Burt Lancaster Actor and producer Date of Birth: 02.11.1913 Country: USA

Biography of Burt Lancaster

Burt Lancaster was an American actor and producer known for his roles as physically strong and naïve characters, with a charming and vulnerable smile. He was born in New York, New York, USA. At the age of 19, he formed a troupe of traveling acrobats with his childhood friend Nick Cravat. The troupe disbanded in 1939, and Lancaster was called to serve in the military. He performed acrobatic acts for soldiers during his service in North Africa, Italy, and Austria.

After being invited to the film industry right after the war, Lancaster achieved success in his first role as a naive killer in "The Killers" (1946) and solidified it with his portrayal of a convict in "Brute Force" (1947). His subsequent works often featured him as a physically strong and naïve character in extreme life situations. In the 1950s, he worked with many prominent Hollywood directors, starring in adventure films as well as melodramas. Notable among them were his two successful roles in westerns directed by Robert Aldrich - "Apache" (1953) and "Vera Cruz" (1954). After developing a taste for the genre, Lancaster directed his own western, "The Kentuckian" (1955), which did not bring him much acclaim.

One of Lancaster's true masterpieces was his Academy Award-winning role as a traveling charlatan experiencing a love drama in Richard Brooks' film "Elmer Gantry" (1960). In the 1960s, Lancaster continued to play roles in westerns and traditional adventure films by directors such as Frankenheimer, Sturges, Houston, and Aldrich. He also excelled in psychological roles, such as in Stanley Kramer's "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961) and John Frankenheimer's "Seven Days in May." One of his greatest successes during this time was his role as Prince Fabrizio Salina in the adaptation of Lampedusa's novel "The Leopard" (1963) by Luchino Visconti.

Lancaster's best works were performed in the late 1970s, starring in films such as "Conversation Piece" (1974) directed by Luchino Visconti, "1900" (1976) directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, and "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson" (1976) directed by Robert Altman. He also appeared in films by European directors Louis Malle and Liliana Cavani, including "Atlantic City" (1980) and "The Skin" (1981), respectively.

Burt Lancaster appeared on screen frequently and was well-known to Russian audiences for his role as a commentator in the documentary TV series "The Unknown War." In 1950, he made his first attempt at producing, which ended unsuccessfully a few years later. He resumed his producing career in 1962, partnering with Kirk Douglas.