| Dang... I'll miss this guy. (But nobody can say he didn't have a good
run for his money; he seems to have lived his life pretty
enthusiastically, and had a good time doing it...)
Got the following off the usenet, with more details:
Article: 1761
Path: jac.zko.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!uunet!news2.uunet.ca!dogmead!clarinews
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (United Press International)
Subject: Actor Vince Price dead of lung cancer
Copyright: 1993 by UPI, R
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 93 0:58:55 EDT
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Actor Vincent Price, the master of classic horror
films, died of lung cancer in his Sunset Hills home Monday. He was 82.
A family spokesman said Price's family was with him at the time. He
died at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Price was best known in his later career for a series of horror films
in which he expressed as much humor as menace, was a nationally famous
art collector, authority and lecturer.
His own collection of paintings and sculpture was frequently on loan
while he made such pictures as ``The Fly,'' ``The Bat,'' ``House of Wax,
'' and ``House on Haunted Hill,'' and took part in TV game shows.
The tall, suave, mellifluously voiced actor added a sophisticated
touch to films as prime meany and occasionally guided such stars as
Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff through satires of the genre.
But his private life was in complete contrast to the roles he played
in those films.
His home was a gallery of fine art and he often opened it to the
public and to charity events.
He was also sought after as a lecturer on art and literature and at
one time claimed to be the highest paid lecturer on the circuits, making
as many as 60 appearances in as many days.
Price had intended to become a professor of art. He bought his first
print, a Rembrandt etching, at the age of 12 from money he saved from
his weekly allowance.
His love of acting came later. He accepted a dare by a classmate
while working for his master's degree at the University of London. He
won the role after trying out for Norman Marshall's production of
``Chicago,'' as a young American policeman.
Marshall later chose Price to play Prince Albert in ``Victoria
Regina,'' and then brought him back to the United States for the role
opposite Helen Hayes on Broadway.
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr., then 22, the son of a wealthy St. Louis,
Mo., candy manufacturer, was on his way.
Price was born in St. Louis May 27, 1911. He attended schools in St.
Louis and then went to Yale where he was graduated in 1933 with a B.A.
and went on to London for his post-graduate work.
He was married to actress Edith Barrett in 1938 and went to Hollywood
the day after his wedding to make his first movie, ``Service Deluxe,''
opposite Constance Bennett.
Price and Miss Barrett were divorced in 1948. They had one son,
Vincent. He later married fashion designer Mary Grant, by whom he had a
daughter, Mary Victoria, in 1962.
He was divorced again in 1973 and the following year announced his
engagement to Coral Pearman at Santa Barbara.
Before Price started making classy horror films, he had a
distinguished screen career as a character actor and leading man. Among
his films, were ``The Ten Commandments,'' ``Song of Bernadette,''
Serenade,`` ''Laura,`` and ''Keys of the Kingdom.``
His television credits mounted over the years as he proved himself a
charming and witty guest and game show player. His knowledge of art
became widely known when he appeared as a guest with other celebrities
on ``The $64,000 Question'' and ``The $64,000 Challenge.'' His contest
against another film colony art collector and expert, Edward G.
Robinson, gave both actors national headlines.
In later years, he gained even greater exposure on the popular
daytime and evening game show, ``Hollywood Squares,'' as a regular.
He often was criticized for his horror movies but was quick to defend
them.
``People often ask me how I can talk about art and then make thriller
pictures,'' he said. ``I answer 'baloney.' Some of my terror pictures
were taken from classic stories by Edgar Allan Poe and H.G. Wells.''
He told an interviewer later, ``These pictures go on forever because
they can't become dated. They're like fairy tales. Fantasy has been one
of our greatest literary exports for years.''
The Price library in his Spanish-style home was as extensive as his
art collection. An amateur anthropologist, he lectured before the
National University of Peru on Mayan culture as easily as on art, films
and literature before college audiences in America.
Price was a vice president of the Archives of American Art, a trustee
of Scripps College, president of the UCLA Arts Council, a member of the
Board of Friends of the Whitney Museum and a U.S. Interior Department
Commissioner for Indian Arts and Crafts.
Price also was a renown gourmet cook and author of ``I Like What I
Know,'' an autobiography of his life in art.
Price is survived by his daughter, Mary Victor, and his son, Barrett.
His third wife died in 1991.
The family spokesman said a private funeral service was planned. A
memorial service was also pending.
Price specifically requested no flowers and asked that donations be
made to the Vincent Price Gallery, a foundation he established at East
Los Angeles College.
|
| Re .12: Well, newspapers do have to choose their priorities. ;-) The
A&E bio did mention the "Brady Bunch" appearance - and one on "Batman,"
and an incognito guest appearance on "Truth or Consequences" (Vinnie
was dressed up - or down - as a be-stubbled construction worker,
scratching his belly and such, much to the embarrassment of the woman
who was supposed to be his co-contestant), and trying to play the tuba
on "The Mike Douglas Show," and sundry other appearances over the
years... (The guy definitely liked variety.)
It was a fun bio. Among the many interviewees were John Waters, Tim
Burton, and Roger Corman, plus many of Price's co-stars through the
years. Recommended for Price fans - though I did rather hope that
there'd be one or two anecdotes dealing with some flaw. As it was, it
would seem he didn't have any. ;-)
[This week's TV schedule is simply loaded with Price movies, probably
because it's hard to select a Halloween movie schedule _without_
picking movies that he was in; in any case, it's a good opportunity to
catch up on some of the less-frequently-aired flicks.]
-b
|