Actor Glenn Ford, who began his acting career in the 1930’s and often played the strong, thoughtful protagonists in films such as “The Blackboard Jungle,” “Gilda” and “The Big Heat,” has died. He was 90. Ford had suffered several strokes since the mid 1990’s.
Ford found early fame in horse opera features. The roles suited him well as an accomplished horseman and polo player. Some of his most notable Westerns were “3:10 to Yuma,” “Cowboy,” “The Rounders,” with Henry Fonda; “Texas,” with William Holden; “The Fastest Gun Alive,” with Jeanne Crain and Broderick Crawford; “Cimarron”, with Anne Baxter; and “The Sheepman,” with Shirley MacLaine. – but his acting talents also ran to comedy and romance.
Not limiting himself to Westerns, Ford appeared in many movies during his 53-year Hollywood career, appearing in 85 films. As television grew Ford adapted to the small screen as easily as he had to the big. He starred in the televised series’ “Cade’s County,” The Family Holvak” and several more specials and variety guest appearances.
Ford gained renewed popularity in the 1970’s when he was asked to play Jonathan Kent, Superman’s adopted human father in the 1978 hit film “Superman: The Movie” with Christopher Reeve as the boy turned Man of Steel.
Ford continued working tirelessly until a series of blood clots in 1992 forced him to begin to slow down. He came from that old-school work ethic. When asked by The Associated Press in 1981 what drove him he answered, “Noel Coward once told me, ‘You will know you’re old when you cease to be amazed.’ Well, I can still be amazed.”
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