Sydney Blackmer is an American film, television and theater actor. His film career began in the 1910s and made his Broadway debut in 1917. In 1950, the artist won the Tony Award for Best Dramatic Actor. In February 1960, his personalized star, number 1625, appeared on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Sidney Blackmer is not an actor who, since childhood, dreamed of a career in the theater or in the cinema. We can say that he got into the entertainment industry by accident. Being very young, working part-time at a construction site, he witnessed the shooting of the television series. The whole process impressed Syd so much that he decided to try to connect his future life with the acting profession.
During his work in Hollywood, Blackmer managed to star in more than 150 projects. Among them were full-length and short films, serials. The artist has also built a brilliant career on Broadway. For his work in Come Back, Little Sheba, which premiered in 1950, he won the Tony Award. Among his achievements is also an award from the North Carolina Award, which the artist received in 1972, although at that time his career in film and television had already ended.
Biography facts
The birthplace of the Broadway and Hollywood star is Salisbury, a town located in North Carolina, USA. Sidney (Sydney) Alderman Blackmer was born here in 1895. His birthday: July 13.
Unfortunately, nothing is known about the parents and early years of the actor's life.
Despite the fact that since childhood, Sydney did not dream of becoming a famous artist, creativity and art attracted him as much as sports. Therefore, while receiving school education, he began to play football. And later he joined the amateur theater, participating in numerous productions.
Having received a school certificate, the young man initially planned to study law and law. He was also attracted to the fields of finance and insurance. Therefore, he wanted to go to Chapel Hill University, located in the state of North Carolina. Simultaneously with the preparation for the entrance exams, the young man began to earn money at a construction site. It was there that he witnessed the filming of the TV show, in which the actress Pearl Fay White played one of the leading roles. Impressed, recalling his work in amateur theater, the young man firmly decided to abandon the career of a lawyer or financier.
At the age of 19, the young man went to New York, hoping to get a job in a theater, and then go to the cinema and conquer Hollywood. In the first months, he regularly attended auditions in film studios and auditioned in theaters.
For the first time, luck smiled at a novice artist in 1914. He managed to get a small, very insignificant role in the project "The Dangerous Adventures of Polina." During the same time period, Sidney Blackmer began working in non-commercial films, both full-length and short. He has collaborated with film studios based in Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA. However, all these projects did not make him popular and in demand, but gave him valuable experience.
The debut of the young talented actor on the Broadway stage took place in 1917. On February 13, the premiere of the play "Morris's Dance", in which Blackmer was involved, took place. Perhaps, from that moment on, the artist's career would have begun to develop very rapidly, but the outbreak of the First World War prevented.
Sydney Blackmer was drafted into the army as an officer, and for 3 years he had to forget about filming a movie and working in the theater.
Returning to the development of his career, the young man began performing on Broadway in 1920. And in the next 8 years he played in a huge number of successful musicals. In 1929, he reappeared on the set.
In subsequent years, the artist simultaneously worked on the theater stage and in the cinema. In addition, in the early 1920s, Sydney began working in radio. He took part in radio performances.
Film career: best work
Sidney Blackmore's full-fledged career in cinematography began in the late 1920s. In 1929, a film with his participation entitled "A Most Immoral Lady" was released. Then, during 1930, as many as 6 films were released that replenished his filmography. The most successful film was "Little Caesar".
Throughout the 1930s, the actor starred in a large number of films. The most successful among them were: The Riddle of the Count of Monte Cristo (1934), The Little Colonel (1935), The Girl Overboard (1937), The President's Agent (1937), Heidi (1937), The Last Gangster "(1937)," In Old Chicago "(1938)," This Wonderful World "(1939).
Among the films released in the 1940s, in which the already famous Sidney Blackmer starred, the following projects received a lot of positive feedback and high ratings: "Dance, Girl, Dance" (1940), "Love Madness" (1941), "Wilson" (1945), "Duel under the Sun" (1946), "The Song is Born" (1948). During the same period of time, the artist began to appear on television. In 1948 he made his debut in the TV series Filco's Television Theater, and in 1950 he took part in the show Robert Montgomery Presents.
The 1950s were also very successful for the artist. He managed to work in such sensational projects as "Pulitzer Theater" (TV series), "People will gossip" (1951), "Steel hour of the United States" (TV series), "The Great and Mighty" (1954), "Climax" (TV series), "Disneyland" (TV series), "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (TV series), "High Society" (1956), "Beyond Reasonable Doubt" (1956), "Tammy and the Bachelor" (1957), "Bonanza" (series).
In subsequent years, Sidney Blackmer's filmography continued to be replenished with various projects. He can be seen in such films and TV series as: "Beyond the Possible" (TV series), "How to Sew Your Wife" (1964), "Rosemary's Baby" (1968).
The last time an actor appeared on the big screen and on television was in 1971. The feature film "Revenge Is My Destiny" and the TV movie "Do You Take This Stranger?" Were released with him.
Personal life and death
Sydney Blackmer has married twice in his life. His first wife was Lenore Ulric, who was an actress. The wedding took place in 1928. However, this union fell apart in 1939. They had no children.
The artist married for the second time to Suzanne Kaaren, who also devoted her life to cinema and theater. The wedding took place in 1943. In this marriage, 2 children were born - boys, who were named Brewster and Jonathan. Suzanne and Sydney were together until the actor's death.
At the end of his life, Blackmer suffered from cancer. This disease was the cause of his death. The famous artist died in New York in early October 1937. At that time he was 78 years old.
Sidney Blackmer was buried in North Carolina at the Chestnut Hills cemetery, which is located in the actor's hometown (Salisbury).
