Hume Cronyn (1911-2003) grew up in London, Ontario. Although he began studying corporate law at McGill University in Montreal, he was drawn to the theater and soon transferred to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. His first major role was in Three Men on a Horse in 1935. In his career, Cronyn appeared in more than 30 movies, earning an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in one of his first roles, in The Seventh Cross (1944). In this film, and many others, he starred alongside his wife, Jessica Tandy. Cronyn and Tandy were married for more than 50 years. At the 1994 Tony Awards, they were honored with the first ever Special Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their performances together in film.
Cronyn’s notable performances include: Phantom of the Opera (1943), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Cleopatra (1963), and The World According to Garp (1982). He and Tandy appeared together in the 1980s Cocoon movies and Hallmark Hall of Fame: To Dance with the White Dog (1994), for which they were both nominated for Emmy Awards. His honors include a Tony Award for Hamlet (1964), the Order of Canada in 1974, the Commonwealth Award for Dramatic Arts in 1983, the Christopher Award in 1985 for the screenplay Dollmaker, and an Emmy Award in 1990 for his role in Age Old Friends. He passed away at the age of 91.
