Cornel Wilde was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker who rose to fame in the 1940s and 1950s with his roles in swashbuckling adventure films. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Frederic Chopin in A Song to Remember (1945), and also starred in films such as Leave Her to Heaven (1945), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), and The Naked Prey (1966). He died of leukemia on October 16, 1989, at the age of 74. Here is a brief overview of his life and career, and the details of his cause of death.
Early Life and Career
Cornel Wilde was born Kornél Lajos Weisz on October 13, 1912, in Privigye, Kingdom of Hungary (now Prievidza, Slovakia). His parents were Hungarian Jews who immigrated to the United States when he was seven years old. He changed his name to Cornelius Louis Wilde and later shortened it to Cornel Wilde. He was a talented linguist, mimic, and fencer. He attended the City College of New York as a pre-med student, but dropped out to pursue a career in acting. He made his Broadway debut in 1935 in Moon Over Mulberry Street, and appeared in several other plays, including Romeo and Juliet with Laurence Olivier.
He made his film debut in 1940 in The Lady with Red Hair, and soon signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. He became a popular leading man, especially in historical and romantic dramas. He played Aladdin in A Thousand and One Nights (1942), Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (1943), Franchot Tone’s son in Forever Amber (1947), and Robin Hood’s son in The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946). He also showed his versatility in genres such as film noir, western, comedy, and circus. He received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for his performance as Chopin in A Song to Remember, opposite Merle Oberon as George Sand.
Later Years and Filmmaking
In the 1950s, Wilde moved to writing, producing, and directing films, while still continuing his acting career. He founded his own production company, Theodora Productions, named after his mother. He made films that reflected his personal interests and passions, such as fencing, hunting, sailing, and nature. Some of his notable films as a filmmaker include The Devil’s Hairpin (1957), a racing drama; Maracaibo (1958), an oil adventure; The Sword of Lancelot (1963), a retelling of the Arthurian legend; Beach Red (1967), a war film; and Shark’s Treasure (1975), a treasure hunt thriller.
He also starred in some of his films, such as The Naked Prey (1966), where he played a safari guide who is chased by African tribesmen; No Blade of Grass (1970), where he played a survivor of a global ecological disaster; and The Fifth Musketeer (1979), where he played D’Artagnan. His last film was My Very Wilde Life (1987), a documentary about his life and career.
Cause of Death
Wilde was diagnosed with leukemia in the late 1980s. He died on October 16, 1989, at a hospital in Los Angeles, California. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea. He was survived by his second wife Jean Wallace, whom he married in 1951 after divorcing his first wife Patricia Knight in 1951. He had two children: Wendy Wilde from his first marriage, and Cornel Wallace Wilde Jr. from his second marriage.
Wilde was remembered as a handsome, charismatic, and versatile actor who brought passion and energy to his roles. He was also a creative and adventurous filmmaker who explored different genres and themes. He left behind a legacy of films that entertained and inspired generations of viewers.
