Burt Lancaster

Burton Stephen Lancaster, commonly known as Burt Lancaster, (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Noted for initially playing tough guys with a tender heart, Lancaster's career spanned a period of almost half a century, during which time he transitioned to more complex and challenging roles. A four-time nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actor (winning once), Lancaster also won two BAFTA Awards and one Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actor. The American Film Institute ranks him as #19 of the greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

Lancaster's career began as a circus acrobat in the 1930s. After serving in World War II, at the age of 32, he got the opportunity to act in a Broadway play which drew the attention of a Hollywood agent. His breakthrough came with the film noir The Killers in 1946. Over his career, he acted in films like Trapeze, Sweet Smell of Success, Run Silent, Run Deep, and Separate Tables. Lancaster starred in a number of critically acclaimed films in the 1960s, including Elmer Gantry, Judgment at Nuremberg, and The Professionals. Towards the latter part of his career, he featured in television mini-series, and his last film role was in the Oscar-nominated Field of Dreams.