In one instant Montgomery Clift's life changed forever. It is commonly believed that drug addiction was responsible for Clift's many health problems and his death. In 2000, at the GLAAD Media Awards, where Taylor was honored for her work for the LGBT community, she made the first public declaration by anyone of the fact that Clift was gay and called him her closest friend and confidant. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. After leaving a party at Taylor's house high in the Hollywood Hills and drowsy from two "downers" he'd taken before he left to help him sleep when he got home, Clift crashed into a telephone. is for general information purposes only. 2023 Cond Nast. He used them to numb his physical pain. "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. Clift never fully physically or emotionally recovered from his car accident. By 15, Clift made his Broadway debut in Cole Porters Jubilee. The crew of Raintree Country even had code words about his state of intoxication. He had a holistic view.. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. He insisted on performing his stunts himself, including swimming in the river Elbe in March. At the time, audiences had rarely seen a type of masculinity softened with Clift's . Clift countersued with the assertion that he struggled to keep up with an overwhelming volume of last-minute script revisions and that an accidental blow to both eyes on set gave him cataracts. The film received added media attention due to the rumors that Clift and co-star Elizabeth Taylor were dating in real life. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew Making Montgomery Clift explodes the myths surrounding the Hollywood star and queer icon. [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]. He got him going again. Elegantly titled and captioned in white ink, the pages reveal that Clift had a filmmaker and photographers eye for framing, sense of place, and capturing action at its seminal moment. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. Whether he was leaving from or arriving at Taylor's home, it is an undisputed fact that Clift drove his car into a telephone pole and suffered horrific injuries, including significant facial damage (via Vanity Fair). The 'antidote' to Monty was her first disastrous marriage, aged 18, to playboy hotel heir Nicky Hilton, an aggressive drunk who physically abused her. He was in the middle of making "Raintree County," a movie that reunited him with his "A Place in the Sun" co-star Elizabeth Taylor, and his accident took place after Clift had been a guest at Taylor's Beverly Hills home. Rock Hudson Visited Doris Day Before His Death While Hiding His Illness . He was born Edward Montgomery Clift on October 17, 1920. That year, Clift voted for Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. He also detested the man. Clift asserts that the actors use of alcohol and prescription drugs stemmed, primarily, from a near-fatal car accident in 1956. If you have a story that tracks along that line, that will feel true to people. At the 2023 SAG Awards, stars opted to wear gowns in every shade of rose, from soft pastels to neon brights. The old Hollywood system was breaking apart and he was a major part of that., The first role Clift took, opposite John Wayne in Red River in 1948, offered a stark contrast in masculine presentations. On 12 May 1956, he was leaving the home of his friend, Elizabeth Taylor, high in Coldwater Canyon, Los Angeles, when his car crashed into a telephone pole. In one of the most evocative treasures in the Clift papers at the N.Y.P.L., this black-page scrapbook, titled My Trip West, details Clifts Depression-era visit to the American West. [78], Robbins is said to have conceived the basic plot of West Side Story after Clift shared the idea with him, according to actor Russ Tamblyn. Clift is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. [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. He represented the new wave of post-World War II actors who were handsome, intelligent, soft-spoken, introspective, and acted with intensity. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole. news.AmoMama.com does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. The famed movie star and her leading man first starred together in the 1951 drama, A Place in the Sun, resulting in a life-changing connection that lasted until Clift's death in 1966 at age 45. He is best remembered for his roles in Howard Hawks' Red River (1948), William Wyler's The Heiress (1949), George Stevens' A Place in the Sun (1951 . [81] She attended the New York premiere of A Place in the Sun in August 1951 as his date. Clift, who lived in Room 928 for three months while filming "From Here to Eternity" in 1952, was one of Hollywood's most appealing leading men, a slender Tom Cruise with edgy good looks. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Before its signature I am an actor opening bit, the SAG Awards 2023 red carpet is the place to be. [43] He began to behave erratically in public, which embarrassed his friends. A portrait of actor Montgomery Clift on 01 January, 1960 | Photo: Getty Images, Clift died at age 45 of a heart attack in his East Side townhouse. [82][83], McDowall was introduced to Clift by his Lassie Come Home co-star Elizabeth Taylor, who was a lifelong friend of both actors. The story of Clift's devastating car crash varies somewhat from one account to the next. Jack Larson, famous for playing Jimmy Olsen in the hit 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman, recalled how Clift gave him a full mouth kiss the first time they casually met. After a break, Clift committed himself to three more films, all of which premiered during 1953: I Confess to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Vittorio De Sica's Terminal Station; and Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity which earned Clift his third Academy Award nomination (his second of two nominations for films directed by Zinnemann). In 1966, Clift finished filming his last project, "The Defector," and returned to his New York City apartment. In January 1963 Montgomery Clift made an uncharacteristic appearance on television to be interviewed on New York Herald Tribune columnist Hy Gardner's show. Before the terrible incident, the star made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. In 1965, he gave voice to William Faulkner's writings in the television documentary William Faulkner's Mississippi, which aired in April 1965. Clift (portrayed by Gavin Adams) was a major supporting character in the 2020 feature film As Long As Im Famous, which explored his intimate relationship with a young Sidney Lumet during the summer of 1948. The accident changed. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. [85][86] McDowall devoted himself to Clift entirely, and he moved from Los Angeles to New York to be closer to his idol. He even appeared in the original production of Tennessee Williams' play "You Touched Me" (1945) (per Playbill). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for best actor for "The Search," and yet "Red River" seems to be better remembered these days. 5, 114, Montgomery Clift: A Biography, Patricia Bosworth, 2012, List of actors with Academy Award nominations, List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories, List of LGBT Academy Award winners and nominees, "Montgomery Clift Dead at 45; Nominated 3 Times for Oscar; Completed Last Movie, 'The Defector,' in June Actor Began Career at Age 13", "Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift", "Making Montgomery Clift: truth behind gay self-loathing myth". "His life has. According to Clift biographer Patricia Bosworth, Taylor considered Clift her dearest friend, and he was unflinchingly loyal to her. [36], On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious car crash after leaving a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Michael Wilding. Actor. [24] In January 1951, he participated in the episode "The Metal in the Moon" for the series Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the chemical company DuPont Company. He advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. [7][8] Clift had a twin sister, Roberta (who later went by "Ethel"), who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986), known as "Brooks," who had a son with actress Kim Stanley and was later married to political reporter Eleanor Clift. The crash caused severe damage to his face, and McCarthy noted in a 2018 interview that he thought Clift was dead when he saw the scene. A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) Directed by George Stevens. McCarthy had been driving in front of Clift when the crash occurred, and he thought that Clift had been killed. Montgomery Clift's Disastrous Car Wreck Changed His Career Forever. [38] She pulled a hanging tooth that was cutting into his tongue, before accompanying him into the ambulance.[39]. Clift first met Elizabeth Taylor in 1949, and she felt an immediate attraction to him, according to People magazine. He was linked to actresses Libby Holman[64][65] and Phyllis Thaxter. Clift reunited with Taylor for "Raintree County," a Civil war era romantic drama. [37] Clift had veered off one of the twisting hairpin turns and smashed into a telephone pole and the surrounding cliffside. Clift was only 45 years old when he died. It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. [61] Montgomery Clift informed his psychiatrist that he was homosexual and struggling to cope with it. In Making Montgomery Clift, the film-makers note that the actor made as many movies after the accident as before. [66][67][68] Clift's longest relationships were with men. The accident changed his appearance, and many biographers assumed Clift felt ruined by it and, so, drank more. He struggled to make through some of the longer scenes. His father, William Brooks Clift was the vice president of Omaha National Trust Company. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. Liz, caught up in filming and Richard Burton in Paris, sent flowers to the funeral. The following summer in 1949, Clift shot The Big Lift in Berlin: intended to be more of a semi-documentary, pro-America wartime film and less of an acting vehicle,[35] but still a welcome opportunity to portray a U.S. soldier. For us, it seemed there was this big difference between what people thought about Monty in the public sphere and what people that knew him would say, said Clift. Clift also took to drinking, and his addiction was well known amongst his colleagues. His 15 minute funeral was at attended by 150 mourners, including Lauren Bacall and Sinatra. He started out in films in the late 1940's and immediately made a name for himself with his good looks and emotionally raw performances. "I was warned not to trust all the stories," Robert told . [30] The film was awarded a screenwriting Academy Award for the credited writers. BIPS // Getty Images Monty was also impressed with Elizabeth, at least physically. He needed a lot of plastic surgery to repair his face, according to the Los Angeles Times. Most critics, in fact . Her romantic interest in him evolved into an intense friendship after he revealed her that he was gay (some sources say he was bisexual). He earned an impressive four Academy Award nominations during his career. Clift had a brother named William Brooks Clift Jr., Clift was able to appear in more Hollywood movies after he recuperated from the accident, but he was deeply affected by the decline in his career. He had terrific roles in "The Misfits," "Confess," and he was last seen on screen in "Freud," which earned him his highest fee ever. No evidence was found that suggested foul play or suicide. While director William Wyler notably had difficulty with his poor posture, co-star Olivia de Havilland expressed difficulty with his seriousness, saying that "Monty was painstaking and I liked that about him, but I had a sense that Monty was thinking almost entirely of himself and leaving me out of the scene."[34]. '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? His parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914. Paramount executive Luigi Luraschi remembered that Taylor, just like many American teenagers, seemed "unmistakably in love" with Clift around the time of filming A Place in the Sun,[59] which commenced soon after their premiere outing. He was found dead in bed in his New York apartment the morning of July 23, 1966; he was 45. Clift, however, was so unsteady and unstable while filming "Freud" (1962) that his movie studio brought a lawsuit against him (via Vanity Fair). George (Montgomery Clift) is an upwardly scrambling young man, embarrassed by his origins, dipping a toe in wealth's pool. Montgomery Clift died in the bathtub of his Manhattan townhouse of a heart attack brought on by occlusive coronary artery disease on 23 July 1966. [87] It is said that McDowall took the breakup with Clift hard. Lorenzo was one of the reasons.. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. After leaving a party at Elizabeth Taylor's house, he wrapped his car around a telephone pole . 12023, Dance with demons: the life of Jerome Robbins by Lawrence, Greg, p. 127, Jerome Robbins: his life, his theater, his dance by Jowitt, Deborah, pp. Still makes me weak in the knees. At 6:30a.m., James woke up and went to wake Clift, but found the bedroom door closed and locked. At his best, Montgomery Clift was a better actor than Marlon Brando. Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week 2023. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. As to why Bosworth drew on the gay-self-hate narrative, and why that view took hold, the directors blame the homophobia of the time the book was written, in the 1970s. Happy Birthday, Montgomery Clift. Thats why his work doesnt feel dated, Demmon said. 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. In 1957 however, he suffered from a terrible car accident and was pulled from the wreck by his friend Eizabeth Taylor. While his mother, Ethel Fogg 'Sunny' Clift was your typical American homemaker. He pleaded with her to get them out, and gently, she managed to relieve him of the teeth. The stars first worked together in the 1951 drama 'A Place in the Sun,' leading to a close bond that lasted until the actor's death in 1966 at age 45. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. During the interview, Gardner jokingly mentioned that it is "the first and last appearance on a television interview program for Montgomery Clift". Elizabeth Taylor put her salary on the line as insurance in order to have Clift cast as her co-star in Reflections in a Golden Eye, to be directed by John Huston. Little did he know, he was always destined for something more. Here are some examples: Scenes filmed before the accident involving Montgomery 'Monty' Clift's character of John Wickliff Shawnessy:-Scene with his parents where his dad tells him he is related to Thomas Carlyle-First time John meets Flash Perkins-Photography scene (first time he meets Susannah)-Drinking scene with Flash Perkins-The race-The . He starts in a blue-collar job in the factory, where he soon begins to date his co-worker Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters). ", The "Suddenly, Last Summer" star reportedly had the worse of experience with John Huston. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. It wasn't long before he found his way to the big screen. [9] Clift had English and Scottish ancestry on his father's side, wealthy relatives who hailed from Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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. Taylor found him crushed under the steering wheel, his face a bloody pulp. It tells the story of a working-class young man who is entangled with two women: one who works in his wealthy uncle's factory, and the other a beautiful socialite. His main acting rival (and fellow Omaha native), Marlon Brando, was so moved by Clift's performance that he voted for Clift to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, sure that he would win. Relieve him of the twisting hairpin turns and smashed into a telephone pole she felt an attraction! [ 87 ] it is commonly believed that drug addiction was responsible Clift! And gently, she managed to relieve him of the teeth for `` Raintree County ''. 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