- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJacob Julius Garfinkle
- Nickname
- Julie
- Height5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
- John Garfield was born Jacob Julius Garfinkle on the Lower East Side of New York City, to Hannah Basia (Margolis) and David Garfinkle, who were Jewish immigrants from Zhytomyr (now in Ukraine). Jules was raised by his father, a clothes presser and part-time cantor, after his mother's death in 1920, when he was 7. He was sent to a special school for problem children, where he was introduced to boxing and drama. He won a scholarship to Maria Ouspenskaya's drama school. He joined the Civic Repertory Theatre in 1932, changing his name to Jules Garfield and making his Broadway debut in that company's Counsellor-at-Law. Joined the Group Theatre company, winning acclaim for his role in Awake and Sing. Embittered over being passed over for the lead in Golden Boy, which was written for him, he signed a contract with Warner Brothers, who changed his name to John Garfield. Won enormous praise for his role of the cynical Mickey Borden in Four Daughters (1938). Appeared in similar roles throughout his career despite his efforts to play varied parts. Children Katherine (1938-1945), David Garfield (1942-1995) and Julie Garfield (1946-). Active in liberal political and social causes, he found himself embroiled in Communist scare of the late 1940s. Though he testified before Congress that he was never a Communist, his ability to get work declined. While separated from his wife, he succumbed to long-term heart problems, dying suddenly in the home of a woman friend at 39. His funeral was mobbed by thousands of fans, in the largest funeral attendance for an actor since Rudolph Valentino.
- IMDb mini biography by: Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
- SpouseRoberta Seidman(January 27, 1935 - May 21, 1952) (his death, 3 children)
- ChildrenKatherine Hanna Garfield
- His six-year-old daughter Katherine died of an allergic reaction in 1945. He never got over the loss.
- Because both Garfield and his wife did not want to "go Hollywood," he had a clause in his Warner contract that allowed him to perform in a legitimate play every year at his option, and they chose not to own a home in Tinseltown.
- The role of Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) was originally written for Garfield, but he died before the film was made.
- When his Warner Bros. contract expired in 1946, he did not re-sign with the studio, opting to start his own independent production company instead. He was one of the first Hollywood actors to do so.
- Comforted Sidney Poitier on his first plane ride by telling him to put a handkerchief over his face and think about nothing.
- Screen acting is my business but I get my kicks from Broadway.
- [In September 1947 "Screenland"] England has been praised for turning out intelligent, adult pictures whereas Hollywood has been severely censured for turning out junk. I don't think criticism is a valid one because, in defense of Hollywood, we have censorship problems England doesn't have. I'm not speaking of the license to do sexy stuff. I'm speaking of the license to present adult ideas and viewpoints, which we lack and which means in turn that many of our pictures lack intelligent content.
- No actor can really be good until he's reached forty. [He died at 39.]
- [on his relationship with Warner Bros.] I was suspended "only" 11 times. I served my time and took it like a sport . . .They taught me the business, and they made me a star. They took their chances with a cocky kid from the East who still talked out of the corner of his mouth. I appreciate all that.
- [on his past associations with "progressive" causes] Actors are emotional. If somebody would come up to us and say, "Sign here. Everybody's doing it for civil liberties", or "Sign here to save the bread of children of writers banned from the studios because of their political beliefs", I would sign because it was a right cause in which I believed.
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