Bud Cort American stage and film actor, director and writer Date of Birth: 29.03.1948 Country: USA

1. Biography of Bud Cort
2. Early Life
3. Family and Childhood
4. Education and Acting Career
5. Career and Personal Life

Biography of Bud Cort

Bud Cort is an American stage and film actor, director, and writer. He gained fame for his portrayal of the main character in Robert Altman's film "Brewster McCloud" (1970) and the role of Harold in Hal Ashby's comedy "Harold And Maude" (1971), both of which have become cult classics.

Early Life

Born Walter Edward Cox on March 29, 1948, in New Rochelle, New York, Bud grew up in the town of Rye, New York. His father, Joseph Parker Cox, was a jazz orchestra leader, World War II veteran, and trader. His mother, Alma Mary Cox, worked as a reporter and in the MGM Studios. It is said that she once rejected a marriage proposal from Clark Gable.

Family and Childhood

Bud Cort has one older brother and three younger sisters. His mother ran a clothing business in Rye for nearly 30 years. As a child, Bud took on the responsibility of caring for his younger sisters and his father, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease and passed away in 1971.

Education and Acting Career

Bud developed an interest in reading and painting during his school years and was considered a local artistic talent. He began taking acting lessons and attended Catholic schools. In 1966, he graduated from Iona Preparatory School for Boys.

His breakthrough in the entertainment industry came when director Robert Altman discovered him performing in a stage revue and immediately cast him in his films "MASH" and "Brewster McCloud," where Bud played the lead role. He then went on to play his most famous role as the suicidal Harold in the comedy "Harold and Maude," which initially did not find success but later became a cult classic worldwide and is now considered a classic of American cinema.

Career and Personal Life

Bud Cort made his Broadway debut in the 1972 production of "Wise Child," which quickly closed. He was invited by the legendary comedian Groucho Marx to live in his Bel-Air mansion and was present at Marx's death in 1977.

In 1979, Bud was involved in a serious car accident on the Hollywood Freeway, resulting in multiple injuries, including a broken arm, leg, and skull. His face was severely damaged, requiring years of plastic surgery and leaving him with significant medical bills. Additionally, he lost a legal battle that nearly ruined his career. Despite these setbacks, Bud did not give up.

Since then, Bud Cort has appeared in numerous films and television series, portraying a variety of characters. Some of his notable works include "Dogma" (1999), "Sledge Hammer!" (television series), "The Chocolate War" (1988), "The Big Empty" (2003), "Theodore Rex" (1995), "But I'm a Cheerleader" (1999), "Pollock" (2000), "Arrested Development" (television series), "The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud" (1984), and "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" (2004).

In 2007, he appeared as a priest in the television series "Ugly Betty," and in the crime drama "Criminal Minds," he portrayed a criminal who kidnapped children. Bud Cort has twice proposed to actress Patti D'Arbanville, but she did not accept either time, even after divorcing her third husband.