Timothy Hutton
He rocketed to fame as the youngest Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner, navigating a long career of complex, often troubled characters.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American actor and director·Birthday: August 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Timothy Hutton entered Hollywood history with a seismic splash. At just 20 years old, his raw, gut-wrenching performance as a grieving son in Robert Redford's 'Ordinary People' won him the Academy Award, making him the youngest ever to win Best Supporting Actor. This early triumph set a high bar and defined a career often drawn to characters wrestling with interior turmoil and moral ambiguity. He followed with intense roles in 'Taps' and 'The Falcon and the Snowman,' avoiding easy teen idol status in favor of substantive, challenging work. While his film career had peaks and valleys, he found a significant second act on television, earning critical praise for his role as a haunted investigator in 'Leverage' and a chilling turn in 'American Crime.' Hutton’s journey is that of a prodigy who steadily evolved into a character actor of considerable depth, always hinting at the profound sensitivity he first unveiled as a young man.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Timothy was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Timothy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Timothy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
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
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at age 20 for 'Ordinary People' (1980).
- Starred as the lead in the popular TNT series 'Leverage,' which ran for five seasons and spawned a revival.
- Earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the television film 'Mr. and Mrs. Loving.'
- Delivered a notable early film performance as a military cadet in the drama 'Taps.'
Did You Know?
His father was actor Jim Hutton, best known for the TV series 'Ellery Queen.'
He made his directorial debut with the 2007 film 'The Last Full Measure,' though its release was significantly delayed.
Hutton is an accomplished photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries.
He turned down the role of Alan Parrish in the film 'Jumanji,' which later went to Robin Williams.
“An award is a door, not a room.”
