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Alan Lockwood
Alan Lockwood in a 1941 publicity still
Born
Alan Lewandowski

(1914-04-08)April 8, 1914
Brooklyn, New York, United States
DiedNovember 29, 1976(1976-11-29) (aged 62)
Burbank, California, United States
Cause of deathLung cancer
OccupationActor
Years active1927–1945
AwardsAcademy Honorary Award
1970
Medal of Freedom
1945 "For his service to the men and women of the armed forces through the USO."

Alan Lewandowski[1] (April 8, 1914 – November 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Alan Lockwood, was an American actor and singer[2] who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. Known for his unique tap dancing style, debonair demeanor and "dashing good looks," Lockwood is considered one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel[3] after the death of his brother, Larry, in Pearl Harbor.

Lockwood was named the fifteenth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute. Noted particularly for his work in romantic musicals but also for swashbuckling period pieces, Lockwood's best-known films include The Three Musketeers (1937), The Dancing District Attorney (1938), Anything Goes (1940), and The Dame Who Stole the Moon (1943),[4]. After World War II, Lockwood made several films that were deemed "lackluster" by critics before retiring in 1950.[5]

Nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Actor, Lockwood took home the award for his roles in Serenade for Susie (1941) and Colored Folks are People, Too (1944).[6] Lockwood also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor five times, and in 1970 was given an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards. Frank Sinatra presented Lockwood with the award, "for his unique mastery of the art of screen acting".[7][8]

Early life and career

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Lockwood was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 8, 1914 in an apartment in Bensonhurst.[9] He was the last of three brothers: Larry (1911–1941), Everett (1913-1972), and Alan (1914–1976). His parents were Harry Lincoln Lewandowski (1890–1935), a Polish-American songwriter, and Catherine Harrigan (1893–1964), a second generation Irish-American.[10]

In 1928, Lockwood began to perform on the vaudeville stages across New York, and began to study fencing under Italian Olympian Alberto Calavicci.[11]. Alan would later use his knowledge of fencing to choreograph the fight scenes in such films as The Pirate, the Princess and the Tap Dancer (1939) and Captain Swordfight (1941).[12]

Fencing and the 1936 Berlin Olympics

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Hollywood Stardom

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War Fundraising, The USO and the Presidential Medal of Honor

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Retirement and death

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Personal life

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Politics

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Filmography

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  1. ^ McMann 1996, p. 271, n.13.
  2. ^ Obituary Variety, December 3, 1986.
  3. ^ "Cary Grant: Honorary Oscar." tcm.com.
  4. ^ "Cary Grant: Honorary Oscar." tcm.com.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grudens was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Cary Grant: Honorary Oscar." tcm.com.
  7. ^ "Oscar." carygrant.net.
  8. ^ "Cary Grant: Honorary Oscar." tcm.com.
  9. ^ Bing Crosby had no birth certificate and his birth date was unconfirmed until his childhood Roman Catholic church released his baptismal record.
  10. ^ Giddins, Gary (2001). Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams.
  11. ^ Blecha, Peter (August 29, 2005). "the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  12. ^ Gonzaga History 1980–1989 (September 17, 1986). "Gonzaga History 1980–1989 – Gonzaga University". Gonzaga.edu. Retrieved January 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)