Peter W. Rodino
She held the stage for seven decades, becoming the oldest winner of a competitive acting Oscar at age eighty.
1909–2005 (age 96)·American politician·Birthday: June 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Jessica Tandy possessed a luminous intensity that seemed to deepen with time. Her career began on the London stage in the 1920s, but it was after moving to America and marrying actor Hume Cronyn that she found her most profound artistic partnership. Tandy was a master of the stage, winning multiple Tony Awards, but she is perhaps best remembered for her late-career film triumph in 'Driving Miss Daisy.' As the stubborn, aging Southern widow Daisy Werthan, she delivered a performance of exquisite subtlety and warmth, earning an Academy Award at the age of 80. This role introduced her to a global audience, but it was merely the pinnacle of a lifelong dedication to craft. Whether as the original Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's 'A Streetcar Named Desire' or in the gentle comedies she made with Cronyn, Tandy's work was defined by intelligent precision and emotional truth.
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.
Peter was born in 1909, 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 Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1909
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1909Born
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1914Started school
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Became a teenager
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Could drive
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1927Could vote
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Turned 21
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1939Turned 30
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 40
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 50
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 60
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 70
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 80
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
2005Died at 96
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actress for 'Driving Miss Daisy' (1989), becoming the oldest winner in a competitive acting category at the time.
- Won four Tony Awards, including one for her origin role of Blanche DuBois in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1948).
- Received a BAFTA Award for her performance in 'The Birds' (1963), Alfred Hitchcock's thriller.
- Was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role in the television film 'Foxfire' (1987).
Did You Know?
She was the first actress to play Blanche DuBois on stage in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
Tandy and her husband Hume Cronyn hold the record for the longest marriage in Hollywood history among major stars, lasting 52 years until her death.
She was an accomplished knitter and would often knit between takes on set.
Tandy turned down the role of Norma Desmond in the musical 'Sunset Boulevard', a part that went to Glenn Close.
“The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.”
