Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. (December 13, 1910 – July 23, 1971) Heflin's sister was Daytime Emmy-nominated actress Frances Heflin. He made his film debut in the film, A Woman Rebels (1936), with Katharine Hepburn.
He was soon signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and was cast in supporting roles in films: Santa Fe Trail (1940), and Johnny Eager (1942), winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the latter performance.
Heflin continued to improve his acting skills and performed a compelling characterization of the President Andrew Johnson in the film, Tennessee Johnson (1942), playing opposite Lionel Barrymore who, in the role of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens.
According to the IMDB (Internet Movie Database), Heflin served during World War II as a combat cameraman in the Ninth Air Force in Europe and with the First Motion Picture Unit.
His best-known film was the classic western, Shane(1953), in which he co-starred with Alan Ladd. His other well know films: Presenting Lily Mars (1943), The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), Possessed (1947), Green Dolphin Street (1947), Act of Violence (1948), The Three Musketeers (1948), The Prowler (1951) and 3:10 to Yuma (1957).
Heflin's last major role was in Airport (1970). He played "D. O. Guerrero", a failure who schemes to blow himself up on an airliner so that his wife (played by Maureen Stapleton) can collect on a life insurance policy.
I have only developed a liking for Mr. Heflin within the last year, and in that time, he has easily made my top 20 list. Prior to a year ago, though, for some reason, I just thought him very milque-toasty. Not sure why I felt that way because my only exposure to him up until then had been in "3:10 to Yuma," and his character in that film is no less brave than Gary Cooper's in High Noon (and you know Will Kane is one of my #1 film characters ever).
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I've come to love Van, and I'm excited to discover a few of his films I've never seen before on his day on Summer Under the Stars.
i find van helfin so moving in johnny eager. he really showed he could be a powerful actor.
ReplyDeleteI have never really thought that I was ever a Van Helfin fan. But.. I have to admit, I have always enjoyed his performances, in which ever movie he was in..
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