CineScope
Barry Fitzgerald picture

Barry Fitzgerald

Acting
Known For

72 Years Old

Brother of actor Arthur Shields, with whom he performed in several films, most notably John Ford's The Quiet Man (1952). One of the very few character actors ever to achieve star status. Fitzgerald was the only player ever nominated for the Academy Award for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in the same year for the same role. The recognition was for Going My Way (1944). After he received this double nomination, the Academy immediately changed their rules to prevent this from happening again, rules which have remained unchanged to this day. One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealers, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He was coaxed to the U.S. in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Ford's film adaptation of another O'Casey masterpiece, The Plough and the Stars (1936). Fitzgerald took up residence in Hollywood and went on to give outstanding performances in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), And Then There Were None (1945), Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and what is probably the role for which he is most fondly remembered, The Quiet Man (1952). He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and was the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin in 1961.

Born

Dublin, Ireland on 9th March 1888

Died

14th January 1961

All Credits

The Ed Sullivan Show Image
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
What's My Line? Image
What's My Line?
Self
Play of the Week Image
Play of the Week
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Image
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Harold 'Stretch' Sears
No Image
Lux Video Theatre
Barry Flynn
General Electric Theater Image
General Electric Theater
Bringing Up Baby Image
Bringing Up Baby
Aloysius Gogarty
The Quiet Man Image
The Quiet Man
Michaleen Oge Flynn
How Green Was My Valley Image
How Green Was My Valley
Cyfartha
And Then There Were None Image
And Then There Were None
Francis Quinncannon
The Naked City Image
The Naked City
Lt. Dan Muldoon
Going My Way Image
Going My Way
Father Fitzgibbon
Marie Antoinette Image
Marie Antoinette
Peddler (uncredited)
The Long Voyage Home Image
The Long Voyage Home
Cocky
Tarzan's Secret Treasure Image
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Dennis O'Doul
The Sea Wolf Image
The Sea Wolf
Cooky
The Dawn Patrol Image
The Dawn Patrol
Bott
Union Station Image
Union Station
Inspector Donnelly
The Saint Strikes Back Image
The Saint Strikes Back
Zipper Dyson
California Image
California
Michael Fabian
Variety Girl Image
Variety Girl
Barry Fitzgerald
Silver City Image
Silver City
R.R. Jarboe
Juno and the Paycock Image
Juno and the Paycock
The Orator
Corvette K-225 Image
Corvette K-225
Stooky
Ebb Tide Image
Ebb Tide
Huish
The Catered Affair Image
The Catered Affair
Uncle Jack Conlon
Four Men and a Prayer Image
Four Men and a Prayer
Mulcahay
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered Image
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Self (archive footage)
Duffy's Tavern Image
Duffy's Tavern
Bing Crosby's Father
The Plough and the Stars Image
The Plough and the Stars
Fluther Good
Pacific Liner Image
Pacific Liner
Britches
I Love a Soldier Image
I Love a Soldier
Murphy
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday Image
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Timothy Blake
The Story of Seabiscuit Image
The Story of Seabiscuit
Shawn O'Hara
Happy Ever After Image
Happy Ever After
Thady O'Heggarty
None But the Lonely Heart Image
None But the Lonely Heart
Henry Twite
Ha da venì... don Calogero! Image
Ha da venì... don Calogero!
Don Calogero
Two Tickets to London Image
Two Tickets to London
Capt. McCardle
Welcome Stranger Image
Welcome Stranger
Dr. Joseph McRory
The Sainted Sisters Image
The Sainted Sisters
Robbie McCleary
Easy Come, Easy Go Image
Easy Come, Easy Go
Martin L. Donovan
The Stork Club Image
The Stork Club
Jerry B. 'J.B.' / 'Pop' Bates
San Francisco Docks Image
San Francisco Docks
The Icky
Full Confession Image
Full Confession
Michael O'Keefe
Rooney Image
Rooney
Grandfather
Two Years Before the Mast Image
Two Years Before the Mast
Terence O'Feenaghty
Top o' the Morning Image
Top o' the Morning
Sergeant Briany McNaughton
No Image
Broth of a Boy
Patrick Farrell
Guests of The Nation Image
Guests of The Nation
Captured British soldier
Incendiary Blonde Image
Incendiary Blonde
Michael 'Mike' Guinan
Cradle of Genius Image
Cradle of Genius
Self
Miss Tatlock's Millions Image
Miss Tatlock's Millions
Denno Noonan
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid Image
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
Harold "Stretch" Sears