ridley College in St. Catharines and McGill University in Montreal, where he became a member of The Kappa Alpha Society. Cronyn was an amateur featherweight boxer with the talent to be nominated for Canada's 1932 Olympic Boxing team early in life.

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Career

While attending McGill University and continuing his acting studies thereafter, under Max Reinhardt and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Cronyn changed majors, from pre-law to drama. In 1934, the same year he joined The Lambs, he made his Broadway debut as a janitor in Hipper's Holiday and became known for his versatility, appearing in a number of roles on stage. In 1986, he received a Drama Desk Special Award. In 1990, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Alfred Hitchcock's first Hollywood film. He appeared in Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944) and worked on Rope (1948) and Under Capricorn (1949). He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Seventh Cross (1944) and received a Tony Award for his role as Polonius opposite Richard Burton's Hamlet (1964). Cronyn acquired the screenplay What Nancy Wanted from Norma Barzman, who was later blacklisted with her husband Ben Barzman, with the intention of directing the film and starring Tandy. However, he sold the screenplay to RKO, which later transferred it to RKO as The Locket (1946). Cronyn has appeared on television, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "Kill With Kindness" (1956) and Hawaii Five-O episodes "Over Fifty?" Steal" (1970) and "Odd Man In" (1971).

Cronyn served as a member of both the acting company and its board of governors at the Stratford Festival. In 1976, he appeared in The Merchant of Venice, and in 1980, he debuted his play Foxfire. The play will later tour Broadway (and received the Best Actress Tony award from Tandy), and a film version of the play was released in 1987.

In 1990, he received an Emmy Award for his participation in the TV show Age Old Friends.

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