Oliver Burgess Meredith American actor Date of Birth: 16.11.1907 Country: USA

1. Biography of Oliver Burgess Meredith
2. Military Service and Acting Career
3. Iconic Roles and Television Career
4. Film Career and Accolades

Biography of Oliver Burgess Meredith

Oliver Burgess Meredith was an American actor, born on November 16, 1907, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of Ida Beth Burgess and William George Meredith. He attended Hoosac School and later enrolled in Amherst College.

Military Service and Acting Career

During World War II, Oliver served in the United States Army Air Forces, reaching the rank of captain. In 1944, he was released from military service to work on the war drama "The Story of G.I. Joe," where he portrayed the popular war correspondent Ernie Pyle.

Oliver began his acting career on Broadway, joining Eva Le Gallienne's troupe in New York in 1933. He made his Broadway debut playing Peter in Le Gallienne's production of "Romeo and Juliet" in 1930. He gained recognition starring in Maxwell Anderson's play "Winterset" in 1935. The following year, Alfred Santell adapted the play into a film, in which Meredith played the role of Mio Romagna. He received acclaim for his performance in the revival of "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" with Katharine Cornell.

In 1974, Meredith was nominated for a Tony Award for his direction of the Broadway production "Ulysses in Nighttown" and previously shared a special Tony Award with James Thurber for their collaboration on "A Thurber Carnival" in 1960.

Iconic Roles and Television Career

Meredith achieved cult status by portraying the Penguin in the television series "Batman." This role was so well-received that the show's writers always included the Penguin whenever Meredith was available for the multi-episode project. His portrayal of the villain appeared more frequently than any other antagonist, except for the Joker.

In 1977, Meredith won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role as Joseph Welch in the television drama "Tail Gunner Joe," which depicted the life of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.

During the 1950s, Meredith found himself on the Hollywood blacklist due to the House Committee on Un-American Activities investigation into Communist activities.

In the early 1980s, Meredith co-hosted the ABC program "Those Amazing Animals" alongside Fran Tarkenton.

Film Career and Accolades

Meredith was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in the thriller "The Day of the Locust" in 1975 and the sports drama "Rocky" in 1976. He also delivered a notable performance as Mr. Hennessey in the 1978 thriller "The First Deadly Sin" starring Goldie Hawn.

In 1994, Meredith published his autobiography, "So Far, So Good," in which he revealed his struggle with rapid mood swings caused by cyclothymia, a form of bipolar disorder.

Oliver Burgess Meredith passed away on September 9, 1997, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease and melanoma. His close friend Adam West delivered a short speech at his memorial service. Meredith was cremated.

For his contributions to the film industry, Burgess Meredith was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.