Austin Pendleton

Austin Campbell Pendleton, known extensively as a character actor in both stage and screen, was born on March 27, 1940. His acting credits span over six decades, with roles in notable films such as 'Catch-22', 'What's Up Doc?', 'The Front Page', 'The Muppet Movie', 'Short Circuit', 'Mr. & Mrs. Bridge', 'My Cousin Vinny', 'Guarding Tess', 'Amistad', 'A Beautiful Mind', and 'Finding Nemo'. His portrayal in 'A Beautiful Mind' even earned him a nomination for the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

In addition to his acting prowess, Pendleton has left a mark as a playwright, theatre director, and instructor. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Play for his work on the Broadway revival of The Little Foxes in 1981. The Obie and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Performance in The Last Sweet Days of Issac in 1970 testify to his brilliance in theatre. In 2007, he received a Special Drama Desk Award for being a 'Renaissance Man of the American Theatre'. A notable recognition came in 2011 when he received an Obie Award for directing the Off-Broadway revival of Three Sisters. Pendleton wrote plays like Uncle Bob, Booth, and Orson's Shadow, all of which stood successful off-Broadway. He directed performances involving acclaimed personalities like Elizabeth Taylor and Maureen Stapleton.