Broderick Crawford (December 9, 1911 – April 26, 1986) was an American actor.
Crawford was born William Broderick Crawford in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lester Crawford and Helen Broderick, who were both vaudeville performers. His father appeared in films in the 1920s and '30s; his mother had a minor career in Hollywood comedies.
Crawford began his career in radio and vaudeville and made his first serious character debut playing a footballer i...
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Broderick Crawford (December 9, 1911 – April 26, 1986) was an American actor.
Crawford was born William Broderick Crawford in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lester Crawford and Helen Broderick, who were both vaudeville performers. His father appeared in films in the 1920s and '30s; his mother had a minor career in Hollywood comedies.
Crawford began his career in radio and vaudeville and made his first serious character debut playing a footballer in She Loves Me Not at the Adelphi Theatre, London in 1932. Crawford's talents were spotted by Noel Coward during the three weeks that the play ran. Coward later found him a role in the 1935 Broadway production of 'Point Valaine'.
Crawford was stereotyped early in his career as a rough-talking tough guy, frequently playing the villain. He gained fame in 1937, when he starred as Lenny in Of Mice and Men on Broadway. He moved to Hollywood afterward, but did not get the role in the film version. (The role instead went to Lon Chaney, Jr., who was...
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