(1936), Clift with a sultry Marilyn Monroe in a souvenir photograph taken at San Franciscos Fairmont Hotel, which once boasted a variety of alluringly named nightspots, including the Venetian Room, the Squire Room, and the Tonga Room. Every major Hollywood studio wanted to make a deal with Clift and was collectively shocked that a young actor could command such leverage after the release of a single film: "the death knell of the producers and the moguls, and the birth of Actor Power. Clift's "Raintree Country" co-star Taylor remained with him at the accident scene and cradled his badly injured head till an ambulance arrived. Eager for a job, journalist Adam White accepts the lowly position of columnist for the advice-giving section of the Chronicle but he often clashes with his cynical editor, Shrike. He had a small non-paying role. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Jared Leto, Doja Cat and More Pay Homage to Choupette, Karl Lagerfelds Cat and Heir, at the Met Gala 2023. speaks out against the above mentioned and. Girelli, Elisabetta (2013) "Montgomery Clift Queer Star", Wayne University Press. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. The unhinged character he played in the film hit too close to home and psychologically drained him. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? That same year, he had a small but powerful role in "Judgment at Nuremberg," playing Polish man who testified during the Nazi trials about being sterilized, per the Los Angeles Times. 11:50 AM. Instead, he bided his time, and thankfully, luck was on his side. As a consequence, he was unable to find film work for four years. It took Clift months to recover from his injuries. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. The director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was appalled by this wavering professionalismbut when he tried to fire Clift, two angels intervened. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Fearful for her friends image, she threatened the press: If they even dared to take one photo of her friend, she would personally ensure the end of their careers. A near-fatal auto accident in 1957 changed his looks and sent him into drug and alcohol addiction. Even the press seemed to unintentionally hit upon the one thing he wanted to keep hidden, with titles like Two Loves Has Monty and Monty Clift: Woman Hater or Free Soul?. Dazzling Facts About Elizabeth Taylor, The Queen Of Hollywood, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, Frances Uncrowned Queen, These Eerie Supernatural Experiences Sent A Chill Down Our Spines, These Mortifying Mistakes Make Us Want To Hit Undo, Wild Facts About Howard Hughes, The Most Eccentric Man In Hollywood, These People Shared The Worst Moments Of Their LivesAnd Theyre Utterly Brutal. As a result, Clift's health and physical appearance deteriorated. Although the results of Clift's plastic surgeries were remarkable for the time, there were noticeable differences in his facial appearance, particularly the left side of his face, which was nearly immobile. At 6:30a.m., James woke up and went to wake Clift, but found the bedroom door closed and locked. In a 1957 issue of McCalls magazine, Clift quipped, "My childhood was hobgoblin, my parents traveled a lotThats all I can remember."[15]. Part of Springer Nature. This image is titled Cheval et Marnie, in Clifts handwriting. Suddenly, the Clift family was completely broke and had no choice to move to New York. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Of course, Clift didnt walk away unscathed either. He suffered a near fatal car accident that disfigured his beautiful face. He could watch the real grit of humanity play out before himthe court a stage for some of the most sensational high-profile cases. "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. Clift's life was derailed, however, by a terrible car accident in 1956. But even though his marred looks never made it to the headlines, for Clift, the horror was far from over. As such, Taylors intervention only enhances the very real love story that existed between her and Clift. When they left, they got into their . Suddenly, the Clift family was completely broke and had no choice to move to New York. [72] Clift and Robbins camouflaged their relationship by dating women. Elizabeth Taylor (all of 17 years old) and Montgomery Clift posed together at Paramount Studios during a break in filming A Place in the Sun. 4 (September): 389 and 867. Montgomery Clift was certainly one of a kind, and when he landed in Hollywood, it became extremely clear that he was going to do things his own way. McDowall starred with Clift in his final picture, The Defector. Allegedly, the director brought Clift on board, thinking hed be a soothing effect for Monroe. Clift's body was taken to the city morgue about 2 miles (3.2km) away at 520 First Avenue, and autopsied. This tragedy changed the course of his career and may have hastened his death a decade later. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. Finally, Clift had a chance to climb out of his slumpbut before he made it over the top, tragedy struck. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. 'Happy Days's' Anson Williams Divorced the Same Woman Twice after Almost Losing His Life in the Early 2000s, Marlo Thomas Spouse Was a Virgin before Marriage to Mom of His 5 Kids & a Lousy Lover Afterward, Why Is Chris Pratt Receiving Backlash? He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. Well, in 1955, he had a chance to reunite with his old friend and co-star, Elizabeth Taylor, in Raintree County. Clift was also a Hollywood maverick of sorts, choosing to remain independent at a time when most actors were under contract to the movie studios, per Vanity Fair. He even appeared in the original production of Tennessee Williams' play "You Touched Me" (1945) (per Playbill). Sprawled across The Metropolitan Museum of Arts iconic steps, the Met Gala 2023 red carpet welcomed a bevy of fashionable attendees to fashions biggest night. The crew of Raintree Country even had code words about his state of intoxication. 108, 135, Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About American Masters, Season 23, Episode 1, Somewhere the life of Jerome Robbins by Vaill, Amanda, p. 240, Jerome Robbins: his life, his theater, his dance by Jowitt, Deborah, pp. The schedule for Reflections in a Golden Eye was then set for August 1966, but Clift died in July 1966. 3. [95], Clift was also friends with Marlon Brando, who dropped by his home offering to accompany him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. PubMedGoogle Scholar, McNally, K. (2013). Metacritic Reviews. In remembering Clift, McCarthy said, his face was torn awaya bloody pulp. But this was only the beginning. Whisked away to the morgue, Clifts body underwent an autopsy that shed some light on his sudden demise. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Her romantic interest in him evolved into an intense friendship after he revealed her that he was gay (some sources say he was bisexual). Making Montgomery Clift also challenges many of the assumptions around Clift's decline. However, his worry began to mount when the actor didnt respond to his insistent knocking. His injuries included a broken nose and jaw, a fractured sinus, and deep cuts across his face that called for extensive plastic surgery. ", The "Suddenly, Last Summer" star reportedly had the worse of experience with John Huston. How? In the bathroom, James found Clift in his bathtub, undressed and obviously deceased. Unlike many other actors, he didnt jump straight into a contract. This page was last edited on 26 March 2023, at 00:06. The accident severely damaged his face and many thought he wouldn't live. Muerte. Onscreen and off, he was what the kids these days But just as Clift dove into this exciting new chapter, an unforeseen tragedy changedeverything. Inside, he found Clift dead: he was undressed, lying in his bed still wearing his eyeglasses and with both fists clenched by his side. There were no wild outings for this reserved homebody. Actress Marilyn Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a "sadist. London: Hamish Hamilton. Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean, Clift was considered one of the original method actors in Hollywood (though Clift distanced himself from the term); he was one of the first actors to be invited to study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. It was taken in 1936. Of course, when it came to his appearance, this gorgeous star really didnt give a hoot. A bulls horn scarred his nose and his attempt to tame a horse gave him intense rope burnnot to mention all the other scrapes he earned along the way. White, Susan (2011) A Surface Collaboration: Hitchcock and Performance, in Thomas Leitch and Leland Poague (eds), A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock. That, combined with his spiraling alcohol addiction, wrung the youth right out of the handsome actor. A portrait of Montgomery Clift leaning on a fence with an intent expression before his accident on 01 January, 1950 | Photo: Getty Images. Clifts papers include several undated, intimate, tender images of a young Elizabeth Taylor with one of her sons. | "I love men in bed, but I really love women," Montgomery Clift is quoted as saying in a 1978 biography. Unable to display preview. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift (ne Anderson; 18881988). Farmer, Brett (2000) Spectacular Passions: Cinema, Fantasy, Gay Male Spectatorship. Director: George Stevens | Stars: Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, Anne Revere. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. . Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. Clifts teacher, Robert Lewis, called his gradual decline the longest suicide in Hollywood history. Although he had problems before filmingRaintree County, Clifts drinking was more pronounced than ever. Clift was able to appear in more Hollywood movies after he recuperated from the accident, but he was deeply affected by the decline . Clift first met Elizabeth Taylor in 1949, and she felt an immediate attraction to him, according to People magazine. 14, No. Clifts recuperation took months, and when he finally returned to set, there was more trouble afoot. All rights reserved. Clift simply wasnt cut out for school, and unlike his siblings, turned his back on higher education. He was only 45. [91][92] He was also involved with Donald Windham and his partner Sandy Campbell. Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. [101] Elizabeth Taylor, who was in Rome, sent flowers, as did Roddy McDowall (who had recently co-starred with Clift in The Defector), Judy Garland, Myrna Loy, and Lew Wasserman.[102]. In 1939, as a member of the cast of the 1939 Broadway production of Nol Coward's Hay Fever, Clift participated in one of the first television broadcasts in the United States: the Hay Fever performance was broadcast by NBC's New York television station W2XBS (the forerunner of WNBC) and was aired during the 1939 New York World's Fair. In 1961, Montgomery Clift went on to star alongside some of Hollywoods greatest legendsMarilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. With Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Myrna Loy, Dolores Hart. The 2023 Met Galas Karl Lagerfeld Theme Winners: Who Did It Best? To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. The next year, Taylor used her status to wrangle an acting part for Clift; she demanded that he be a part ofSuddenly, Last Summer. [40][41] In a filmed interview years later in 1963, Clift described his injuries in detail, including how his broken nose could be snapped back into place. The song "The Right Profile" by the English punk rock band The Clash, from their album London Calling, is about the later life of Clift. A Place in the Sun (1951) Passed | 122 min | Drama, Romance. It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. Clift was recovering from a car accident during the movies shoot (the actor was dying on his feet, according to one biography), but Hepburn treated him with great kindness. Clockwise from lower left: Clift after his 1956 car accident, which partially paralyzed the left side of his face; Taylor in bikini for a promotional photo for "Suddenly, Last Summer" in 1959; Clift and Taylor in a steamy scene from 1951's "A Place in the Sun" and the book cover of Charles Casillo's Elizabeth and Monty. Montgomery Clift was a great actor. Anon. Still relevant today. Anon. A year and a half away from her own tragic end, Marilyn Monroe described Clift as the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am. Together, this cast truly reflected a band of withering misfits. When he made The Misfits in 1960, he was in such bad shape, no film company would insure him. Luckily, although the public was out for blood, there was one woman on his side. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. Clifts lifestyle had the press slotting him in with non-conformists of the dayright alongside hotshots like Marlon Brandobut the actor didnt respond well to being labeled and defined. According to the actor's lawyer, Jack Clareman, Clift was found by his secretary Lorenzo James, who claimed the actor went to bed "in good spirits.". Edward Montgomery Clift (/mntmri/; October 17, 1920 July 23, 1966) was an American actor. Clift was willing to waive his fee entirely but accepted the supporting part with minimum compensation. Violet-eyed siren Elizabeth Taylor and classically handsome Montgomery Clift were the most gorgeous screen couple of their time. Its the season for starting anew: peppermint-scented window cleaner, fresh inspiration by way of the late artist Nicola L., a gentle serum for skin repair, and more. Montgomery Clift. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). The entire experience had a cursed tinge to it, and before long, it left disaster in its wake. Sadly the star got involved in a car crash that ruined his face and impacted his life and career. He pleaded with her to get them out, and gently, she managed to relieve him of the teeth. Paramount Pictures ended up offering him the best of any incoming studio offer (which he accepted): a three-film deal (down from the typical seven-year contract) that came with the freedom to turn down any script and any director, as well as the ability for either himself or the studio to terminate the agreement at any time. Berkeley: University of California Press. Clift, along with actor Kevin McCarthy, had been attending a party at Elizabeth Taylor's house in Beverly Hills. Life once described them as soul mates, and added: That Clift was gay made little difference in the intensity and duration of the two stars adoration of one another. The pair first starred together in the 1951 film A Place in the Sun; Clifts early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae. They also appeared together in Raintree County (1957) and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). He and his private nurse, Lorenzo James, had not spoken much all day. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. For the latter, Clift committed to building strength and endurance, jogging laps around Hollywood High School as well as learning how to imitate playing the bugle and reading sheet music from trumpeter Mannie Klein for the role of middleweight boxer and bugle-playing soldier Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (18861964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. In 1966, Clifts stalwart friend, Elizabeth Taylor, came to his aid once again and managed to get him a part in Reflections in a Golden Eye. [23] In 1949, as part of the promotional campaign for the film The Heiress, he played Heathcliff in the one-hour version of Wuthering Heights for Ford Theatre. Nope. Nobody wanted to deal with him anymore, and for four years, he couldnt land a single role. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Of course, by this time, Clifts drinking problems werent much of a secret, making him a liability to the studio. Montgomery Clift had passed due to a heart attack, but many assumed that his addictions and various health problems contributed to his early death. External Reviews James Naremore's description of Clift's 'ravaged face' in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) aptly expresses the decline in the star's appearance following the accident. You see, the entire healing process put Clift through the paces. On 12 May 1956, during production, Montgomery Clift's face was disfigured after a near-fatal car accident. Kouvaros, George (2010) Famous Faces Yet Not Themselves: The Misfits and Icons of Postwar America. Clift received and declined offers for roles in the following films: In 1960, Clift was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6104 Hollywood Boulevard. He was linked to actresses Libby Holman[64][65] and Phyllis Thaxter. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift, who would have turned 97 today. He was only 12 years old when he appeared in a production of "As Husbands Go" in Sarasota. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. [38] She pulled a hanging tooth that was cutting into his tongue, before accompanying him into the ambulance.[39]. He and Taylor definitely had chemistry while making "A Place in the Sun" (1951), and their connection was so compelling that their co-star Shelley Winters was convinced that they were involved. Clift: Red River, The Search, The Heiress. New Edition. 51, No. Clift was only 45 years old when he died. Monty's post-accident career has been called "the longest suicide in Hollywood history." In 1966, ten years after his car accident, Montgomery Clift died alone in his New York apartment while watching "The Misfits" on TV.
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