skipintro
Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power

Acting · Production

Born May 5, 1914, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

One of the great romantic swashbuckling stars of the mid-twentieth century, and the third Tyrone Power of four in a famed acting dynasty reaching back to the eighteenth century. His great-grandfather was the first Tyrone Power (1795-1841), a famed Irish comedian. His father, known to historians as Tyrone Power Sr., but to his contemporaries as either Tyrone Power or Tyrone Power the Younger, was a huge star in the theater (and later in films) in both classical and modern roles. His mother, Patia Riaume (Mrs. Tyrone Power), was also a Shakespearean actress as well as a respected dramatic coach. Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr., (also called Tyrone Power III; May 5, 1914 - November 15, 1958) was born at his mother's home of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1914. A frail, sickly child, he was taken by his parents to the warmer climate of southern California. After his parents' divorce, he and his sister Anne Power returned to Cincinnati with their mother. There he attended school while developing an obsession with acting. Although raised by his mother, he corresponded with his father, who encouraged his acting dreams. He was a supernumerary in his father's stage production of 'The Merchant of Venice' in Chicago and held him as he died suddenly of a heart attack later that year. Startlingly handsome, young Tyrone nevertheless struggled to find work in Hollywood. He appeared in a few small roles, then went east to do stage work. A screen test led to a contract at 20th Century Fox in 1936, and he quickly progressed to leading roles. Within a year or so, he was one of Fox's leading stars, playing in contemporary and period pieces with ease. Most of his roles were colorful without being deep, and his swordplay was more praised than his wordplay. He served in the Marine Corps in World War II as a transport pilot, and he saw action in the Pacific Theater of operations. After the war, he got his best reviews for an atypical part as a downward-spiraling con-man in Nightmare Alley (1947). Although he remained a huge star, much of his postwar work was unremarkable. He continued to do notable stage work and also began producing films. Following a fine performance in Billy Wilder's Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Power began production on Solomon and Sheba (1959). Halfway through shooting, he collapsed during a dueling scene with George Sanders, and he died of a heart attack before reaching a hospital.

Filmography

Appearances as themselves (28)
  • 2015Jornal Português (1938-1951) — Self (archive footage)
  • 2010Lusitanian Illusion — Self (archive footage)
  • 2000Sir John Mills' Moving Memories — Self (archive footage)
  • 2000The Many Faces of Zorro — Self (archive footage)
  • 1997The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender — Self (archive footage)
  • 1992Death Scenes 2 — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • 1990Anthony Quinn: An Original — Self (archive footage)
  • 1990Death In Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
  • 1990Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths — Self (archive footage)
  • 1982Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! — Self (archive footage)
  • 1980Gay, Gay Hollywood — Self
  • 1975Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? — Self (archive footage)
  • 1972Hollywood: The Dream Factory — Self (archive footage)
  • 1957The Rising of the Moon — Self - Host
  • Cinépanorama — Self
  • 1955The Red, White and Blue Line — Self
  • The Oscars — Self
  • 1953The World's Most Beautiful Girls — Self
  • What's My Line? — Self
  • Bambi — Self (archive footage)
  • The Ed Sullivan Show — Self
  • 1943Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform — Himself
  • 1943Show-Business at War — Self
  • 1941Three Of A Kind — Himself
  • 1939Hollywood Hobbies — Self (uncredited)
  • 1938Hollywood Goes to Town — Self
  • 1937Ali Baba Goes to Town — Himself
  • 1936Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) — Self
Privacy Terms Attribution

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.