Anthony Quinn: The story of a star

Anthony Quinn, the Irish-Mexican actor, is remembered for his powerful film roles such asZorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabiaand his portrayal of Zeus in the TV serial Hercules. On his birth anniversary on April 21, 1915, it is opportune to reflect on the life and times of this great actor.

Quinn first appeared on film in 1936. After a succession of bit parts, he won two Oscars as the best supporting actor in Viva Zapata in 1952 and as the painter Paul Gaugin in Lust for Life four years later. He was nominated two more times--for Wild is the Wind and Zorba the Greek. His other prominent films were Fredrico Fellin's La Strada ( for which he won an award at the Venice Film Festival) and Last Action Hero. All together he appeared in over 150 films. Initially, he was often cast as an uncouth ruffian but later graduated to even playing the Pope in Shoes of the Fisherman.

Quinn was born in Mexico to an Irish father and Mexican mother. The family moved to Los Angeles, when he was still a young boy.

His early films were Blood and Sand and They Died With Their Boots On. A short stint on Broadway in A Streetcar named Desire, gave Quinn's film career an impetus. Subsequently followed roles in The Guns of Navarone, Lawrence of Arabia and Zorba the Greek. His later films were The Secret of Santa Vittoria and The Greek Tycoon, in which he played a thinly disguised Aristotle Onassis. At the 1987 Golden Globe Awards he received the Cecil B.de Mille Award for career achievement.

Apart from acting, Quinn was a talented sculptor and painter. Once he went so far as to say that without art there was no reason for living. He died on June 3, 2001.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent