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 James Mason was born in Huddersfield and had a film career spanning over 50 years during which he appeared in over 100 films in England and America but never won an Oscar. Whatever role he played, from the wounded Belfast gunman in Odd Man Out to Rommel in The Desert Fox, his creamy velvet voice gave him away. Like Charlie Chaplin James left the screen to spend his later life living in Switzerland. His first marriage had been to Pamela Kellino, a Yorkshire mill owner's daughter and his second to Australian actress Clarissa Kaye.
Bio:
James Mason was born in Huddersfield and had a film career spanning over 50 years during which he appeared in over 100 films in England and America but never won an Oscar. Whatever role he played, from the wounded Belfast gunman in Odd Man Out to Rommel in The Desert Fox, his creamy velvet voice gave him away. Like Charlie Chaplin James left the screen to spend his later life living in Switzerland. His first marriage had been to Pamela Kellino, a Yorkshire mill owner's daughter and his second to Australian actress Clarissa Kaye.
Tivia:
In 1952 while remodeling his home, he discovered several reels of Buster Keaton's lost films (Mason had purchased Keaton's Hollywood mansion) and immediately recognized their historical significance and was responsible for their preservation.At Liza Minnelli's request, Mason read the eulogy at Judy Garland's funeral.Reportedly, he once saved the life of Max Bygraves' son Anthony. Max Bygraves and his son Anthony were at a party at Judy Garland's house. Anthony fell into the pool and Max did not notice. James Mason did notice and, fully clothed, he jumped into the water and pulled Anthony out.Was scheduled to play James Bond 007 in a 1958 television adaptation of "From Russia with Love", which was ultimately never produced. Later, despite being in his 50s, Mason was a contender to play Bond in Dr. No (1962) before Sean Connery was cast.He refused to wear make-up.11 years after being mentioned in Rope (1948) as making an excellent villain, he was finally cast by Alfred Hitchcock as such in North by Northwest (1959).Was responsible for getting an unknown actor from New Zealand his first major film role. That actor was Sam Neill.Was the original choice to play Professor Kingsfield in The Paper Chase (1973), but had to turn down the role due to poor health. John Houseman, who had acted in only one other movie in a small role, was cast and won an Oscar.Told Playboy magazine in the late 1970s that he hated rock 'n' roll but loved country music.Can be seen visiting the set of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980) in Vivian Kubrick's TV documentary Making 'The Shining' (1980). Stanley Kubrick did not usually allow visitors to his set, but made an exception for Mason, who had memorably played Humbert Humbert for him in Lolita (1962).Was rejected by fellow student Alistair Cooke for an acting role whilst at Cambridge. Cooke asked Mason what course he was studying. "Architecture", replied Mason. "Then I think you should finish your degree and forget about acting." advised Cooke, in one of his rare lapses of judgment.The actor thought the 1937 Janet Gaynor/Fredric March version of "A Star Is Born" was superior to his and Garland's because the musical numbers detracted from the story.An avowed pacifist, he refused to perform military service during World War II, a stance that caused his family to break with him for many years.Mason admitted to journalists that he had only taken a part in Mandingo (1975) because he was behind with alimony payments, leading critic Roger Ebert to reply, 'surely jail would have been better'.Critic Vincent Canby said about Mason: "He is, in fact, one of the very few film actors worth taking the trouble to see even when the film that encases him is so much cement".Mason lived with future wife Pamela Kellino and husband Roy, and even after Mason married her, Kellino continued to live with them.He suffered a severe heart attack in 1959.Was offered the role of Viktor Komarovsky in Doctor Zhivago (1965) by double-Oscar winning director David Lean after Marlon Brando failed to respond to director Lean's written inquiry into whether he wanted to play the role. Mason initially accepted the role. Lean decided on Mason, who was a generation older than Brando, as he did not want an actor who would overpower the character of Yuri Zhivago (specifically, to show Zhivago up as a lover of Lara, who would be played by the young Julie Christie, which the charismatic Brando might have done, shifting the sympathy of the audience). Mason eventually dropped out and Rod Steiger, who had just won the Silver Bear as Best Actor for his role as the eponymous The Pawnbroker (1964), accepted the role.In a January 6, 1947 "Life" magazine article Mason claimed he preferred jazz and Duke Ellington to classical music and his favorite stars were Spencer Tracy, Jean Gabin, Lena Horne, Carmen Miranda, and Veronica Lake.Turned down the role of Hugo Drax in the James Bond film Moonraker (1979), which went to Michael Lonsdale.Stated that the reason he could not find a publisher for his autobiography, "Before I Forget" was because his memoir was ". . . too polite.".Mason and wife Pamela were cat lovers and collaborated on a book on their cats.Mason was set to make his screen debut in The Private Life of Don Juan (1934), Douglas Fairbanks' final film, but was replaced after four days supposedly because of unsuitable casting.Mason's daughter Portland was named for comedian Fred Allen's wife.He was offered the role of Lawyer Crosby in the horror film The Cat and the Canary (1978). However, the gender of the role was changed to female and was played by Wendy Hiller.Following his death, he was interred at Corvey-Sur-Vevey Cemetery in Corvey-Sur-Vevey, Switzerland.Eddie Izzard often uses an impression of James Mason in his stand-up comedy routines as the voice of a confused, dithering God.Was in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Julius Caesar (1953), Heaven Can Wait (1978) and The Verdict (1982).Has starred with his wife Clarissa Kaye-Mason in the original Salem's Lot (1979). They appeared together in the film Age of Consent (1969).He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.He appeared in four films directed by Sidney Lumet: The Deadly Affair (1967), The Sea Gull (1968), Child's Play (1972) and The Verdict (1982).Performed in two successful Jules Verne classics, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth".Although somehow he was never given a much-deserved knighthood, he was awarded the Golden Seal, England's most prestigious film honor.Performed the role of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in two films, first in 1951 with "The Desert Fox" and followed in 1953 by "The Desert Rats".James and Pamela Mason arrived in the U.S. in November, 1946, but he became embroiled in a legal battle with David E, Rose, who claimed the actor had agreed to form a production company with him. After eighteen months Mason eventually won the case.Mason had committed to recreating his role for the TV pilot of "The Verdict," but his death caused the project to be abandoned.Grandfather of actor James Duke Mason.His tribunal exempted him from military service during World War II only on the requirement to do non-combatant work, which he refused. His appeal against this became irrelevant by including him in a general exemption for film work.He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Tell-Tale Heart (1953), A Star Is Born (1954) and North by Northwest (1959).Had been considered for the role of Harry Lime on the television series The Third Man (1959), but Michael Rennie ended up in the role.Father of Morgan Mason and actress/scriptwriter Portland Mason.Bigger Than Life (1956) was his film in more ways than one as apart from having a leading role in it he also produced it and contributed to the screenplay.Was able to do uncanny impressions of John Gielgud and Gabriel Pascal.Although Mason's son Morgan is a film producer, he did work in the Reagan White House.He should not be confused with the American actor Jim Mason (1889-1959), aka James Mason, who appeared in silent films, particularly Westerns in the 1920s and 1930s.Born in Huddersfield, England, he spent some time living in America and then in Switzerland near the Italian border.In June 1967 he was the second actor to be given an award by the National, Film Theatre (the first had been Sophia Loren in 1965) for services to the cinema.Was among the various actors in the running for the role of Dr. Hans Fallada in the science fiction horror film Lifeforce (1985); Frank Finlay won the role.A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden on 1st November 1984.Turned down a role in I Know Where I'm Going when he was told that he'd have to live rough in Scotland, The part was then give to Roger Livesey. |
| Name: |
James Mason |
Type: |
Actor,Producer,Writer (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Products for sale: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Model rank: |
1467 |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 04:27:53 |
| Height: |
5' 11' (1.81 m) |
| Biography: |
James Mason was born in Huddersfield and had a film career spanning over 50 years during which he appeared in over 100 films in England and America but never won an Oscar. Whatever role he played, from the wounded Belfast gunman in Odd Man Out to Rom |
| Trivia: |
In 1952 while remodeling his home, he discovered several reels of Buster Keaton's lost films (Mason had purchased Keaton's Hollywood mansion) and immediately recognized their historical significance and was responsible for their preservation.At Liza Minnelli's request, Mason read the eulogy at Judy Garland's funeral.Reportedly, he once saved the life of Max Bygraves' son Anthony. Max Bygraves and his son Anthony were at a party at Judy Garland's house. Anthony fell into the pool and Max did not notice. James Mason did notice and, fully clothed, he jumped into the water and pulled Anthony out.Was scheduled to play James Bond 007 in a 1958 television adaptation of "From Russia with Love", which was ultimately never produced. Later, despite being in his 50s, Mason was a contender to play Bond in Dr. No (1962) before Sean Connery was cast.He refused to wear make-up.11 years after being mentioned in Rope (1948) as making an excellent villain, he was finally cast by Alfred Hitchcock as such in North by Northwest (1959).Was responsible for getting an unknown actor from New Zealand his first major film role. That actor was Sam Neill.Was the original choice to play Professor Kingsfield in The Paper Chase (1973), but had to turn down the role due to poor health. John Houseman, who had acted in only one other movie in a small role, was cast and won an Oscar.Told Playboy magazine in the late 1970s that he hated rock 'n' roll but loved country music.Can be seen visiting the set of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980) in Vivian Kubrick's TV documentary Making 'The Shining' (1980). Stanley Kubrick did not usually allow visitors to his set, but made an exception for Mason, who had memorably played Humbert Humbert for him in Lolita (1962).Was rejected by fellow student Alistair Cooke for an acting role whilst at Cambridge. Cooke asked Mason what course he was studying. "Architecture", replied Mason. "Then I think you should finish your degree and forget about acting." advised Cooke, in one of his rare lapses of judgment.The actor thought the 1937 Janet Gaynor/Fredric March version of "A Star Is Born" was superior to his and Garland's because the musical numbers detracted from the story.An avowed pacifist, he refused to perform military service during World War II, a stance that caused his family to break with him for many years.Mason admitted to journalists that he had only taken a part in Mandingo (1975) because he was behind with alimony payments, leading critic Roger Ebert to reply, 'surely jail would have been better'.Critic Vincent Canby said about Mason: "He is, in fact, one of the very few film actors worth taking the trouble to see even when the film that encases him is so much cement".Mason lived with future wife Pamela Kellino and husband Roy, and even after Mason married her, Kellino continued to live with them.He suffered a severe heart attack in 1959.Was offered the role of Viktor Komarovsky in Doctor Zhivago (1965) by double-Oscar winning director David Lean after Marlon Brando failed to respond to director Lean's written inquiry into whether he wanted to play the role. Mason initially accepted the role. Lean decided on Mason, who was a generation older than Brando, as he did not want an actor who would overpower the character of Yuri Zhivago (specifically, to show Zhivago up as a lover of Lara, who would be played by the young Julie Christie, which the charismatic Brando might have done, shifting the sympathy of the audience). Mason eventually dropped out and Rod Steiger, who had just won the Silver Bear as Best Actor for his role as the eponymous The Pawnbroker (1964), accepted the role.In a January 6, 1947 "Life" magazine article Mason claimed he preferred jazz and Duke Ellington to classical music and his favorite stars were Spencer Tracy, Jean Gabin, Lena Horne, Carmen Miranda, and Veronica Lake.Turned down the role of Hugo Drax in the James Bond film Moonraker (1979), which went to Michael Lonsdale.Stated that the reason he could not find a publisher for his autobiography, "Before I Forget" was because his memoir was ". . . too polite.".Mason and wife Pamela were cat lovers and collaborated on a book on their cats.Mason was set to make his screen debut in The Private Life of Don Juan (1934), Douglas Fairbanks' final film, but was replaced after four days supposedly because of unsuitable casting.Mason's daughter Portland was named for comedian Fred Allen's wife.He was offered the role of Lawyer Crosby in the horror film The Cat and the Canary (1978). However, the gender of the role was changed to female and was played by Wendy Hiller.Following his death, he was interred at Corvey-Sur-Vevey Cemetery in Corvey-Sur-Vevey, Switzerland.Eddie Izzard often uses an impression of James Mason in his stand-up comedy routines as the voice of a confused, dithering God.Was in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Julius Caesar (1953), Heaven Can Wait (1978) and The Verdict (1982).Has starred with his wife Clarissa Kaye-Mason in the original Salem's Lot (1979). They appeared together in the film Age of Consent (1969).He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.He appeared in four films directed by Sidney Lumet: The Deadly Affair (1967), The Sea Gull (1968), Child's Play (1972) and The Verdict (1982).Performed in two successful Jules Verne classics, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth".Although somehow he was never given a much-deserved knighthood, he was awarded the Golden Seal, England's most prestigious film honor.Performed the role of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in two films, first in 1951 with "The Desert Fox" and followed in 1953 by "The Desert Rats".James and Pamela Mason arrived in the U.S. in November, 1946, but he became embroiled in a legal battle with David E, Rose, who claimed the actor had agreed to form a production company with him. After eighteen months Mason eventually won the case.Mason had committed to recreating his role for the TV pilot of "The Verdict," but his death caused the project to be abandoned.Grandfather of actor James Duke Mason.His tribunal exempted him from military service during World War II only on the requirement to do non-combatant work, which he refused. His appeal against this became irrelevant by including him in a general exemption for film work.He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Tell-Tale Heart (1953), A Star Is Born (1954) and North by Northwest (1959).Had been considered for the role of Harry Lime on the television series The Third Man (1959), but Michael Rennie ended up in the role.Father of Morgan Mason and actress/scriptwriter Portland Mason.Bigger Than Life (1956) was his film in more ways than one as apart from having a leading role in it he also produced it and contributed to the screenplay.Was able to do uncanny impressions of John Gielgud and Gabriel Pascal.Although Mason's son Morgan is a film producer, he did work in the Reagan White House.He should not be confused with the American actor Jim Mason (1889-1959), aka James Mason, who appeared in silent films, particularly Westerns in the 1920s and 1930s.Born in Huddersfield, England, he spent some time living in America and then in Switzerland near the Italian border.In June 1967 he was the second actor to be given an award by the National, Film Theatre (the first had been Sophia Loren in 1965) for services to the cinema.Was among the various actors in the running for the role of Dr. Hans Fallada in the science fiction horror film Lifeforce (1985); Frank Finlay won the role.A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden on 1st November 1984.Turned down a role in I Know Where I'm Going when he was told that he'd have to live rough in Scotland, The part was then give to Roger Livesey. |
| Trademarks: |
Sophisticated, upper-class demeanor
Deep, mellifluous voice |
| Quotes: |
[From Bill Fairchild] In a noisy world, he spoke quietly and, yet, his voice will be remembered by millions who never knew him.
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<hr>
How do I wish to be remembered, if at all? I think perhaps just as a fairly desirable sort of character actor.
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<hr>
I'm a character actor: the public never knows what it's getting by way of a Mason performance from one film to the next. I therefore represent a thoroughly insecure investment.
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[on not showing up at the 27th Academy Awards, even though he had been nominated as Best Actor for A Star Is Born (1954) and had agreed to go] The Oscar show is always a little better when things go wrong, so I had no need to feel guilty about letting them down.
<br />
<hr>
[1970 comment on Jean Renoir] He's my style. Renoir's good for actors. Renoir obviously loves actors and understands actors, and The Grand Illusion (1937), which I saw recently, is so modern that it could have been made this year - the acting and the staging of it are absolutely modern and true. |
| Salaries: |
The Sea Gull (1969) - $25,000 |
| Job title: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Others works: |
(1949) Illustrated book (w/Pamela Mason; as "Pamela Kellino"): "The Cats in Our Lives"
(1937) Stage: Appeared in Dodie Smith's "Bonnet over the Windmill", at the New Theatre in London, England, with Cecil Parker, Willia |
| Spouse: |
Clarissa Kaye-Mason (August 13, 1971 - July 27, 1984) (his death)Pamela Mason (February 22, 1941 - August 31, 1964) (divorced, 2 children) |
| Children: |
Morgan MasonPortland Mason |
| Parents: |
John Mason
Mabel Mason |
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