Ralph Bellamy Biography: Age, Death, Children, Net Worth, Parents, Movies & TV Shows, Height

Ralph Bellamy was an American actor whose name came to be associated with roles in both screwball comedies and serious stage drama. He became widely recognized after his performance as the naive suitor in The Awful Truth (1937), a film in which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Over more than six decades, Bellamy took part in many films, Broadway plays, and television shows, achieving particular acclaim for his portrayal of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello and later in The Winds of War, as well as for his memorable turn as Randolph Duke in Trading Places (1983).

Profile

• Full name: Ralph Rexford Bellamy
• Date of birth: June 17, 1904
• Age at death: 87 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
• State of origin: Illinois
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actor (stage, film, television)
• Height: 6 ft 1 in (about 1.85 m)
• Parents: Father: Charles Rexford Bellamy; Mother: Lilla Louise (née Smith) Bellamy
• Siblings: One sibling (he was one of two children)
• Spouse: Alice Delbridge (m. 1927 – div. 1930); Catherine Willard (m. 1931 – div. 1945); Ethel Smith (m. 1945 – div. 1947); Alice Murphy (m. 1949 – his death in 1991)
• Children: Two children with Catherine Willard
• Relationship status: Married to Alice Murphy until his death in 1991
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Net worth: At the time of his death, approximately USD 10 million

Early Life and education

Ralph Rexford Bellamy was born on June 17, 1904 in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised in the Chicago area, specifically in Winnetka, Illinois. His mother, Lilla Louise (née Smith), was originally from Canada; his father, Charles Rexford Bellamy, worked in advertising. He had one sibling; he was one of two children.

He attended New Trier High School in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, graduating in 1922. After finishing high school, he was involved in touring theatre, repertory companies, stock companies, and various regional performances. He then moved to New York City to pursue more opportunities in stage acting.

Personal Life

Bellamy was married four times. His first marriage was to Alice Delbridge from 1927 until their divorce in 1930. His second marriage was to Catherine Willard from 1931 to 1945; with her, he had two children. His third marriage was to organist Ethel Smith from 1945 to 1947. In 1949 he married Alice Murphy; that marriage lasted until his death in 1991.

Career

Ralph Bellamy began acting on stage at a young age; when he was a teenager he ran away from home (around age 15) to join a roadshow. He formed his own theatre troupes in the 1920s (including the North Shore Players and the Ralph Bellamy Players) and gained experience in repertory, stock and touring companies. His first film appearance was in 1931 in The Secret Six.

During the 1930s and 1940s, he often played supporting or leading roles, particularly as the earnest suitor who loses out to more dashing male leads. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Awful Truth (1937) opposite Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.

On stage, Bellamy’s most notable role was as Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello, for which he won a Tony Award. He later played that same role in the film adaptation (1960) and in television productions such as The Winds of War. Later film roles included Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Trading Places (1983), Oh, God! (1977) among others. He continued acting until near the end of his life, with his final film role in Pretty Woman (1990).

In addition to his acting work, Bellamy served as president of the Actors’ Equity Association from 1952 to 1964. He was also one of the founders or early members of the Screen Actors Guild.

Awards

• Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Awful Truth (1937)
• Honorary Academy Award in 1987 for lifetime achievement in acting
• Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild

Net worth

At the time of his death in 1991, Ralph Bellamy’s net worth was estimated at roughly USD 10 million. The value derived from decades of acting in over 100 films, stage performances, television work, as well as leadership in actors’ unions.

Death

Ralph Bellamy died on November 29, 1991 in Santa Monica, California, United States. The cause was a lung ailment (respiratory illness) which had worsened over time. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

Social Media

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Filmography

• The Secret Six (1931)
• Forbidden (1932)
• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932)
• Almost Married (1932)
• West of Broadway (1931)
• Disorderly Conduct (1932)
• Wild Girl (1932)
• Picture Snatcher (1933)
• Spitfire (1934)
• Woman in the Dark (1934)
• Hands Across the Table (1935)
• Dangerous Intrigue (1936)
• The Awful Truth (1937)
• Boy Meets Girl (1938)
• Carefree (1938)
• His Girl Friday (1940)
• Flight Angels (1940)
• The Wolf Man (1941)
• The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
• The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
• Sunrise at Campobello (1960)
• Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
• Oh, God! (1977)
• Trading Places (1983)
• Coming to America (1988)
• Pretty Woman (1990)

Books

• When the Smoke Hit the Fan (autobiography, 1979)