From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia James Allen Whitmore Jr October 1 1921 February 6 2009 was an American film theatre and television actor During his career Whitmore won three of the four EGOT honors a Tony a Grammy and an Emmy Whitmore also won a Golden Globe and was nominated for two Academy Awards Following World War II Whitmore appeared on Broadway in the role of the sergeant in Command Decision MetroGoldwynMayer gave Whitmore a contract but his role in the film adaptation was played by Van Johnson His first major picture for MGM was Battleground in a role that was turned down by Spencer Tracy to whom Whitmore bore a noted physical resemblance He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role and won the Golden Globe Award as Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role Other major films included Angels in the Outfield The Asphalt Jungle The Next Voice You Hear Above and Beyond Kiss Me Kate Them Oklahoma Black Like Me Guns of the Magnificent Seven Tora Tora Tora and Give em Hell Harry a oneman show for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of former US President Harry S Truman In the film Tora Tora Tora he played Admiral William F Bull Halsey Whitmore appeared during the 1950s on many television anthology series He was cast as Father Emil Kapaun in the 1955 episode The Good Thief in the ABC religion anthology series Crossroads Other roles followed on Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theater Lux Video Theatre Kraft Theatre Studio One in Hollywood Schlitz Playhouse Matinee Theatre and the Ford Television Theatre In 1958 he carried the lead in The Gabe Carswell Story of NBCs Wagon Train with Ward Bond Whitmore has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6611 Hollywood Boulevard The ceremony was held on February 8 1960