Anthony Quinn
A volcanic force of nature on screen, he channeled his Mexican and Irish heritage into two Oscar-winning supporting performances.
1915–2001 (age 86)·Mexican-American actor·Birthday: April 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anthony Quinn's life was an epic worthy of the roles he played. Born in Mexico during the revolution, he crossed into the United States as a child, working as a migrant laborer and a boxer before finding his way to the theater. His powerful build and rugged features initially typecast him as villains and 'ethnic' heavies in 1940s Hollywood. His breakthrough came not from a leading role, but from two explosive supporting performances: the cynical painter in 'Lust for Life' and the fierce Bedouin chief in 'Lawrence of Arabia,' both of which earned him Academy Awards. Quinn possessed a seemingly boundless energy, painting, writing, and sculpting with the same passion he brought to acting. In later years, he found a defining role as Zorba in the film adaptation of 'Zorba the Greek,' his performance embodying a lust for life that mirrored his own. He worked tirelessly into his eighties, leaving behind a filmography of over a hundred roles marked by a raw, physical intensity.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anthony was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2001Died at 86
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice, for 'Viva Zapata!' (1952) and 'Lust for Life' (1956).
- Starred as the title character in 'Zorba the Greek' (1964), receiving a Best Actor nomination and creating an iconic cinematic figure.
- Portrayed Auda abu Tayi in David Lean's epic 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962).
- Had a prolific career spanning over six decades, appearing in more than 100 films and television shows.
Did You Know?
He was a talented visual artist and had several exhibitions of his paintings and sculptures during his lifetime.
He was married three times and had thirteen children.
He built a large compound in Bristol, Rhode Island, which housed his extensive family and his art studio.
He was of Mexican and Irish descent; his mother was born in Mexico to an Irish immigrant father.
““I don't believe in dying. It's been done. I'm working on a new exit.””
