Hume Cronyn was a Canadian-American actor and writer who charmed audiences with his portrayals of irascible old men and frequently paired up with his wife, Jessica Tandy. He died of prostate cancer on June 15, 2003, at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut. He was 91 years old.
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A Long and Distinguished Career
Cronyn made his theater debut in 1931 as a paperboy in “Up Pops the Devil”. He was known for his versatility as an actor, playing a wide variety of characters on stage, including a janitor, a gangster, and a brother in Chekhov’s “Three Sisters”. He made his Broadway debut in 1934 and won a Tony Award as supporting actor for playing Polonius in “Hamlet” in 1964.
He also appeared in numerous movies over the next 50 years, such as “Shadow of a Doubt”, “The Postman Always Rings Twice”, “Cleopatra”, and “The World According to Garp”. He was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actor for his performance in “The Seventh Cross” in 1944.
A Loving Partnership with Jessica Tandy
Cronyn married Jessica Tandy, his second wife, in 1942. They were one of the most celebrated couples in show business, working together on stage, screen, and television. They starred in several Broadway plays, such as “The Fourposter”, “The Gin Game”, and “Foxfire”. They also appeared in movies, such as “Cocoon” and its sequel, and TV movies, such as “To Dance With the White Dog”. They were honored with the first-ever Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1994 Tony Awards. Tandy died of ovarian cancer in September 1994, after 52 years of marriage.
A Legacy of Art and Inspiration
Cronyn was not only an actor, but also a writer and a director. He co-wrote and co-produced some of his plays with his third wife, Susan Cooper, whom he married in 1996. He also directed a production of Tennessee Williams’ “Portrait of a Madonna” and Ludwig Bemelmans’ “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” on Broadway. He wrote an autobiography, “A Terrible Liar”, in 1991, and a memoir of his life with Tandy, “Couple”, in 1994.
Cronyn was also a mentor and a friend to many young actors, such as James Earl Jones, Mandy Patinkin, and Christopher Plummer. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1979 and the National Medal of Arts in 1990. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Western Ontario, where his father was a Member of Parliament and his great-grandfather was the first bishop of the Anglican diocese of Huron.
Hume Cronyn cause of death was a sad loss for the world of entertainment, but his legacy lives on in his art and his inspiration. He was a versatile actor, a loving partner, and a creative spirit. He will be remembered for his talent, his humor, and his humanity.
