Ο Anthony Quinn (Anthony Quinn) was an American actor of Mexican descent who appeared in more than 150 films, but was universally recognized for his role as Zorba, the earthy and full of life hero of Nikos Kazantzakis, brought to the big screen in 1964 by Michael Cacoyannis. In his long career he won two Oscars and was twice more nominated for the top film award.
Antonio Rodolfo Quin Oaxaca was born on 21 April 1915 in Chihuahua, Mexico, to an Irish father and a Mexican mother. His father fought with Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution and then emigrated to Los Angeles, where he worked as an assistant cameraman in motion pictures.
Anthony Quinn worked various jobs until he ended up becoming an actor. He was meant to be a minister (he did some seminary studies), but took up boxing, painting, music, religious preaching and took architecture classes at Frank Lloyd Wright's studio. Already having some small theatrical roles under his belt, he was convinced by the famous American architect that he had the talent to pursue an acting career, as long as he improved his speech.
Indeed, Quinn took Wright's words seriously and began intensive acting lessons. In 1936 he appeared in a small role in the police drama «Parole!» and then played roles as an Indian, alien or outlaw, in such films as «They Died with their Boots on» (1941), «The Ox-Bow Incident» (1943), «Guadalcanal Diary» (1943) and «Back to Bataan, Fort Pacific» (1945).
The Academy Awards
His first leading role was in the film «Black Gold» (1947), where he played an Indian horse trainer. That year he made his Broadway debut in Emmett Lavery's play «The Gentleman from Athens». He toured as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams« play »Bus the Desire« and returned to Broadway to replace Marlon Brando in the same role. During the same period he appeared in several »live" television programs.
Returning to Hollywood, Anthony Quinn appeared in films such as «The Brave Bulls» (1951) and «Viva Zapata!» («Viva Zapata!», 1952), directed by Elias Kazan and written by John Steinbeck. For his role as Zapata's brother, he won the first of the two Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role of his career. The second came four years later for his role as Paul Gauguin in Vincente Minnelli's film Lust For Life, about the life of Van Gogh. In the 1950s he made a few films in Italy, the most notable being Federico Fellini's masterpiece ’La Strada« (1954) as a wandering chircon.
He interpreted memorable roles in the Oscar-nominated films Wild Is the Wind (1957) and The Savage Innocents (1959), «The Guns of Navarone (1961), shot in Rhodes, Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
Alexis Zorbas: The role that marked his career
In 1964 he played the role of Alexis Zorbas in the film of the same name by Michael Cacoyannis, a role that marked his career and earned him another Oscar nomination. Quinn returned to the stage in 1982 to tour and perform on Broadway in a revival of the musical version of Zorba. In between, he had appeared in two other Greek-themed films: «Guy Green's The Magus (1968), based on John Foles» novel of the same name, and The Greek Tycoon, written by Nikos Mastorakis, about the loves of Aristotle Onassis.
Anthony Quinn died on June 3, 2001 in Boston, at the age of 86. He married three times and had a total of 13 children from his countless relationships.
