Rip Torn
USABiography of Rip Torn
Childhood and YouthElmore Rual Torn Jr.'s biography began on February 6, 1931, in the densely populated city of Temple, located in the state of Texas. The future actor grew up and was raised in a family that inherited traits from representatives of different nationalities. His ancestors were Austrians and Moravians. His father, Elmore Rual Torn Sr., owned extensive farmland and grew beans as a means of livelihood. His mother, Thelma Mary Torn Spacek, was the niece of actress Sissy Spacek, who won an Oscar for Best Actress in the drama "Coal Miner's Daughter". Before her son and niece became Hollywood stars, she did not expect to be in the company of famous people. Elmore Raul also did not know that his destiny would be that of an actor. After completing elementary school, he planned to continue the family business and learn a profession related to agriculture. After receiving a mandatory education, he enrolled in the livestock faculty of the Texas State University.
In the early 1950s, after acquiring certain knowledge, the native of Temple took several acting lessons from the Englishman Ben Iden Payne and unexpectedly decided to dedicate his life to art. Knowing that creative people reside in New York, Rip packed his things and hitchhiked there.
Movies
At the start of his career, Torn attended auditions but could not find any noteworthy work. He had to make ends meet by appearing as an extra and in small roles in low-budget films. In order to catch the attention of talented directors, the Texan attended Lee Strasberg's school for professional actors. Lessons in stage speech and movement paid off: Rip managed to join a New York theater troupe and play in a Broadway play based on the play "Sweet Bird of Youth" in 1959.
Shortly before that, the American made his film debut. The breakthrough in his filmography was Elia Kazan's drama "Baby Doll," which starred Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, and Mildred Dunnock. In the early 1960s, after portraying Judas, the betrayer of Jesus Christ, in the epic film "King of Kings," Torn became a sought-after actor. He played a graduate student in the TV series "Channing," Roy Kendall in the multi-part medical drama "Breaking Point," Thomas J. Finley Jr. in the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play "Sweet Bird of Youth," and had a cameo in the psychological saga "The Eleventh Hour."
Thanks to collaborations with renowned masters, Torn perfected his ability to transform. Audiences appreciated his portrayal of a corrupt millionaire from New Orleans who faced off against a famous poker player in Norman Jewison's film "The Cincinnati Kid" and the distinctive protagonist in Joseph Strick's drama "The Balcony." In 1972, the Texan received rave reviews for his role as a country singer in the cult film "Payday" and was mentioned in The New York Times' list of "The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made." Other notable works in the 1970s included the science fiction film "The Man Who Fell to Earth" with David Bowie and "The Seduction of Joe Tynan" with Alan Alda and Meryl Streep.
Overall, the second half of the 20th century brought memorable roles for the American actor in TV shows and feature films. He played the leader of a black magic cult in the fairy tale "The Beastmaster," the head of an airline in the parody "Airplane II: The Sequel," and a sheriff in the thriller "Flashpoint." During this time, he also appeared in the comedy "Blind Date," an episode of the cult detective series "Columbo," and the action film "RoboCop 3."
One standout film was the biographical drama "Cross Creek," which was included in the Cannes Film Festival program. Together with his co-star Edna Woodard, Torn received a nomination for an Oscar for their impressive supporting roles. In addition, Rip tried his hand at directing the feature comedy film "The Telephone."
Worldwide fame came to Torn after the premiere of Barry Sonnenfeld's spectacular science fiction film "Men in Black," in which the actor played Agent Z - the head of an organization that controls the population of extraterrestrials living on Earth. The character he created was so well-received by the audience that he was kept in the plot of the film's sequel, "Men in Black II."
In the 2010s, the American actor often appeared on Larry Sanders' show and voiced animated films. Due to health problems, his work schedule had to be reduced, so fans had to be satisfied with seeing Rip in a music video for the rock band They Might Be Giants, as well as a commercial for Air New Zealand.
Personal Life
Torn had three official marriages in his personal life. Believing in everlasting happiness with each of the women, he became the father of six children.
His first marriage took place in the mid-1950s. His wife was Anne Wedgeworth, a budding actress who had just made it to Broadway. When their five-year union ended, Rip spent a couple of years being a part-time father to his daughter Danae. He passed the time with casual romances with actresses in minor roles.
In the early 1960s, Rip fell in love with Geraldine Page, an Oscar-winning actress, and married her for the second time. The chosen one gave him a daughter named Angelique, as well as twin boys, Tony and Jon. The family idyll was interrupted by his wife's death in the late 1980s.
The American actor's last partner was actress Amy Wright, who appeared in his directorial debut "The Telephone." They married in 1989 and had two daughters, Katie and Claire, who were born during their marriage. Amy, who participated in the creation of dramas and comedies and was a former fashion model in her youth, was considered the best and most loyal of all his legal wives.
Death
In July 2019, Rip Torn passed away due to Alzheimer's disease. He spent his final days surrounded by loved ones at his estate in the northwest United States.
Fans expressed their condolences through social media accounts, so family members did not disclose the location and time of the farewell ceremony. His wife and children were afraid that a large crowd would gather at the gravesite.
