Rest in peace, Richard Widmark

Hoods are good parts because they’re always flashy and attract attention. If you’ve got any ability, you can use that as a stepping stone.
— Richard Widmark

Here’s the NY Times obit.

And Kim Morgan’s tribute:

“I’ve got so much more to write about one of my absolute all-time favorite actors, but to put it simply — he was a rare one.”

I know a couple of people who count him as one of their favorite actors ever. He hasn’t worked in a long time, the man was in his 90s … but what a career. I bumped up Kiss of Death on the Netflix queue – a movie I have seen countless times, on big screens and small … but need to see again, as soon as possible.

Review of Widmark’s debut performance in Kiss of Death on Noir of the Week, one of my favorite new sites:

If I had to choose one reason to recommend watching this film it’s definitely the screen debut of Richard Widmark as Tommy Udo. His performance is outstanding, as he doesn’t so much give you the creeps as he force-feeds them to you. Udo is a perfect storm of menace, sadist and sociopath. Widmark commands every scene he’s in with such a forceful presence and performance that as the film continues, you find yourself just waiting for him to appear. He also gets some classic lines such as telling a cop fishing for info that he wouldn’t give him “the skin off a grape.” Without Victor Mature’s understated performance Widmark’s Udo may have lost some of his effectiveness by seeming too over the top or out of place contrasted by a less convincing Nick Bianco. The two portrayals, however, balance each other perfectly and create a solid foundation of tension and excitement for this otherwise moderate noir.

Rest in peace.

People love Richard Widmark, you know what I mean?