Barry Fitzgerald

Brother of actor Arthur Shields with whom he performed in several films most notably John Fords 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 Hollywoods 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 Dublins worldfamous Abbey Players He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean OCaseys Juno And The Paycock a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930 He was coaxed to the US in 1935 by John Ford to appear in Fords film adaptation of another OCasey 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