People of my generation (and younger) most likely remember the widely-admired Glenn Ford as "the actor who played Pa Kent" in Richard Donner’s classic "Superman" movie. Well, he was a whole lot more than that…
From the AP Newswire: "BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – Actor Glenn Ford, who played strong, thoughtful protagonists in films such as "The Blackboard Jungle,""Gilda" and "The Big Heat," died Wednesday, police said. He was 90.
Failing health forced him to skip a 90th birthday tribute on May 1 at Hollywood’s historic Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre. But he did send greetings via videotape, adding, "I wish I were up and around, but I’m doing the best that I can…. There’s so much I have to be grateful for."
At the event, Shirley Jones, who co-starred with him in the comedy "The Courtship of Eddie’s Father," called Ford "one of the cornerstones of our industry, and there aren’t many left."
Ford appeared in scores of films during his 53-year Hollywood career. The Film Encyclopedia, a reference book, lists 85 films from 1939 to 1991.
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(My favorite Glenn Ford performances, in addition to several mentioned above, are "3:10 to Yuma," "Experiment in Terror," and "The Violent Men.")
