Entered films in 1929 after some success in vaudeville and on Broadway. Huston played both lead and character parts and excelled at fatherly roles; he was outstanding in "Dodsworth" (1936), "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1941) and son John Huston's "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948).
- Also Credited As:
Walter Houghston
- Born:
April 6, 1884 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Died:
April 7, 1950.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Vaudevillian, Engineer, Waiter
Family
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Mother: Elizabeth Houghston.
Education
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Toronto College of Music, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, drama
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Landdown School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Milestones
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1909 Worked in vaudeville in partnership with future wife Bayonne Whipple; married in spring 1915
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1909 Moved with family to Texas before resuming stage career
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1924 Had first major Broadway success as the patriarch in Eugene O'Neill's drama "Desire Under the Elms"
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1929 Feature film debut in "Gentlemen of the Press"
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1929 Short film debut in "The Carnival Man"
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1930 Had title role in D.W. Griffith's biopic "Abraham Lincoln"
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1932 Co-starred with Joan Crawford in "Rain"
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1934 Originated the title role in the Broadway production of "Dodsworth"
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1935 Portrayed "Rhodes of Africa"
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1936 Received first Academy Award nomination reprising stage role in "Dodsworth"
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1938 Made musical comedy debut as Peter Stuyvesant in "Knickerbocker Holiday"; introduced signature tune "September Song"
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1939 Turned down the leading role in the stage play "Life With Father"
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1941 Garnered second Best Actor Academy Award nomination for "The Devil and Daniel Webster"
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1941 Had bit role in son John's directorial debut "The Maltese Falcon"
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1942 Earned third Oscar nomination as the patriarch of the Cohan family in "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
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1942 Reteamed with son for "In This Our Life"
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1944 Lost stage role of Stuyvesant in "Knickerbocker Holiday" to Charles Coburn in the film adaptation
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1948 Directed by son John in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre"; both received Academy Awards for the film, Walter as Best Supporting Actor and John for both Best Director and Best Screenplay
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1950 Final film, "The Furies"
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After 1904 marriage, quit acting and worked as an engineer
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Began career as a teenager, appearing in vaudeville
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First professional acting role, a messenger in a production of "Julius Caesar"; fired when he forgot his lines
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Played "Othello" on stage
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Settled in NYC; worked as a waiter while looking for acting jobs