Birth nameElmore Ruel Torn Jr. Birth information6 February 1931, Temple, Texas, USA BioRip Torn was born Elmore Rual Torn, Jr. on February 6, 1931 in Temple, Texas. "Rip" is a family name, taken by generations of Torn men and bestowed on Elmore by his father, who was also called "Rip." Torn attended Texas A & M and the University of Texas, where he majored in animal husbandry. Extremely naive when he was young, Torn hitchhiked to Hollywood with the idea of becoming a movie star; he wanted to make enough money in order to buy a ranch. Success did not come overnight, as he had hoped, and Torn had to work many odd jobs while occasionally being cast in television roles. He made his feature film debut in `Elia Kazan''s "Baby Doll" in a small part.Serious about learning his craft, he moved to New York City where he studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. Torn also studied dance with Martha Graham. His serious acting career began on the small screen, where he made a name for himself in the Golden Age of Television; between 1957 and 1960, he appeared regularly on such prestigious live shows as "Omnibus" and "Playhouse 90."Torn made his Broadway debut in Kazan's staging of Tennessee Williams' "Sweet Bird of Youth" on March 10, 1959, in support of 'Paul Newman', 'Sydney Blackmer' and Geraldine Page, who would become his second wife. The play was a hit, closing on January 30, 1960 after 375 performances. He won a 1960 Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Theater World award for his role as Tom, Jr., a role he recreated in the 1962 film. (Torn also starred as Boss Finley in a later television adaptation of the play).Torn earned a reputation as an actor's actor on stage, both Broadway and Off-Broadway, as well as on screen. He continues to work in the New York theater despite his demanding TV and movie schedule as both an actor and director. He has won two Obie awards for his work Off-Broadway, for Distinguished Performance in Norman Mailer's "The Deer Park" (for the 1966-1967 season), and for Distinguished Direction for "The Beard" (1967-1968). He has his own stage company, and directed his daughter Angelica Torn(by Gerladine Page) in John Paul Alexander's "Strangers in the Land of Canaan" at the Actors Studio. Torn made his feature film directorial debut with "The Telephone" (1987).He has constantly been in demand as a character actor, in supporting, second lead and occasional lead roles. His best performance on film came in "Pay Day," and he was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for "Cross Creek." Most of Torn's roles have been in drama, though he is adept in comedy. His role in Albert Brooks' comedy "Defending Your Life" led to his being cast in "The Larry Sanders Show," on which he played talk show producer Artie. Torn won six consecutive Emmy nominations for the role, winning once for Best Supporting Actor in a comedy series in 1996.Rip Torn was married to actress Ann Wedgeworth from 1956 to 1961, whom he divorced to marry Geraldine Page. They remained married until her death in 1987. Torn helped his cousin, Oscar-winner Sissy Spacek, to make her way as an actress, seeing to it that she was accepted by the Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio and then the Lee Strasberg Institute.

Recurring 30 Rock guest star Rip Torn pleaded not guilty on Monday to drunken driving charges, stemming from a Dec. 14 arrest.
Torn appeared in a Bantam, Conn. superior court and pleaded not guilty to illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane, according to The Associated Press.
State police say a trooper pulled Torn over after he noticed the actor driving in the breakdown lane of Route 44 in Salisbury, Conn. ...
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Adam Bryant

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There's no need to focus all your attention on new releases, particularly not when spring is studded with enough fantastic repertory scheduling to fill your every evening. Here's a look at what's been planned in New York and L.A.
New York:
Anthology Film Archives
Catalan filmmaker Albert Serra returns to the Anthology Film Archives from Feb. 25-March 3 to present his latest film, "Birdsong," an atmospheric retelling of biblical Three Wise Men story with an eye towards the desert landscape they were traveling [pictured left], in addition to Mark Peranson's experimental making-of "Birdsong" doc, "Waiting for Sancho," which will show on Feb. 28 and March 1... On March 4, '60s underground filmmaker Jose Rodriguez Soltero will get a double feature of two newly restored prints of his 1965 exploration of narcissism, "Jerovi," and the 1966 celebration of Mexican Hollywood star Lupe Velez, "Lupe."... From March 5 through 15, one of America's finest character actors gets a retrospective
Stephen Saito

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The Anthology Film Archives in New York City is presenting the films of actor Rip Torn between March 5- 15. Screenings include titles rarely seen on the big screen including Beach Red, Sweet Bird of Youth, Payday, Coming Apart and Tropic of Cancer.The festival is most welcome, as it puts the spotlight on one of the most interesting actors working today. Our only gripe: the schedule doesn't include the Man From U.N.C.L.E. feature film One Spy Too Many in which Torn became one of the great villains of the medium with his portrayal of Alexander the Greater, a man who plans to conquer the world through breaking each ot The Ten Commandments in turn.
Here is the text of the press release from Anthology Film Archives:
A ubiquitous but under-appreciated presence on screen for nearly five decades, Rip Torn is one of American cinema's great talents,
nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

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