Biography for
John Garfield (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

4 March 1913, New York City, New York, USA

Date of Death

21 May 1952, New York City, New York, USA (coronary thrombosis)

Birth Name

Jacob Julius Garfinkle

Nickname

Julie

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Born on Lower East Side of New York City to David and Hannah Garfinkle. Jules was raised by his father after his mother's death in 1920, when he was 7. Sent to a special school for problem children, where he was introduced to boxing and drama. Won a scholarship to Maria Ouspenskaya's drama school. Joined the Civic Repertory Theatre in 1932, changing his name to Jules Garfield and making his Broadway debut in that company's Counsellor-at-Law. Joined the Group Theatre company, winning acclaim for his role in Awake and Sing. Embittered over being passed over for the lead in Golden Boy, which was written for him, he signed a contract with Warner Brothers, who changed his name to John Garfield. Won enormous praise for his role of the cynical Mickey Borden in Four Daughters (1938). Appeared in similar roles throughout his career despite his efforts to play varied parts. Children Katherine (1938-1945), David Garfield (1942-1995) and Julie Garfield (1946-). Active in liberal political and social causes, he found himself embroiled in Communist scare of the late 1940s. Though he testified before Congress that he was never a Communist, his ability to get work declined. While separated from his wife, he succumbed to long-term heart problems, dying suddenly in the home of a woman friend at 39. His funeral was mobbed by thousands of fans, in the largest funeral attendance for an actor since Rudolph Valentino.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

Spouse

Roberta Seidman

(27 January 1935 - 21 May 1952) (his death) 3 children

Trivia

Father of actors David Garfield and Julie Garfield.

Comforted Sidney Poitier on his first plane ride by telling him to put a handkerchief over his face and think about nothing.

Won a state-wide debating contest sponsored by the New York Times as a boy.

Was producer Irene Mayer Selznick's first choice to play Stanley Kowalski in the Broadway premiere of "A Streetcar Named Desire.".

Wife Roberta Seidman was his childhood sweetheart.

His six-year-old daughter Katharine died of an allergic reaction in 1945. He never got over the loss.

When his Warner Bros. contract expired in 1946, he did not re-sign with the studio, opting to start his own independent production company instead. He was one of the first Hollywood actors to do so.

Blacklisted during the McCarthy "Red Scare" era in the early 1950s for his left-wing political beliefs, he adamantly refused to "name names" in testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in April 1951. He was found dead of a heart attack in the apartment of a former showgirl, Iris Whitney on May 21, 1952, the day after Clifford Odets, testifying before HUAC, reaffirmed that Garfield had never been a member of the Communist Party. His funeral in New York was mobbed by thousands of fans.

Buried at Westchester Hills Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

Is portrayed by Bruce Ornstein in Will There Really Be a Morning? (1983) (TV)

Garfield's widow Roberta married labor lawyer Sidney Cohn in 1954. He died in 1991 and Roberta Garfield Cohn died of Alzheimer's Disease in January 2004.

Was Nelson Algren's choice to play Frankie Machine in the film version of Algren's novel "The Man With the Golden Arm".

Parents were Russian immigrants.

When he turned down the chance to play the male lead on Broadway in "A Streetcar Named Desire," the part written originally by Tennessee Williams for an Italian-American was rewritten for a Polish-American to accommodate the blonde looks of the then unknown Marlon Brando. Brando's performance made him a star.

The role of Bill Sampson in All About Eve (1950) was originally intended for him, but Gary Merrill was cast instead.

The role of Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) was originally written for Garfield, however he passed away before the film was made.

On May 26, 1949, he was a guest on NBC radio's "Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Show".

In 1949, he was a guest on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" and quipped that the large TV cameras of this new medium were frightening.

Personal Quotes

Screen acting is my business but I get my kicks from Broadway.

[In September 1947 "Screenland"] England has been praised for turning out intelligent, adult pictures whereas Hollywood has been severely censured for turning out junk. I don't think criticism is a valid one because, in defense of Hollywood, we have censorship problems England doesn't have. I'm not speaking of the license to do sexy stuff. I'm speaking of the license to present adult ideas and viewpoints, which we lack and which means in turn that many of our pictures lack intelligent content.