Fredric March

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Birthday:

31 August 1897, Racine, Wisconsin, USA

Birth Name:

Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel

Height:

178 cm

Fredric March began a career in banking but in 1920 found himself cast as an extra in films being produced in New York. He starred on the Broadway stage first in 1926 and would return there between screen appearances later on. He won plaudits (and an Academy Award nomination) for his send-up of John Barrymore in The Royal Family of Broadway (1930). Four more Academy Award nominations would come his way, and he would win the Oscar for Best Actor twice: for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). He could play roles varying from heavy drama to light comedy, and was often best portraying men in anguish, such as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman (1951). As his career advanced he progressed from leading man to character actor. Show less «

Keep interested in others; keep interested in the wide and wonderful world. Then in a spiritual sense, you will always be young.

I liked the name Frederick Bickel and I wish now I had left it as it was. After all, Theodore Bikel, whose name was similar though spelled d...Show more »

I liked the name Frederick Bickel and I wish now I had left it as it was. After all, Theodore Bikel, whose name was similar though spelled differently, didn't change his, and he did all right. Show less «

Co-starring with Greta Garbo hardly constituted an introduction.

[commenting on the fact that he and Wallace Beery, who both won Best Actor Oscars for 1931-32 due to a tie, had recently adopted children] I...Show more »

[commenting on the fact that he and Wallace Beery, who both won Best Actor Oscars for 1931-32 due to a tie, had recently adopted children] It seems a little odd that we were both given awards for the best male performance of the year. Show less «

Stardom is just an uneasy seat on top of a tricky toboggan. Being a star is merely perching at the head of the downgrade. A competent featur...Show more »

Stardom is just an uneasy seat on top of a tricky toboggan. Being a star is merely perching at the head of the downgrade. A competent featured player can last a lifetime. A star, a year or two. There's all that agony of finding suitable stories, keeping in character, maintaining illusion. Then the undignified position of hanging on while your popularity is declining. Show less «

I have earnestly endeavored to perform my own share without fuss or temperament. An actor has no more right to be temperamental than a bank ...Show more »

I have earnestly endeavored to perform my own share without fuss or temperament. An actor has no more right to be temperamental than a bank clerk. Possibly, a very sane bringing up as a child has helped me to retain my sense of proportion in these matters. Show less «

[on Joan Crawford] She was a nice person, but a real movie star. She even brought her own music to the set [of Susan and God (1940)] - a who...Show more »

[on Joan Crawford] She was a nice person, but a real movie star. She even brought her own music to the set [of Susan and God (1940)] - a whole entourage, a violinist and a pianist to play her favorite songs, to get her into the proper mood for the scenes. Show less «

Actually, I was not overwhelmed by Greta Garbo's beauty. I think at that time women were more attracted to her than men.

(on receiving a kiss from Audrey Hepburn after her Oscar win in 1954) I'll take a dozen of those.

(when asked how he prepared for a role) I think it's almost physically impossible to give a well-rounded performance without knowing it befo...Show more »

(when asked how he prepared for a role) I think it's almost physically impossible to give a well-rounded performance without knowing it beforehand. To try and rehearse eight hours a day and then go home at night and knock more lines into your head - it just doesn't work. You know it first, then try to polish as you go along. Show less «