People | January 04, 2016 11:07 AM EST
50 Facts About Gregory Peck - Joe Bradley From ‘Roman Holiday’
Gregory Peck was an American actor, famous for his roles in the movies like “Roman Holiday,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Cape Fear,” and “Moby Dick.” He was one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s. Here are 50 facts about the Academy Award winner:
- Gregory Peck was honored with Presidential Medal of Freedom by the US President Lyndon Johnson in 1969. It is the highest civilian honor in the United States.
- He won the Academy Awards for Best Actor for his role in the 1962 movie “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
- He was nominated for Academy Award 4 more times in his career for the movies “The Keys of the Kingdom,” “The Yearling,” “Gentleman’s Agreement,” and “Twelve O’ clock High.”
- He won Golden Globe Award for “The Yearling,” in 1947 and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in 1963.
- He was also honored with Henrietta Award in 1951 and 1955 for “World Film Favorite – Male.”
- He was born as Eldred Gregory Peck on April 5, 1916 in San Diego, California to Gregory Pearl Peck and Bernice Mary.
- His parents got divorces when he was only six years old. He was raised by his maternal grandmother for few years.
- He attended St. John’s Military Academy at the age of 10. He then joined San Diego High School at the age of 14 when his grandmother died and his father took care of him again.
- He enrolled at theatre and public speaking courses when he joined San Diego State Teacher’s College/University. He only stayed for a year.
- He later joined University of California, Berkeley, where the acting coach recognized Peck as a perfect material for University Theater.
- Peck later said “It was a very special experience for me and three of the greatest years of my life. It woke me up and made me a human being,” about his stay in Berkeley.
- He donated $25000 in 1997 to Berkeley Rowing crew in honor of his coach Ky Ebright. He was part of the rowing team in Berkeley during his college time.
- He was married to Greta Kukkonen of Finnish origin in 1991. They have three sons: Jonathan, Stephen and Carey Paul. They got divorced in 1955.
- He was involved in an affair with Ingrid Bergman, who was his co-star in the movie “Spellbound.” He was married to Greta at that time.
- In a 1987 interview to Brad Darrach of People he said “All I can say is that I had a real love for Bergman and I think that’s where I ought to stop. I was young, she was young. We were involved for weeks in close and intense work.”
- He married Veronique Passani on Dec 31, 1955, a day after his divorce with Greta was finalized. Passani is the reporter who interviewed him in 1952, before he went to Italy for “Roman Holiday.”
- He has a son Anthony Peck born in the year 1956 and a daughter Cecillia Peck born in 1958. They remained married until his death in June 12, 2003.
- He was a Roman Catholic and even considered entering the Priesthood.
- He later said “I am a Roman Catholic. Not a fanatic, but I practice enough to keep the franchise. I don’t always agree with the Pope. There are issues that concern me, the abortion, contraception, the ordination of women and others.”
- Since the church does not allow multiple sacramental marriages where the former spouse is still alive, his second marriage was performed by justice of peace.
- He was honored with SAG Life Achievement Award in 1971 by Screen Actors Guild.
- In 1996, he received Crystal Globe Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the world.
- He was also honored with Life Achievement Award by American Film Institute in 1989.
- He received an Honorary Golden Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival in 1993.
- He was also the founding Patron of the University College Dublin School of Film.
- He was inducted into Hollywood Walk of Fame and given a star on 6100 Hollywood Blvd.
- On April 28, 2011, in commemoration of Peck, a US Postage Stamp was issued, with a ceremony held in Beverly Hills, California.
- It was reported that Peck was suggested for a possible Democratic candidate against Ronald Reagan in 1970 for office of California Government.
- He encouraged his son Carey Peck to run for Political office; however he was defeated by Bob Dornan twice in 1978 and 1980 by slim margins.
- He was considered as one of the enemy by President Richard Nixon, due to his liberal activism.
- He vocally supported the worldwide ban of nuclear weapons.
- He also lent his voice for television commercial opposing the nomination of conservative judge Robert Bork to Supreme Court by President Reagan.
- He owned a steeplechase racehorse named “Different Class,” that was favored to win 1968 Grand National, but finished third.
- He died on June 12, 2003, in his sleep due to bronchopneumonia at the age of 87. His wife Veronique was at his side when he died.
- He was very outspoken in his stance against the Vietnam War, however he was very supportive of his son who fought in that war.
- Four of his five Academy Award nominations came in his first five years of acting career in 1944, 1946, 1947 and 1949.
- He made his debut in films in 1944’s Days of Glory. Apart from 3 actors most of the crew in the movie made their screen debut with this movie.
- Peck was cast in the 1956 movie “Moby Dick” as Captain Ahab by director John Huston. Huston had approached Peck stating “Nobody could do this part except you.” Later he came to know that due to Warner Brothers, Huston had to cast him.
- It was reported that there was much tension between Peck and Anthony Quinn during the shoot of movie “The Guns of Navarone.” However, they got very close after many games of chess.
- “The Big Country” in 1958 is the only movie where Peck acted with his sons Jonathan Peck, Carey Paul Peck and Stephen Peck.
- The character Atticus Finch played by Peck in 1962 was adjudged as The Greatest Film Hero of Past 100 years by American Film Institute in 2003.
- Standing at 6ft 3 inch and physically powerful man, he is known to do most of his own fight scenes. He rarely used body doubles.
- During a final fight scene in the movie “Cape Fear,” in 1962, Peck accidentally punched Robert Mitchum, who felt the impact for days afterwards.
- Peck acted in the 1959 movie “On the Beach,” because of one reason, that it showed the effects of Nuclear Weapons. He was a lifelong opponent of Nuclear Weapons.
- In the remake of his 1962 movie “Cape Fear,” in 1991, he played as Max Cady’s Lawyer. Along with him, Mitchum and Marin Balsam were in the original 1962 version.
- His last movie was 1991’s “Other People’s Money,” where he played a business owner trying to save his company against Wall Street Liquidator.
- He again acted in the miniseries version of his famous movie “Moby Dick,” in 1998 playing as father Mapple.
- He was offered a role of Grandpa Joe in the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but died before he could accept it.
- Although Alfred Hitchcock as a director of the movie “The Paradine Case,” liked all his actors, he thought Peck, Alida Valli and Louis Jourdan were not suited for their roles.
- He won Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a series, miniseries for his role in “Moby Dick” miniseries, his last acting role.
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