Gender
Male
Born
Feb 28, 1923
Highland Falls, New York, USA
Died
Dec 24, 2012
New York, New York, USA
Performer
Comments
Biography: Charles Edward Durning was born on February 28, 1923 in Highland Falls, New York to Louise and James E. Durning. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded a Silver Star for valor and three Purple Hearts. Durning taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City while pursuing his acting career. He married Carole Doughty in 1959 and separated from his second wife, Mary Ann Amelio Durning in 2010. He is survived by his three children.

Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "The Sting," "North Dallas Forty," "True Confessions," "Tootsie," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Dick Tracy," "Home for the Holidays," "Twilight"s Last Gleaming," and "To Be or Not to Be." Television credits include: "Evening Shade," "First Monday," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "O Brother, Where Art Thou"," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Rescue Me," "Captains and the Kings," "Attica," "Death of a Salesman," and "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom."

Other Awards: Inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on Broadway in 1999. Received the Life Achievement Award at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Ceremony in 2008. He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.

Trivia:
He appeared in 35 New York Shakespeare Festival productions.
The Academy Film Archive is home to the Charles Durning Collection.
The marquees of Broadway theatres were dimmed in his honor on December 27, 2012.
  • CREDITS
    Gore Vidal's The Best Man (Sep 17, 2000 - Dec 31, 2000)
    • Starring: Charles Durning [Ex-President Arthur Hockstader]
    PlayRevival
    The Gin Game (Apr 20, 1997 - Aug 31, 1997)
    • Starring: Charles Durning [Weller Martin]
    PlayRevival
    Inherit the Wind (Apr 04, 1996 - May 12, 1996)
    • Starring: Charles Durning [Matthew Harrison Brady]
    PlayDramaRevival
    Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Mar 21, 1990 - Aug 01, 1990)
    • Also Starring: Charles Durning [Big Daddy]
    PlayDramaRevival
    Knock Knock (Feb 24, 1976 - Jul 03, 1976)
    • Performer: Charles Durning
      • Cohn - Replacement (May 26, 1976 - ?)
    PlayComedyOriginal
    The au Pair Man (Dec 27, 1973 - Jan 27, 1974)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [Eugene Hartigan]
    PlayOriginal
    Boom Boom Room (Nov 08, 1973 - Dec 09, 1973)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [Harold]
    PlayDramaOriginal
    That Championship Season (Sep 14, 1972 - Apr 21, 1974)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [George Sikowski]
    PlayOriginal
    Indians (Oct 13, 1969 - Jan 03, 1970)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [Ned Buntline]
    PlayOriginal
    The Happy Time (Jan 18, 1968 - Sep 28, 1968)
    • Also Starring: Charles Durning [Louis Bonnard]
    MusicalComedyOriginal
    Pousse-Café (Mar 18, 1966 - Mar 19, 1966)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [Maurice, Dean Stewart]
    • Understudy: Charles Durning [Artie]
    MusicalOriginal
    Drat! The Cat! (Oct 10, 1965 - Oct 16, 1965)
    • Performer: Charles Durning [Pincer]
    MusicalComedyOriginal
    Poor Bitos (Nov 14, 1964 - Nov 28, 1964)
    • Understudy: Charles Durning [Phillippe (Jesuit Father), Charles, Julien (Danton), Vulturne (Mirabeau), Brassac (Tallien)]
    PlayOriginal
    The Gin Game (Oct 27, 1998 - May 16, 1999)
    • Starring: Charles Durning [Weller Martin]
    PlayRevival
  • AWARDS

    Tony Award®

    Best Featured Actor in a Play

    1990 | Winner  | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
    Also Starring: Charles Durning

    Drama Desk Award

    Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

    1990 | Winner  | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
    Also Starring: Charles Durning

    Outstanding Performance

    1972 | Winner  | That Championship Season
    Performer: Charles Durning
Gore Vidal's The Best Man (Sep 17, 2000 - Dec 31, 2000)
  • Starring: Charles Durning [Ex-President Arthur Hockstader]
PlayRevival
The Gin Game (Apr 20, 1997 - Aug 31, 1997)
  • Starring: Charles Durning [Weller Martin]
PlayRevival
Inherit the Wind (Apr 04, 1996 - May 12, 1996)
  • Starring: Charles Durning [Matthew Harrison Brady]
PlayDramaRevival
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Mar 21, 1990 - Aug 01, 1990)
  • Also Starring: Charles Durning [Big Daddy]
PlayDramaRevival
Knock Knock (Feb 24, 1976 - Jul 03, 1976)
  • Performer: Charles Durning
    • Cohn - Replacement (May 26, 1976 - ?)
PlayComedyOriginal
The au Pair Man (Dec 27, 1973 - Jan 27, 1974)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [Eugene Hartigan]
PlayOriginal
Boom Boom Room (Nov 08, 1973 - Dec 09, 1973)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [Harold]
PlayDramaOriginal
That Championship Season (Sep 14, 1972 - Apr 21, 1974)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [George Sikowski]
PlayOriginal
Indians (Oct 13, 1969 - Jan 03, 1970)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [Ned Buntline]
PlayOriginal
The Happy Time (Jan 18, 1968 - Sep 28, 1968)
  • Also Starring: Charles Durning [Louis Bonnard]
MusicalComedyOriginal
Pousse-Café (Mar 18, 1966 - Mar 19, 1966)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [Maurice, Dean Stewart]
  • Understudy: Charles Durning [Artie]
MusicalOriginal
Drat! The Cat! (Oct 10, 1965 - Oct 16, 1965)
  • Performer: Charles Durning [Pincer]
MusicalComedyOriginal
Poor Bitos (Nov 14, 1964 - Nov 28, 1964)
  • Understudy: Charles Durning [Phillippe (Jesuit Father), Charles, Julien (Danton), Vulturne (Mirabeau), Brassac (Tallien)]
PlayOriginal
The Gin Game (Oct 27, 1998 - May 16, 1999)
  • Starring: Charles Durning [Weller Martin]
PlayRevival

Tony Award®

Best Featured Actor in a Play

1990 | Winner  | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Also Starring: Charles Durning

Drama Desk Award

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

1990 | Winner  | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Also Starring: Charles Durning

Outstanding Performance

1972 | Winner  | That Championship Season
Performer: Charles Durning

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