When Karl Malden cries out from the belly of the ship hold in On the Waterfront, calling the murder of a longshoreman a ‘crucifixion’, it’s simply one of the great moments of a great film. Malden was an anomaly in the acting world, an odd looking guy who became a star by his talent, not his looks. His films and TV career spanned the golden era of Hollywood – and Television.
Oscar winner Karl Malden, the bulbous-nosed character actor acclaimed for film roles in “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “On the Waterfront” before gaining TV fame as a leading man in “The Streets of San Francisco,” died on Wednesday at age 97. Also remembered as the commercial spokesman for American Express travelers checks, sternly warning tourists, “Don’t leave home without them,” Malden died in his sleep at his Los Angeles-area home, according to his longtime agent, Budd Moss. He said the actor had been in failing health in recent years. In a career spanning seven decades, Malden made his mark playing plain-spoken men of gruff manners, though he was noted for bringing an understated, natural dignity to many roles. – From Reuters