Alfred Lunt
One half of the 20th century's most exalted stage partnership, he and his wife Lynn Fontanne defined theatrical elegance and meticulous ensemble acting.
1892–1977 (age 85)·American actor·Birthday: August 12·The Lost Generation
Biography
Alfred Lunt was not a solitary star but part of a brilliant binary system. His career, and indeed his life, was a seamless collaboration with his wife, the actress Lynn Fontanne. Together, from the 1920s through the 1950s, they were simply 'the Lunts,' a brand synonymous with sophisticated comedy, emotional precision, and a revolutionary approach to naturalistic performance. They chose plays that served their partnership, from Noel Coward's witty repartee to Friedrich Dürrenmatt's darker dramas. Lunt, with his expressive voice and nuanced physicality, was the perfect foil to Fontanne's sharp glamour. Their process was legendary for its detail—endless rehearsal, overlapping dialogue that mirrored real conversation, and a commitment to the play as a shared creation. They elevated Broadway, made frequent triumphant visits to London's West End, and left a legacy that made the actor-manager team the ultimate standard for theatrical marriage.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Alfred was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alfred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Alfred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 70
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 80
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Died at 85
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
Key Achievements
- Formed a historic theatrical partnership with his wife Lynn Fontanne, starring together in over 25 Broadway and West End productions.
- Won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in 'The Visit' (1960).
- Directed several of the productions he starred in with Fontanne, including a notable revival of 'The Seagull.'
- The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway is named in honor of the couple, a rare tribute to a performing duo.
Did You Know?
He and Fontanne were so inseparable that a clause in their contracts required producers to hire them as a pair.
Lunt served in the U.S. Army during World War I before his stage career took off.
He turned down multiple offers from Hollywood, preferring the stage, though he and Fontanne did make one film together ('The Guardsman').
Tennessee Williams wrote his play 'The Glass Menagerie' with the Lunts in mind, though they ultimately did not perform it.
“We are not stars in the sense that Hollywood thinks of stars. We are just two people trying to act as well as we can.”
