Dan Duryea was educated at Cornell University and worked in the advertising business before pursuing his career as an actor. Duryea made his Broadway debut in the play "Dead End." The critical acclaim he won for his performance as Leo Hubbard in the Broadway production of "The Little Foxes" led to his appearance in the film version, in the same ...
I suppose a lot of Broadway people will want to kill me for saying it, but I wanted to use Broadway so I could make more money in the movies. Some actors act for art's sake and starve. That;s not for me. I can't afford it. My reputation as an actor is a good one, but I've no illusions about it being the world's greatest. A Broadway success would have given it a boost.
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You can't make a picture without a villain . . . it pays well and you last.
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[on how he prepared for the obnoxious characters he often played] At first it was very hard, as I am a very even-tempered guy . . . but I used my past life experiences to motivate me. The one I used when I had to slap a woman around was easy! I was slapping the overbearing teacher who would fail you in their "holier-than-thou" class and enjoy it.
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Fact
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In marked contrast to his screen persona as a ruthless, merciless, even psychotic killer, he was actually a passionate gardener, was actively involved in the PTA at his children's' school and was a Scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout troop.
Left his newspaper and magazine clippings and scrapbooks to USC's Ethel Barrymore's Library of the Performing Arts.
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HIs first professional job was as a walk-on in "Dead End" in 1935. He had asked the author, former classmate Sidney Kingsley, for a job. Duryea eventually replaced Huntz Hall in the cast.
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After suffering a heart attack while playing basketball at a picnic, he was advised to go into a profession less pressure-filled than the advertising job he had, so he chose acting.
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In his senior year at Cornell, where he was an English major, he was elected president of the dramatic society, succeeding Franchot Tone.
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While working on the stage in New York City, Duryea made his film debut in an uncredited bit in El tango en Broadway (1934); about 33 minutes into the film, he asks Laurita to dance, and a few moments later, brings her back to her table and thanks her. Even though the film is primarily Spanish speaking, all his dialogue is in English, since the scene takes place at a New York City nightclub.
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In Winchester '73 (1950) he played Waco Johnnie Dean, the nemesis of the protagonist, Lin McAdams. In the made-for-TV remake, Winchester 73 (1967), he played Bart McAdams.
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Father of Richard Duryea, born July 14, 1942.
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Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA.
$100,000
