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Hurd HatfieldAmerican actor
Date of Birth: 07.12.1917
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life and Career
William Rukard Hurd Hatfield was born on December 7, 1917, in New York City to William Henry Hatfield, the Deputy Attorney General of New York, and Adele Steele. After graduating from Columbia University, Hatfield traveled to London, England, where he pursued a career in theater and made his debut on stage.
Hollywood Breakthrough
In the 1940s, Hatfield returned to America and made his film debut in the 1944 film "Dragon Seed." His breakout role came with "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945), in which he played the eternally youthful character created by Oscar Wilde. Hatfield's striking beauty and acting talent catapulted him to stardom.
Later Career
Despite his success as Dorian Gray, Hatfield was ambivalent about the role. He later commented that "it was not the most glamorous thing to be in Hollywood at that time, for it was too weird, too avant-garde, too far ahead of its time... It made me a pariah because of the decadence, the hints of bisexuality, and things like that. Nobody knew I had any sense of humor at all. And people wouldn't even dine with me."
Hatfield's subsequent films, such as "The Diary of a Chambermaid" (1946), "The Beginning or the End" (1947), and "The Unsuspected" (1947), were critically acclaimed, but none could replicate the impact of Gray.
Ongoing Success
Over the next four decades, Hatfield continued to appear on both the big and small screens. He starred in notable films such as "Tarzan and the Slave Girl" (1950), "King of Kings" (1961), "El Cid" (1961), "Harlow" (1965), "The Boston Strangler" (1968), "King David" (1985), "Crimes of the Heart" (1986), and "Her Alibi" (1989). He also received an Emmy Award for his role in the television film "The Invincible Mr. Disraeli" (1963).
Later Years
Hatfield remained active in both film and television well into his later years, including appearances in shows such as "Murder, She Wrote" alongside his longtime friend Angela Lansbury, and "The Night of the Undead," in which he played the vengeful and demented Dr. Articulus.
Hatfield's youthful appearance persisted well into his old age. He often joked about a portrait he kept hidden in his attic, akin to Dorian Gray's. In an article for "Film in Review," Hatfield expressed his mixed feelings about his portrayal of Dorian Gray, feeling typecast by the role. "You see, I never represented the beauty of Gray," Hatfield said. "I never could see why I was cast in the part. And I've regretted it all my life."
After Angela Lansbury introduced him to Ireland in the early 1970s, Hatfield relocated to Ballinterry House Rathcormac in County Cork. An avid collector of antiques and art, Hatfield referred to Ballinterry as a painting that he would never finish.
Legacy
William Hatfield passed away in his sleep from a heart attack on December 26, 1998, at the age of 81 while visiting friends for Christmas dinner at his beloved country home. His unique talent, striking beauty, and enduring film roles have cemented his place in cinematic history.
