Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991

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American actor.

From the description of Papers, 1918-1983. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155507649

Actor.

From the description of Reminiscences of Ralph Bellamy: oral history, 1958. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122608208

American actor and author; b. Ralph Rexford Bellamy; d. 1991.

From the description of Ralph Bellamy collection, 1926-1988. (Boston University). WorldCat record id: 70971107

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois on June 17, 1904, Ralph Bellamy began acting in high school. Upon graduation, he embarked on a theatre apprenticeship, touring the country and playing over 400 different roles over the course of nine years. Bellamy later moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in motion pictures, starring in over 83 films including Spitfire, The Wedding Night, His Girl Friday and Boy Meets Girl from 1930-1942. In the early 1940's Bellamy became disenchanted with Hollywood and, though successful, left to pursue other acting interests. Though Bellamy would continue to act in the occassional film, such as Rosemary's Baby amd Coming to America, the majority of his career from 1942 until his death was in television and stage productions. Arguably his most famous role, Bellamy portrayed President Franklin D. Roosevelt in both the stage and screen productions of Sunrise at Campobello in 1958 and 1960 respectively. Bellamy also portrayed President Roosevelt in the 1982 television miniseries The Winds of War . Throughout his career, Bellamy garnered multiple awards for his performances including a Tony Award for Sunrise at Campobello, a best actor award from the Academy of Radio and Television Arts and Sciences for Man Against Crime in 1950, four Emmy Award nominations and an honorary Academy Award in 1987 for his contributions to the industry. In addition to his acting career, Bellamy also participated in the Screen Actors Guild, as a founder and board member, and Actor's Equity, as president. A dedicated performer, he continued to work until the year before his death, acting in the film Pretty Woman in 1990. Ralph Bellamy died in Los Angeles, CA of lung disease on November 29, 1991.

From the guide to the Ralph Bellamy papers, 1926-1982, (bulk 1980-1982), (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Preston, Robert, 1913-1987. Robert Preston collection, 1920-1991. Boston University. School of Medicine
referencedIn American screen and theater : photographs and lobby cards, 1914-1965, (bulk: 1930-1949). Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Frederick R. Koch collection of photographs of stage and screen actors and entertainers, ca. 1920-1979. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Actors' Equity Association Records, Bulk, 1913-1991, 1913-2007 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Lindsay, Kathleen. Studio one-- "Like father, like son" / written especially for Studio one by Kathleen and Robert Howard Lindsay. Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries
referencedIn Smith, Kate, 1907-1986. Kate Smith collection, 1930-1976. Boston University. School of Medicine
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. Papers, 1926-1982 1980-82. University of California, Los Angeles
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. [Letter] 1960 January 8, Los Angeles, Calif. [to] Roy Jansen, Harrisburg, Pa. / Ralph Bellamy. Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Pennsylvania State Library
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. Reminiscences of Ralph Bellamy: oral history, 1958. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Schary, Dore. Papers, 1920-1980. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. Papers, 1924-1988. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Lindsay, Kathleen. Studio one-- "Like father, like son" / written especially for Studio one by Kathleen and Robert Howard Lindsay. Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries
referencedIn Douglas, Melvyn. Papers, 1892-1983. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn The Bell Telephone Hour collection of sound recordings [sound recording], 1940-1968 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. Papers, 1918-1983. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn John Eldon Thayer collection of motion picture memorabilia, 1916-1979. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Souvenir programs for theatrical productions, 1906-2005. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Kerr, Walter F., 1913-1966. Walter and Jean Kerr papers, circa 1920-1993. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Ralph Bellamy collection, [19--?-ongoing]. Museum of Performance & Design
creatorOf Ralph Bellamy papers, 1926-1982, (bulk 1980-1982) University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections.
referencedIn Mandel, Loring, 1928-. Loring Mandel papers, 1942-2006. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Biography: Melvyn Douglas, 1972-1980 Indiana University, Bloomington. Center for the Study of History and Memory
creatorOf Bellamy, Ralph, 1904-1991. Ralph Bellamy collection, 1926-1988. Boston University. School of Medicine
referencedIn Arthur, Thomas Hahn, 1937-. Oral history interviews of the Biography: Melvyn Douglas Oral History Project, 1972-1980. Indiana University
referencedIn Gitlow, Benjamin, 1891-1965. Papers, 1910-1968. University of North Carolina, Charlotte, J. Murrey Atkins Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Actors' Equity Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Douglas, Melvyn. person
associatedWith Franklin, Joan, person
associatedWith Franklin, Robert, person
correspondedWith Gitlow, Benjamin, 1891-1965. person
associatedWith Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory corporateBody
associatedWith Jansen, Roy. person
associatedWith Kerr, Walter F., 1913-1966. person
correspondedWith Koch, Frederick R. (Frederick Robinson), collector. person
associatedWith Mandel, Loring, 1928- person
correspondedWith Preston, Robert, 1913-1987. person
associatedWith Ralph Bellamy Players. corporateBody
associatedWith Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945. person
associatedWith Schary, Dore. person
correspondedWith Smith, Kate, 1907-1986. person
associatedWith Thayer, John Eldon, 1899-1980 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Iowa--Des Moines
New York (State)--New York
United States
Subject
American literature
Theater
Actors
Actors
Actors
Motion picture industry
Motion pictures
Performing arts
Repertory theater
Television
Occupation
Actors
Actors
Authors, American
Motion picture actors and actresses
Activity

Person

Birth 1904-06-17

Death 1991-11-29

Americans

English

Information

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