Burt Lancaster

**Burt Lancaster** (November 2, 1913 - October 20, 1994), was an American actor and producer.

## Career

Lancaster was born in New York. After working in a circus, he joined the United States Army from 1943 to 1945 serving as an entertainer to the troops fighting in Europe. He began his career in Hollywood with _The Killers_ (1946), with Ava Gardner. Next was _Brute Force_ (1947), in which he played Joe Collins, an inmate who plans to rebel against the prison authorities.

In the 1950s, he continued to have success in films such as _The Flame and the Arrow_ (1950), _Jim Thorpe -- All-American_ (1951), _The Crimson Pirate_ (1952), _From Here to Eternity_ (1953), _The Rose Tattoo_ (1955), and _The Devil's Disciple_ (1959).

The decade of the 1960s was one of the best for Lancaster. He starred in _Elmer Gantry_ (1960), and won an Oscar for his role. In _Judgment at Nuremberg_ (1961), he played Dr. Ernst Janning, a Nazi doctor on trial for crimes against humanity. In _Birdman of Alcatraz_ (1962), he played Robert Franklin Stroud, a man who spent most of his life in prison.

Other major films were _Il gattopardo_ (1963), _The List of Adrian Messenger_ (1963), _The Swimmer_ (1968), _Airport_ (1970), and _Scorpio_ (1973). In _The Island of Dr. Moreau_ (1977), he played the evil scientist Dr. Paul Moreau who experiments with human beings.

He won two Academy Awards. One of them was for his leading role in _Elmer Gantry_.

## European movies and television series

Lancaster had various jobs in European film and television. They included _Gruppo di famiglia in un interno_ (1974), _Novecento_ (1976), _The Cassandra Crossing_ (1976), _La pelle_ (1981), with Marcello Mastroianni, _Il giorno prima_ (1987), _La bottega dell'orefice_ (1989), and the TV mini-series _Väter und Söhne - Eine deutsche Tragödie_ (1986).

## Western movies

Titles included Hollywood productions as _Apache_ (1954), _Vera Cruz_ (1954), _Gunfight at the O.K. Corral_ (1957), _The Unforgiven_ (1960), _The Professionals_ (1966), _Lawman_ (1971), and _Valdez Is Coming_ (1971).

## Television movies and series

He also had few starring roles in television including _Marco Polo_ (1982) (mini-series), _Barnum_ (1986), and the TV miniseries _On Wings of Eagles_ (1986). In _On Wings of Eagles_, he played Lieutenant Colonel Arthur E. 'Bull' Simons, a retired military officer who led the rescue of kidnapped civilians in the Middle East.

His three last jobs were in TV films _The Phantom of the Opera_ (1990), _Voyage of Terror: The Achille Lauro Affair_ (1990), and _Separate But Equal_ (1991), with Sidney Poitier.

## Other websites

- Literature on Burt Lancaster

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Burt Lancaster
- **image**: Burt Lancaster - publicity 1947.JPG
- **caption**: in _Desert Fury_ (1947)
- **birth name**: Burton Stephen Lancaster
- **birth place**: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.A.
- **death place**: Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
- **death cause**: myocardial infarction, Heart attack
- **education**: DeWitt Clinton High School
- **alma mater**: New York University
- **years active**: 1945–1991
- **children**: 5; including Bill Lancaster, Bill
- **spouse**: June Ernst
(m.1935–1946; divorced)
Norma Anderson
(m.1946–1969; divorced)
Susan Martin
(m.1990–1994; his death)