Person Details

Birthday: 1888-03-10 05:46:04

Death: 1961-01-14 05:46:04

Aliases: William Joseph Shields

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Dublin, Ireland

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 26

TV Involvements: 3


Most Famous Work

Biography

Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status. Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day. One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.

Most Famous Work

What's My Line?
Average
7

What's My Line?

(1950) Self - Mystery Guest
Lux Video Theatre
Average
6

Lux Video Theatre

(1950) Barry Flynn
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Average
8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

(1955) Harold 'Stretch' Sears
How Green Was My Valley
Average
7

How Green Was My Valley

(1941) Cyfartha
And Then There Were None
Average
7

And Then There Were None

(1945) Francis Quinncannon
The Naked City
Average
7

The Naked City

(1948) Lt. Dan Muldoon
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Average
6

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

(1941) Dennis O'Doul
Marie Antoinette
Average
6

Marie Antoinette

(1938) Peddler (uncredited)

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2014 Self (archive footage)
1961 N/A
1959 N/A
Patrick Farrell
1958 Grandfather
1956 Uncle Jack Conlon
1955 Harold 'Stretch' Sears
1954 Thady O'Heggarty
1953 N/A
1952 Michaleen Oge Flynn
Don Calogero
1951 R.R. Jarboe
1950 Inspector Donnelly
Barry Flynn
Self - Mystery Guest
1949 Shawn O'Hara
Sergeant Briany McNaughton
1948 Denno Noonan
Self
Robbie McCleary
Lt. Dan Muldoon
1947 Barry Fitzgerald
Dr. Joseph McRory
Martin L. Donovan
Michael Fabian
1946 Terence O'Feenaghty
1945 Jerry B. 'J.B.' / 'Pop' Bates
Francis Quinncannon
Bing Crosby's Father
Michael 'Mike' Guinan
Murphy
1944 Henry Twite
Father Fitzgibbon
1943 Stooky
Capt. McCardle
Timothy Blake
1941 Dennis O'Doul
Cyfartha
Cooky
1940 The Icky
Cocky
1939 Michael O'Keefe
Zipper Dyson
Britches
1938 Bott
Peddler (uncredited)
Mulcahay
Aloysius Gogarty
1937 Huish
1936 Fluther Good
1935 Captured British soldier
1929 The Orator
Year Character Movie/Tv

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