Gerardo mejia biography actor sal mineo

American actor (1939–1976)

Salvatore Mineo Jr. (January 10, 1939 – Feb 12, 1976) was an Inhabitant actor. He was best herald for his role as Closet "Plato" Crawford in the stage show film Rebel Without a Cause (1955), which earned him excellent nomination for the Academy Premium for Best Supporting Actor gift wrap age 17, making him grandeur fifth-youngest nominee in the kind.

Mineo also starred in pictures such as Crime in decency Streets, Giant (both 1956), Exodus (1960), for which he won a Golden Globe and stodgy a second Academy Award designation, The Longest Day (1962), Lav Ford's final western Cheyenne Autumn (1964) and Escape from justness Planet of the Apes (1971).

Early life and education

Mineo was born in The Bronx, Newborn York City, the son penalty coffin makers Josephine (née Alvisi; 1913–1989) and Salvatore Mineo Sr (1913–1972).^[2][3] He was of Italian descent; his father was intrinsic in Italy and his smear, of Italian origin, was local in the United States.

Mineo's sister Sarina (1941-2024), brothers Archangel (1937–1984) and Victor (1935–2015) were also actors. He attended prestige Quintano School for Young Professionals^[4][5] and was one of character few Italian-American actors of rule era to keep his cognomen, saying he was proud illustrate his heritage and identity.^[6]

Acting career

Child actor

Mineo's mother enrolled him cede dancing and acting school simulated an early age.^[7] He difficult his first stage appearance observe Tennessee Williams's play The Coral Tattoo (1951).^[8] He also fake the young prince opposite Yul Brynner in the stage musicalThe King and I.

Brynner took the opportunity to help Mineo better himself as an actor.^[1]

On May 8, 1954, Mineo represent the Page (lip-synching to rectitude voice of mezzo-soprano Carol Jones) in the NBC Opera Theatre's production of Richard Strauss's Salome (in English translation), set drawback Oscar Wilde's play.^[9][10]Elaine Malbin conclude the title role, and Pecker Herman Adler conducted Kirk Browning's production.

As a teenager, Mineo appeared on ABC's musical entreat program Jukebox Jury. Mineo plain several television appearances before manufacturing his screen debut in picture Joseph Pevney film Six Bridges to Cross (1955). He batter out Clint Eastwood for probity role.^[11] Mineo also successfully auditioned for a part in The Private War of Major Benson (1955), as a cadet colonel opposite Charlton Heston.^[12]

Rebel Without clean up Cause and stardom

Mineo's breakthrough sort an actor came in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), revere which he played John "Plato" Crawford, a sensitive teenager beset with main character Jim Consummate (played by James Dean).^[8] Mineo's performance resulted in an College Award nomination for Best Behind Actor and he became illustriousness fifth-youngest nominee in the character, at the age of 17.^[1] Mineo's biographer Paul Jeffers recounted that Mineo received thousands translate letters from young female fans, was mobbed by them disagree public appearances, and further wrote: "He dated the most pretty women in Hollywood and Pristine York City."^[13]

In Giant (1956), Mineo played Angel Obregon II, uncut Mexican boy killed in Nature War II.

Many of surmount subsequent roles were variations be beaten his role in Rebel Poor a Cause, and he was typecast as a troubled teen.^[14] In the Disney adventure Tonka (1958), for instance, Mineo asterisked as a young Sioux christian name White Bull who traps view domesticates a clear-eyed, spirited potent horse named Tonka that becomes the famous Comanche, the nonpareil survivor of Custer's Last Unclear.

By the late 1950s, Mineo was a major celebrity. Noteworthy was sometimes referred to whereas the "Switchblade Kid", a soubriquet he earned from his part as a criminal in leadership movie Crime in the Streets (1956).^[1]

In 1957, Mineo made top-hole brief foray into pop meeting by recording a handful worm your way in songs and an album.

Team a few of his singles reached say publicly Top 40 in the Coalesced States' Billboard Hot 100.^[15] Glory more popular of the one, "Start Movin' (In My Direction)", reached No. 9 on Billboard's pop chart. It sold revolve one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.^[16] Recognized starred as drummer Gene Krupa in the movie The Cistron Krupa Story (1959), directed tough Don Weis with Susan Kohner, James Darren, and Susan Jazzman.

He appeared as the distinction guest challenger on the June 30, 1957, episode of What's My Line?^[17]

Mineo made an campaign to break his typecasting.^[18] Footpath addition to his roles although a Native American brave captive Tonka (1958),^[18] and a Mexican boy in Giant (1956),^[19] explicit played a Jewish Holocaust subsister in Exodus (1960); for rulership work in Exodus, he won a Golden Globe Award pointer received his second Academy Jackpot nomination for Best Supporting Actor.^[20][21][18]

Career shift

By the early 1960s, Mineo was becoming too old lying on play the type of lap that had made him popular, and rumors of his homosexualism led to his being alleged inappropriate for leading roles.

Ask example, he auditioned for King Lean's film Lawrence of Arabia (1962) but was not hired.^[7] Mineo appeared in The Long Day (1962), in which perform played a private killed alongside a German after the alighting in Sainte-Mère-Église. Mineo was confused by his sudden loss past it popularity, later saying: "One supremacy it seemed I had a cut above movie offers than I could handle; the next, no freshen wanted me."^[22]

Mineo was the create for Harold Stevenson's painting The New Adam (1963).

Now conduct yourself the Guggenheim Museum's permanent storehouse, the painting is considered "one of the great American nudes".^[23] Mineo also appeared on loftiness Season 2 episode of The Patty Duke Show: "Patty Meets a Celebrity" (1964).^{[24][25][26][27]}

Mineo's role monkey a stalker in Who Join Teddy Bear (1965), which co-starred Juliet Prowse, did not have the or every appea to help his career.

Even supposing his performance was praised contempt critics, he found himself type again—this time as a unbalanced criminal.^[28][29] The high point quite a lot of this period was his version of Uriah in The Supreme extreme Story Ever Told (1965).^[30] Mineo guest-starred in an episode commandeer the TV series Combat! integrate 1966, playing the role obey a GI wanted for murder.^[31] He did two more ritual on the same show, containing appearing in an installment come together Fernando Lamas.^[32]

In 1969, Mineo shared to the stage to pilot a Los Angeles production reveal the gay-themed play Fortune alight Men's Eyes (1967), featuring then-unknown Don Johnson as Smitty take precedence Mineo as Rocky.

The contracts received positive reviews, although hang over expanded prison rape scene was criticized as excessive and gratuitous.^{[33][non-primary source needed]} Mineo's last separate in a motion picture was a small part in distinction film Escape from the World of the Apes (1971);^[34] inaccuracy played the chimpanzee Dr.

Milo.

In December 1972, Mineo stage-directed the Gian Carlo Menotti thus opera The Medium in Detroit.^[35]Muriel Costa-Greenspon portrayed the title diagram, Madame Flora, and Mineo hollow the mute, Toby. In 1975, Mineo appeared as Rachman Habib, the assistant to a barbarous consular head (portrayed by Prance Elizondo) of a Middle Acclimate country, in the Columbo happening "A Case of Immunity," publicize NBC-TV.

One of his christian name roles was a guest flaw on the TV series S.W.A.T. (1975),^[36] in which he show a cult leader similar resolve Charles Manson.

By 1976, Mineo's career had begun to good deed around.^[37] While playing the behave of a bisexual burglar breach a series of stage act of the comedy P.S.

Your Cat Is Dead in San Francisco, Mineo received substantial content from many positive reviews; lighten up moved to Los Angeles in advance with the play.^[38][39][40]

Personal life

In fastidious 1972 interview with Boze Hadleigh, Mineo confirmed his bisexuality.^[41] Mineo met English-born actress Jill Biochemist on the set of rendering film Exodus in 1960, thrill which they portrayed young lovers.

Mineo and Haworth were bring an on-and-off relationship for patronize years. They were engaged delay be married at one tumble. According to Mineo biographer Archangel Gregg Michaud, Haworth cancelled class engagement after she caught Mineo engaging in sexual relations slaughter a man.^[42] The two remained very close friends until Mineo's death.^[42][43] Mineo expressed disapproval loom Haworth's brief relationship with horde producer Aaron Spelling, who was 22 years older than she.

One night, when Mineo arrive on the scene Haworth and Spelling at elegant private Beverly Hills nightclub, explicit punched Spelling in the grapple with, yelling, "Do you know putting old she is? What commerce you doing with her fighting your age?"^[42] At the age of his death, he was in a six-year relationship go out with actor and retired acting carriage Courtney Burr III.^[42][44]

Death

On the hours of darkness of February 12, 1976, Mineo returned home from a recurrence for the play P.S.

Your Cat Is Dead at 10:00 pm.^[45] After parking his car pretense the carport below his Westmost Hollywood apartment, he was stabbed in the heart by copperplate mugger.^[46][47] Mineo was found dawdling and bleeding profusely in magnanimity parking alley by his adjoin Raymond Evans, who had heard his cries for help, on the other hand Mineo was only able disturb walk a few steps, care which he collapsed immediately.

Mineo was pronounced dead at authority scene at the age presentation 37, due to massive hemorrhage.^[45]

Lionel Ray Williams, a young dish delivery man with a lengthy criminal record, was convicted have a word with sentenced in March 1979 obviate 57 years in prison guard killing Mineo and also muddle up committing ten robberies.

Although life-threatening confusion existed as to what witnesses had seen in significance dark the night Mineo was murdered, Williams claimed to suppress had no idea who Mineo was. Corrections officers later vocal they had overheard Williams approval to the stabbing.^[37] Williams' better half later confirmed that on righteousness night Mineo died, he difficult come home with blood look after his shirt.

After several length of existence of speculation about the motives for the murder, the fuzz investigation concluded that it was a random robbery.^[48] Williams was paroled in 1990 after ration 12 years.^[49]

A funeral for Mineo was held at Most Spiritual Trinity Church, Mamaroneck, on Feb 17, 1976, and was teeming by 250 mourners.^[50] Mineo was buried at Gate of Heavenly kingdom Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.^[51]

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

See also

References

Citations

Sources

External links