Biography for
Bud Cort More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

29 March 1948, New Rochelle, New York, USA

Birth Name

Walter Edward Cox

Height

5' 9" (1.75 m)

Mini Biography

Walter Edward Cox was born on March 29, 1948 in New Rochelle, New York, but grew up in nearby Rye. His family consisted of his father, Joseph Parker Cox, who was a bandleader and pianist, a World War II veteran, and merchant, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. His mother, Alma Mary Cox (maiden name Court), was a reporter and merchant, who also worked for MGM studios. He also has an older brother, Joseph Jr., and three younger sisters, Tracy, Kerry and Shelley. His parents ran a clothing business in downtown Rye from the 1950s until the mid-1980s. Most of Bud's adolescence was spent caring for his father (who died in 1971) and sisters, reading and painting. As a teenager he was a local portrait painting prodigy and began taking acting lessons. He was educated in Catholic schools and graduated from Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle in 1966.

His artistic interests developed into study at New York University, where he majored in design from 1967 to 1969. Soon afterward he began moonlighting between classes, continuing with his acting lessons, doing television commercials and working as a delivery boy in the soap opera "The Doctors" (1969). Eventually he quit college and started a popular nightclub comedy act. His first on-screen film role was a walk-on part in Up the Down Staircase (1967) and his first speaking part was in Sweet Charity (1969). It was while in a comedy review called "Free Fall", at Upstairs at the Downstairs in 1969, that he was "discovered" by director Robert Altman, who cast him in MASH (1970) and later that year in Brewster McCloud (1970). Also, around this time, he made appearances in such television shows as "The Governor & J.J." (1969), "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1969) and "Room 222" (1969).

Soon after "Brewster McCloud" came the 1971 black comedy classic Harold and Maude (1971), which launched his career. In retrospect, Bud sees this role as a "blessing and a curse" in that it helped him to get noticed, but because of it he also found himself typecast. For his work in "Harold and Maude" Bud was awarded the Crystal Star for Best Actor from the Academy of Cinema in Paris, France, as well as receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for the film. Bud, at the time, was the youngest actor ever to be given an "Hommage" by the Cinematheque Francaise - joining the ranks of Charles Chaplin, Sir Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Buster Keaton. Bud was presented to the French by Jacques Tati.

Off and on for about seven years, he lived in the mansion of the late Groucho Marx, in Bel Air, California. "He was my idol - I was his chorus boy - he had me singing for everyone from Mae West to S.J. Perelman to Bob Dylan". In 1979 he suffered a major life and career setback when he was almost killed in a car accident on the Hollywood Freeway. Consequently, he spent years enduring plastic surgery and physical therapy, the loss of his savings because of enormous hospital bills, a losing court case regarding the accident, and the disruption of his blooming career.

Over the course of his career Bud has studied acting with William Hickey, George Griffin, David Craig, Joan Darling, Stella Adler and at the HB Studios in New York. His memberships include The L.A. Classical Theatre Works (founding member), The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Cinematheque du Paris and The Directors Unit of the Actors Studio. He co-wrote and made his film directorial debut with Ted & Venus (1991) and has since immersed himself in voice-over work, radio and nightclub performances, theater, television and, primarily, independent film roles.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Tiwanna Ellerbe

Trivia

He is a founding member of the L.A. Classical Theatre.

In 1979, he was nearly killed in a car accident where he suffered a fractured skull, severe facial lacerations, the loss of several teeth and a broken arm and leg. He survived, but due to the medical necessities of his accident, he endured years of plastic surgery and physical therapy, lost the court case for the accident and saw his blooming career slip away from him.

Proposed to actress Patti D'Arbanville.

Was a close friend of Orson Welles and Ruth Gordon, and is very good friends with Sally Kellerman.

When asked who he wanted to play Maude in Harold and Maude (1971), he suggested Greta Garbo.

Changed his name from Walter Edward Cox, to Bud Cort, when he realized he could not share his name with well-known actor Wally Cox. He chose "Bud", as it was a nickname he'd been called, and "Cort" derived from his mother's maiden name - Court.

In the 1980s, he owned a Boston Terrier name Lillian.

Product of a strict Catholic upbringing and education he spent nine years with the Sisters of Charity, and four years with the Christian Brothers of Ireland.

Used to live on 12th Street and Second Avenue in New York City.

Used to have a band who called themselves "Bud Cort and the Medflies". They occasionally performed at a "night spot" on the Sunset Strip in L.A.

Bud briefly joined the psychedelic, 1960s spiritual group "The Source".

Personal Quotes

You're never fully dressed without a smile.

Ever since Harold and Maude (1971), people have generally regarded me as an arbiter of weirdness. So, I'll tell you what I find weird: I find malice, violence and poverty weird. But, more than that, I find Hollywood package deals weird. Agents are always sending me scripts and then reneging, telling me that I'm not Robert De Niro.

I was walking with Ruth Gordon to the set and I saw this dead squirrel. I said "Look at that!" so she turns around and goes "Yech, why did you want to show me that?" I said, "I don't know.

Santa Claus was one of my first heroes, no doubt about it.

(Describing Groucho Marx) He was definitely one of my heroes. He inspired me so, still does. He gave me a lot of love, something I'll cherish forever. He also gave me his tooth, but that's another story.

(Describing Barbra Streisand) She was nineteen years old and had these black Martian eyes. She sang like a bird and I thought she was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen.

Acting was a safe haven from the Sturm and drang at home. Theatre let me escape.

(Describing Harold and Maude) It was a genius script, written by Colin Higgins. Nothing was filmed that was not in that script. I knew immediately upon reading it that it would be a classic.

(Describing why he feels Harold and Maude is a success) I think because it is totally timeless, reveals so much mystery and truth about the big questions of life, and contains two inimitable performances, if I do say so myself. (Though many have tried).

I lived in a tepee in the living room, which already had a cathedral ceiling being English Tudor. I dreampt a lot. I drew. I was a bit of a child prodigy and would be taken to fairs, set up my easel and do 100 portraits. Later I took commissions from the Rye Art Store and made good money until I started to feel like a plastic surgeon with all the babes requests to remove age lines. I went to NYU and was supposed to be a scenic designer but I kept sneaking into acting classes. I was studying with the great Bill Hickey in my off time, playing a delivery boy on a soap opera and doing off-off Broadway. I had to make a choice. I chose acting.

I had no choice. I *had* to act. I could memorize anything plus I only felt comfortable and safe on stage. And this was from nursery school to kindergarten and onward and continues up to this day. I played Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice" in the third grade!

I loved Altman. Even though we only made MASH and Brewster McCloud he offered me McCabe and Mrs. Miller and I had to turn it down to do Harold and Maude. But I never got over working under his supreme command and imagination. I adored Hal Ashby - he let me go to the limit and beyond and was always there to catch me. Robert Dornhelm is a fantastic director. I recently did an uncredited role for Joel Schumacher in "The Number 23" with Jim Carrey. I was fascinated by Joel's kindness and relaxation on the set and yet his eye was constantly focused like an eagle. Wes Anderson is a trip. He is his own planet, a real artist; I just think he has so much greatness to give. His potential is enormous and gleaming, just like his fabulous New York loft.

Age is like a coat that you can put on or take off. I prefer to not have that coat on.

(Describing the first time he met Groucho Marx) I had just gotten off the plane from New York City, and I had hair down to my shoulders and a beard. I took a cab up to his house in Bel Air, and the minute my fist connected with the door, the door opened, and there stood Groucho. He looked at me, his mouth flew open, he gasped and he slammed the door in my face. Another guest, who knew Bud, opened the door and brought Bud in to introduce him to Groucho. Groucho said, "I'm sorry. I thought you were Charles Manson."

I don't want no retro spective.

I was taken to county fairs and painted thousands of heads every day. But it became too mechanical -- I knew I had to express myself more. I dreamed of being an actor but never thought I could be one.

It's funny...God makes us mad if we work and go mad if we don't.

Artists pray for inspiration and when it comes, you can't divulge it or express it without someone thinking you're crazy!

(On the death of Robert Altman) Bob was, in essence, a master painter and the depth and breadth of his art changed the face of film forever. His wildest talent was that he could look at you and see immediately what you were trying to hide.

(On "Harold and Maude") And we shot every single word that was in that script. There was no improvisation. ... But to sell it, I had to really live it. There were moments that were hard, but Hal Ashby was such a loving director.

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