Dave2112
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Gregory Peck, American film legend, died today at age 87.
Out of all the golden-era actors that I've seen on the screen, I was always very fond of Peck's work. I put him right up there with Jimmy Stewart. Gregory was a man among men, typical scandals never touching him and eschewing the outlandish lifestyle practiced by many Hollywood types.
Last week, the American Film Institute released thier list of the Top 50 film heroes from American cinema. Gregory Peck's "Atticus Finch", from 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird took the #1 spot.
I personally consider Peck's role in To Kill a Mockingbird to be the single greatest performance in cinema history. I went to school at a performing arts high-school, and my first lead role was Atticus Finch in my junior year. It remains one of my favorites. Peck said of the role: "I put everything I had into it-all my feelings and everything I'd learned in 46 years of living, about family life and fathers and children...all my feelings about racial justice and opportunity."
He could turn the other side just as easily, doing a memorable job portraying Josef Mengele in "The Boys from Brazil". Also notable was his awesome performance as Abraham Lincoln in the TV movie "The Blue and the Grey".
Gregory Peck and Robert Mithcum, who played the lead roles in the original 1962 version of "Cape Fear" reversed motivation and alignment in the 1991 remake; Mitchum, the ex-con who terrorized Peck and family in the original, played a sympathetic policeman in the new version, while Peck played the ex-con's sleazy lawyer in the remake.
Gregory Peck was also noted for his roles in "Twelve O'Clock High", the nuclear Armaggedon film "On the Beach", "McArthur" and as Captian Ahab in "Moby Dick".
Gregory Peck died of old age as his wife of 48 years held his while he drifted to sleep. Godspeed, Gregory...
...and thank you.
Out of all the golden-era actors that I've seen on the screen, I was always very fond of Peck's work. I put him right up there with Jimmy Stewart. Gregory was a man among men, typical scandals never touching him and eschewing the outlandish lifestyle practiced by many Hollywood types.
Last week, the American Film Institute released thier list of the Top 50 film heroes from American cinema. Gregory Peck's "Atticus Finch", from 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird took the #1 spot.
I personally consider Peck's role in To Kill a Mockingbird to be the single greatest performance in cinema history. I went to school at a performing arts high-school, and my first lead role was Atticus Finch in my junior year. It remains one of my favorites. Peck said of the role: "I put everything I had into it-all my feelings and everything I'd learned in 46 years of living, about family life and fathers and children...all my feelings about racial justice and opportunity."
He could turn the other side just as easily, doing a memorable job portraying Josef Mengele in "The Boys from Brazil". Also notable was his awesome performance as Abraham Lincoln in the TV movie "The Blue and the Grey".
Gregory Peck and Robert Mithcum, who played the lead roles in the original 1962 version of "Cape Fear" reversed motivation and alignment in the 1991 remake; Mitchum, the ex-con who terrorized Peck and family in the original, played a sympathetic policeman in the new version, while Peck played the ex-con's sleazy lawyer in the remake.
Gregory Peck was also noted for his roles in "Twelve O'Clock High", the nuclear Armaggedon film "On the Beach", "McArthur" and as Captian Ahab in "Moby Dick".
Gregory Peck died of old age as his wife of 48 years held his while he drifted to sleep. Godspeed, Gregory...
...and thank you.
