Person
Barry Fitzgerald
Dublin, Ireland
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…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Biography
A closer look
Read full biography
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.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2014
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1960
Cradle of Genius
Movie Self
-
1959
Play of the Week
TV show
-
1959
Broth of a Boy
Movie Patrick Farrell
-
1958
Rooney
Movie Grandfather
-
1956
The Catered Affair
Movie Jack Conlon
-
1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV show Harold 'Stretch' Sears
-
1955
Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
Movie Harold "Stretch" Sears
-
1954
Happy Ever After
Movie Thady O'Heggarty
-
1953
General Electric Theater
TV show
-
1952
The Quiet Man
Movie Michaleen Oge Flynn
-
1952
Ha da venì... don Calogero!
Movie Don Calogero
-
1951
Silver City
Movie R.R. Jarboe
-
1950
Union Station
Movie Inspector Donnelly
-
1950
Lux Video Theatre
TV show Barry Flynn
-
1950
What's My Line?
TV show Self
More credits
-
1949
The Story of Seabiscuit
Movie Shawn O'Hara
-
1949
Top o' the Morning
Movie Sergeant Briany McNaughton
-
1948
Miss Tatlock's Millions
Movie Denno Noonan
-
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV show Self
-
1948
The Sainted Sisters
Movie Robbie McCleary
-
1948
The Naked City
Movie Lt. Dan Muldoon
-
1947
Variety Girl
Movie Barry Fitzgerald
-
1947
Welcome Stranger
Movie Dr. Joseph McRory
-
1947
Easy Come, Easy Go
Movie Martin L. Donovan
-
1947
California
Movie Michael Fabian
-
1946
Two Years Before the Mast
Movie Terence O'Feenaghty
-
1945
The Stork Club
Movie Jerry B. 'J.B.' / 'Pop' Bates
-
1945
And Then There Were None
Movie Francis Quinncannon
-
1945
Duffy's Tavern
Movie Bing Crosby's Father
-
1945
Incendiary Blonde
Movie Michael 'Mike' Guinan
-
1944
None But the Lonely Heart
Movie Henry Twite
-
1944
I Love a Soldier
Movie Murphy
-
1944
Going My Way
Movie Father Fitzgibbon
-
1943
Corvette K-225
Movie Stooky
-
1943
Two Tickets to London
Movie Capt. McCardle
-
1943
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Movie Timothy Blake
-
1941
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Movie Dennis O'Doul
-
1941
How Green Was My Valley
Movie Cyfartha
-
1941
The Sea Wolf
Movie Cooky
