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Donald CrispBritish actor, director, producer and screenwriter
Date of Birth: 27.07.1882
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Biography of Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp was a British actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born George William Crisp in a suburb of London into a large Scottish family of eight children. He received his education at Oxford University and then served as a soldier in the 10th Royal Hussars during the Anglo-Boer War. In 1906, Crisp traveled to the United States, where he caught the attention of opera impresario John C. Fisher while performing on a ship. Fisher offered him a job, and Crisp joined his tours in the US and Cuba before deciding to pursue a career in theater.
In 1910, Crisp changed his name from George to Donald and began working as a director for renowned playwright and director George M. Cohan. During this time, he also met director D.W. Griffith and in 1912, they traveled to Hollywood together to try their luck in the film industry. From 1908 to 1930, Donald Crisp worked as Griffith's assistant in Hollywood, directing nine of his own films and appearing in nearly a hundred silent films in minor roles. However, he had more significant and noticeable roles in Griffith's films "The Birth of a Nation" in 1915 and "Broken Blossoms" in 1919.
During World War I, Donald Crisp served in the Allied army and the British Intelligence Department. In 1930, he directed his final film, "The Runaway Bride," and decided to stop creating his own films, citing fatigue from working with producers who insisted on casting their many relatives in his movies. The following decade was incredibly successful for Crisp's acting career. He brilliantly portrayed numerous memorable characters in films such as "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), "Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936), "Dr. Clitterhouse" (1938), "Wuthering Heights" (1939), and "The Sea Hawk" (1940).
With the outbreak of World War II, Donald Crisp once again responded to the call of duty and enlisted in the US Army Reserve, reaching the rank of Colonel. Despite his thriving acting career, he occasionally appeared on screen and delivered one of his most memorable performances as Gwilym Morgan in John Ford's drama "How Green Was My Valley" in 1941. The film received ten nominations at the Academy Awards, and Crisp won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
In the early 1950s, Crisp achieved unprecedented success in Hollywood, becoming one of the most influential figures in the industry. For many years, he served as a consultant and chairman of the financial company "Bank of America," providing financial support to many film projects he admired. Donald Crisp made his final appearance on the big screen in 1963 in the film "Spencer's Mountain" starring Henry Fonda. He was married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce. The actor passed away in July 1974 at the age of 91 due to complications from a series of strokes and was laid to rest at a memorial cemetery in Glendale, California. His significant contribution to the film industry was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1941, he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "How Green Was My Valley."