George C. Scott Biography

(Actor, Director, and Producer Known for His Film ‘Anatomy of a Murder’)

Birthday: October 18, 1927 (Libra)

Born In: Wise, Virginia, United States

George C. Scott, the star theater and screen actor, dazzled audiences with his challenging roles, which earned him widespread recognition in the film fraternity and around the world. He is best-known for his role as General George S. Patton in ‘Patton’ and Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’. In his earlier days, he had to struggle to find the right roles - it was years later, he landed in his first lead role for the Shakespeare’s production of ‘Richard III’. His performance in this play garnered him a lifetime of notable roles on stage, television and films. His first film, ‘The Hanging Tree’ instantly earned him an Oscar nomination, but he refused to be associated with the Oscars because he believed that the competition it generated among fellow-actors demeaned the profession and prompted a sense of false prestige among people. Despite his temperamental and sometimes erratic behavior and stubborn views about awards, his acting talent and the roles that he carefully chose, earned him many more nominations in a number of award ceremonies. His personal life was a tumultuous one, with four marriages and two scandalous relationships with Ava Gardner and Karen Truesdell.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: George Campbell Scott

Died At Age: 71

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carolyn Hughes (m. 1951–1955), Colleen Dewhurst (m. 1967–1972), Patricia Reed (m. 1955–1960), Trish Van Devere (m. 1972–1999)

father: George Dewey Scott (1902–1988)

mother: Helena Agnes (née Slemp; 1904–1935)

children: Alexander R. Scott, Campbell Scott, Devon Scott, Matthew Scott, Michelle Scott, Victoria Scott

Actors Directors

Height: 6'1" (185 cm), 6'1" Males

Died on: September 22, 1999

place of death: Westlake Village, California, United States

U.S. State: Virginia

Cause of Death: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Diseases & Disabilities: Heart Attack

Ancestry: German American

More Facts

education: University Of Missouri

  • 1

    What movies did George C. Scott star in?

    George C. Scott starred in movies such as "Patton," "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb," "The Hustler," "The Changeling," and "The Hospital."
  • 2

    Was George C. Scott in the military?

    Yes, George C. Scott served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
  • 3

    Did George C. Scott refuse an Academy Award?

    Yes, George C. Scott famously refused the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in "Patton" in 1971.
  • 4

    Did George C. Scott have a distinctive voice?

    Yes, George C. Scott was known for his deep, gravelly voice which became one of his trademark characteristics as an actor.
  • 5

    Did George C. Scott direct any movies?

    Yes, George C. Scott directed the film "Rage" in 1972, marking his directorial debut.
Childhood & Early Life
George Campbell Scott was born to Helena Agnes and George Dewey Scott, in Wise, Virginia. His mother passed away when he was eight and his father, who worked as an executive with Buick, raised him up.
He studied at Redford High School in Detroit. Inspired by his favorite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, he dreamt of becoming a writer. To follow the same, he wrote a number of short stories and even attempted to write a novel.
From 1945 to 1949, he served in the US Marines, where he was assigned the job to teach radio speaking/writing and English literature at the Marine Corps Institute.
He studied journalism at the University of Missouri and graduated from there in 1953. It was around this time that he started to show interest in theater and drama. Around this time, he starred in ‘Richard III’ and ‘Children of Darkness’, both of which earned him critical acclaim.
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Career
In 1958, he appeared as Jacques in an episode for ‘The DuPont Show of the Month’, a television anthology series.
In 1959, he made his debut in the film, ‘The Hanging Tree’ as George Grubb. His performance in the movie earned him an Oscar nomination. The same year, he starred in the film, ‘Anatomy of Murder’ opposite James Stewart.
In 1964, he starred in the critically-acclaimed, ‘Dr. Strangelove’ as General Buck Turgidson. The same year, he also starred as Paolo Maltese in ‘The Yellow Rolls-Royce’.
One of his most noteworthy performances was as General George Patton in the 1970 film, ‘Patton’. He captivated audiences with his indomitable screen presence and even won an Academy Award for his acting, but he refused the award. The same year, he also starred in ‘Jane Eyre’ as Edward Rochester, for which he was once again nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Through the 1970s, he starred in ‘The Hospital’, ‘Rage’, ‘The Day of Dolphin’ and ‘Bank Shot’. In 1971, he delivered a critically-acclaimed performance as ‘Sherlock Holmes’ in ‘They Might Be Giants’.
He then appeared on the CBS television adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’, in which he was cast as Ebenezer Scrooge, in 1984.
Through the mid-80s and 90s, he appeared in a plethora of films including, ‘Mussolini: The Untold Story’, ‘The Last Days of Patton’, ‘Descending Angel’, ‘Tyson’, ‘Titanic’ and the award-winning ‘12 Angry Men’.
In 1999, he made an appearance in his final TV-movie, ‘Inherit the Wind’, where he played the role of William Jennings Bryan.
Major Works
He was cast as General George S. Patton in ‘Patton’, which released in 1970. The movie was one of his biggest hits of his career and won a total of 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. With a total box-office collection of $61,749,765, Scott became highly recognized for his acting skills and despite refusing his Academy Award; he reprised his role as Patton in the sequel, ‘The Last Days of Patton’.
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Scott played the role of ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’ in the 1984 TV-film, ‘A Christmas Carol’. This particular version is believed to have been the closest adaptation to the novella of the same title and he was praised tremendously for his acting abilities and his representation of the famous classic character, ‘Scrooge’.
Awards & Achievements
He won an Academy Award for ‘Best Actor’ for ‘Patton’ in 1970, but he did not accept the award.
He won a Genie Award for ‘Best Performance by a Foreign Actor’ for ‘The Changeling’, in 1980.
He won the Golden Globe Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor-Series, Miniseries or Television Film’ for ‘12 Angry Men’, in 1997.
Personal Life & Legacy
He married Carolyn Hughes in 1951 and divorced her four years later. They had one daughter together.
He then married Patricia Reed in 1955 and divorced her in 1960. He had two children with her - Mathew and Devon Scott. The year he divorced Reed, he married Colleen Dewhurst, with whom he had two more sons.
He divorced Colleen on February 2, 1972. His final marriage was to American actress, Trish Van Devere the same year, with whom he has also acted in a number of films.
He had an illegitimate daughter, Michelle with Karen Truesdell and was also involved in an affair with actress, Ava Gardner.
He suffered from frequent bouts of alcoholism and is believed to have been an extremely short-tempered man on the sets and even in his personal relationships.
He passed away of an abdominal aortic aneurysm and his remains were interred in Westwood, California.
Facts About George C. Scott

Scott was known for his love of animals, particularly dogs. He often brought his canine companions to set and was a passionate advocate for animal rights.

Despite his reputation for being a serious actor, Scott had a great sense of humor and loved to play practical jokes on his co-stars and friends.

Scott was an accomplished pilot and enjoyed flying his own plane in his spare time. He found flying to be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

In addition to his acting talents, Scott was also a talented painter and enjoyed creating artwork in his free time.

Scott had a deep appreciation for literature and was known for his extensive personal library.

George C. Scott Movies

1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

  (Comedy)

2. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

  (Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Crime)

3. Patton (1970)

  (War, Biography, Drama)

4. The Hustler (1961)

  (Sport, Drama)

5. The Changeling (1980)

  (Horror)

6. Petulia (1968)

  (Romance, Drama)

7. The Hospital (1971)

  (Mystery, Drama, Comedy)

8. The Hanging Tree (1959)

  (Western)

9. Hardcore (1979)

  (Drama, Thriller)

10. They Might Be Giants (1971)

  (Romance, Mystery, Comedy)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
1971 Best Actor in a Leading Role Patton (1970)
Golden Globe Awards
1998 Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television 12 Angry Men (1997)
1971 Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Patton (1970)
Primetime Emmy Awards
1998 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie 12 Angry Men (1997)
1971 Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)
Recommended Lists:

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Article Title
- George C. Scott Biography
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- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/george-campbell-scott-1480.php

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