Montgomery clift cause of death

1. Biography of Montgomery Clift
2. Early Life
3. Acting Career
4. Car Accident and Later Life

Biography of Montgomery Clift

Edward Montgomery Clift, born on October 17, 1920, was an American film actor known for his roles as melancholic and sensitive working-class characters. He received four Academy Awards during his cinematographic career.

Early Life

Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, William Brooks Clift, was the vice president of the National Bank of Omaha. Clift had a twin sister named Roberta and an older brother named William Brooks Jr., who later became the father of actress Kim Stanley's illegitimate son. Clift's mother was adopted at a young age and spent a significant part of her life and her husband's money trying to trace her origins. At the age of one, she finally succeeded in finding the doctor who delivered her and named her youngest son Edward Montgomery in his honor.

According to Clift's biographer, Patricia Bosworth, his mother, Ethel Fogg, was the illegitimate daughter of Woodbury Blair and Maria Anderson, whose marriage was dissolved shortly before Ethel's birth. However, these family connections were never fully proven and remain speculative theories.

In an attempt to raise her children as true aristocrats worthy of their newfound family, Fogg taught them at home with the help of the best private teachers in the United States and Europe. Despite fluctuations in his father's bank account, the children did not attend regular school until adolescence.

Acting Career

Clift's acting career began on Broadway at the age of thirteen. He quickly achieved success on stage and performed for ten years before moving to Hollywood. In 1948, he made his big screen debut in the film "Red River" alongside John Wayne.

In 1958, Clift declined an invitation to star in "Rio Bravo," a role that eventually went to Dean Martin. The presence of John Wayne in "Rio Bravo" may have been a factor in Clift's decision, as the two actors had constant conflicts during the filming of "Red River" and Wayne refused to communicate with Clift off set.

That same year, Clift received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the film "The Search." His sensitivity and incredible talent allowed him to create characters that audiences cared deeply about. His romantic scenes with Elizabeth Taylor in "A Place in the Sun" set a new standard for romantic scenes in cinema. Alongside the classic film "From Here to Eternity" in 1953 and "The Young Lions" in 1958, "A Place in the Sun" became one of the cornerstones of his career.

Clift was considered Marlon Brando's main rival, as both actors quickly rose to success and often played similar characters. James Dean idolized Clift and would sometimes call him just to hear his voice.

Clift turned down offers to play leading roles in "Sunset Boulevard" and "East of Eden." At one point, he was receiving an incredible number of offers and was simply unable to handle them all.

Car Accident and Later Life

On May 12, 1956, during the filming of "Raintree County," Clift crashed his car into a telephone pole while driving home from a party in Beverly Hills hosted by his co-star and close friend Elizabeth Taylor and her then-husband Michael Wilding. One of Taylor's friends witnessed the accident and immediately alerted the actress, who rushed to Clift's aid. She had to manually pull his tongue from his throat to prevent him from choking. Clift suffered a broken nose, jaw, and nasal septum, along with other injuries that required subsequent reconstructive surgeries.

After a long recovery, Clift returned to filming. The studio executives were concerned about the expenses incurred, but Clift predicted the film's success, as audiences flocked to see the differences between his old and new appearance. Problems with pain in his injured body led Clift to turn to alcohol and painkillers. He had previously abused such substances due to damage caused by dysentery to his internal organs.