Edmund Gwenn
|
|
Edmund Gwenn (September 26, 1875 – September 6, 1959) was a theatre and film actor.
Born Edmund Kellaway in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, Gwenn started his acting career in theatre in 1895. Playwright George Bernard Shaw was impressed with his acting and cast him in six of his plays. Gwenn's career was interrupted by his military service during World War I, however after the war ended he started appearing in films in London.
Gwenn appeared in more than eighty films during his career, and is possibly best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He received a second nomination for his role in Mister 880 (1950).
Near the end of his career he played one of the main roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble With Harry (1955).
Edmund Gwenn died from pneumonia after suffering a stroke, in Woodland Hills, California. He was cremated and his ashes are stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California.
Edmund Gwenn has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to motion pictures at 1751 Vine Street.