Barry Fitzgerald

Barry Fitzgerald was a highly influential Irish actor. His career lasted for almost forty years. He worked in stage plays, motion pictures, and television.

He was born William Joseph Shields in Dublin, Ireland. His father was Irish and his mother was German. He was the older brother of the actor Arthur Shields. Although he often played Irish Catholic characters, he was raised in the Church of Ireland.

Before acting became his full-time job, Fitzgerald worked in the civil service. He began as a junior clerk at the Dublin Board of Trade in 1911. He also worked for the unemployment office. He described this job as easy and full of leisure. He joined the Abbey Theatre in 1915 alongside his brother. He chose the stage name Barry Fitzgerald to protect his professional reputation. He did not want his superiors in the civil service to find out about his acting. In 1924, he earned a weekly salary of £2/10 at the Abbey Theatre.

Fitzgerald's early career involved many significant stage roles. He appeared in the world premiere of Juno and the Paycock in 1924. In that play, he performed the role of Captain Jack Boyle. He also played Fluther Good in the 1926 premiere of The Plough and the Stars. This specific play was very controversial. It caused riots and protests among the public. In February 1926, three gunmen attempted to kidnap him. They went to his mother's house to stop him from performing. However, the men were unable to find him.

At age 41, Fitzgerald made the decision to become a professional actor. He left his government position in 1929 to join a London production. He made his film debut in a 1930 version of Juno and the Paycock. He later toured the United States with the Abbey Players. These tours took place in 1932 and 1934. He performed many plays, such as The Playboy of the Western World. In 1936, he arrived in Hollywood to star in a film directed by John Ford. He decided to remain in Hollywood to work as a character actor.

A character actor is a performer who specializes in supporting roles. Fitzgerald became very successful in this field. He appeared in many notable films, including Bringing Up Baby and The Sea Wolf. He frequently worked with the director John Ford.

In 1944, he achieved unexpected stardom in the film Going My Way. He played the role of Father Fitzgibbon. This performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the same role. This was a rare occurrence that led to changes in Academy voting rules.

Fitzgerald's life included several unique and notable moments. During World War II, metal shortages meant Oscar statuettes were made of plaster. Fitzgerald accidentally decapitated his trophy while practicing a golf swing. The Academy provided him with a replacement statuette. In 1944, he was involved in a car accident. The accident resulted in the death of a woman and the injury of her daughter. He was charged with manslaughter but was acquitted in 1945 due to a lack of evidence. By 1945, his professional fees reached $75,000 per film.

In his later years, Fitzgerald worked across many different media. He appeared in television programs like Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He also starred in the British comedy Rooney in 1958. He returned to live in Dublin in 1959. He underwent brain surgery in October of that year. He died of a heart attack in a Dublin hospital on January 4, 1961. He was just two months shy of his 73rd birthday. His legacy is honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One star recognizes his film work, and the other recognizes his television work.