In Memoriam: Anthony Quinn
Actor Anthony Quinn, best known as the star of the film Zorba the Greek, died on June 3, 2001, at age 86. Born in Mexico to an Irish father and a Mexican mother, Quinn fathered 13 children by five women. In addition to acting on the stage and in television, Quinn appeared in over 100 movies. Here are a few of the films that he will be remembered for:
Viva Zapata! (1952) - Elia Kazan directed this biopic about Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata (Marlon Brando). Quinn played Emiliano’s brother Eufemio, and his performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
La Strada (1954) - Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this Italian-language movie was directed by Federico Fellini. Quinn plays the role of Zampano, a brutish man who tours as a circus strongman, traveling with a simple-minded peasant (Giulietta Masina) who is virtually his slave.
Lust for Life (1956) - Kirk Douglas stars as Vincent Van Gogh in this biopic directed by Vincente Minnelli. Quinn’s portrayal of French painter Paul Gaugin won him his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956) - In this adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo novel, Quinn plays the role of Quasimodo, the deformed bellringer at Notre Dame de Paris.
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) - In this moving drama, Quinn plays a professional boxer at the end of his career in the ring. In one of the boxing sequences, Quinn’s opponent is Cassius Clay, later to be known as Muhammad Ali. Quinn was ideally suited for his role since in his youth he had briefly tried his hand at professional boxing (won 16, lost 1).
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - Winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Lawrence of Arabia is a romanticized version of how T.E. Lawrence helped the Arabs in their fight for independence. Quinn plays the role of Bedouin chieftain Auda Abu Tayi, who leads his tribe in taking the strategic port city of Aqaba from the Turks.
Zorba the Greek (1964) - Alan Bates portrays a shy young Englishman who goes to Crete to try to find himself. There his outlook on life is changed forever when he meets the exuberant, larger-than-life Alexis Zorba, played with great gusto by Quinn in his most memorable role.
In addition to the above films, Quinn appeared in dozens of others from Road to Morocco (1942) to A Walk in the Clouds (1995).
Anthony Quinn is gone, but as we watch his films on video and DVD, his zest for life will remain with us always.
~ Ivana Redwine
