1. William Joseph Shields, known professionally as Barry Fitzgerald, was an Irish stage, film and television actor.
38 Facts About Barry Fitzgerald
1. 2.
Barry Fitzgerald's father was Irish and his mother was German.
3.
Barry Fitzgerald was the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields.
4.
Barry Fitzgerald attended Skerry's College in Dublin before going on to work in the civil service, starting as a junior clerk at the Dublin Board of Trade in 1911.
5.
Barry Fitzgerald later went to work for the unemployment office.
6.
Barry Fitzgerald joined his brother Arthur Shields in the Abbey in 1915.
7.
Barry Fitzgerald chose the stage name Barry Fitzgerald so as not to get in trouble with his superiors in the civil service.
8.
Barry Fitzgerald was in The Bribe, An Imaginary Conversation, John Bull's Other Island and others.
9.
Barry Fitzgerald received much acclaim for his performance in Paul Twyning during 1925.
10.
Barry Fitzgerald decided to leave his civil service job to join the production and at age 41, he became a full-time actor.
11.
Barry Fitzgerald made his film debut in Alfred Hitchcock's version of Juno and the Paycock, shot in London.
12.
In early 1931, Barry Fitzgerald toured England in a production of Paul Twyning.
13.
In 1932, Barry Fitzgerald travelled to the United States with the Abbey Players to appear in Things That Are Caesar's and The Far-off Hills.
14.
Barry Fitzgerald appeared in a short Irish silent film, Guests of the Nation, released only in Ireland in 1935.
15.
Barry Fitzgerald decided to remain in Hollywood where he soon found constant employment as a character actor.
16.
Barry Fitzgerald had support roles in Ebb Tide at Paramount, Bringing Up Baby at RKO, Four Men and a Prayer directed by John Ford for 20th Century-Fox, and The Dawn Patrol at Warner Bros.
17.
Barry Fitzgerald made a series of films at RKO: Pacific Liner with Victor McLaglen, and two directed by John Farrow, The Saint Strikes Back and Full Confession.
18.
In between the two Farrow films, Barry Fitzgerald returned to Broadway in 1939 in The White Steed.
19.
Back in Hollywood, Barry Fitzgerald was reunited with John Ford in The Long Voyage Home.
20.
Barry Fitzgerald appeared in San Francisco Docks at Universal and The Sea Wolf at Warner Bros.
21.
Back in Hollywood, Barry Fitzgerald appeared in a series of films for Universal: The Amazing Mrs Holliday, Two Tickets to London and Corvette K-225.
22.
Barry Fitzgerald unexpectedly became a leading man when Leo McCarey cast him opposite Bing Crosby in Going My Way released by Paramount in 1944.
23.
In March 1944, Barry Fitzgerald was involved in a car accident which resulted in the death of a woman and the injury of her daughter.
24.
Barry Fitzgerald was charged with manslaughter but was acquitted in January 1945 due to lack of evidence.
25.
Back at Paramount, Barry Fitzgerald supported Alan Ladd in Two Years Before the Mast, made in 1944 by John Farrow, but not released until 1946.
26.
Barry Fitzgerald supported Betty Hutton in Incendiary Blonde and The Stork Club.
27.
Barry Fitzgerald made two more films with John Farrow: California with Ray Milland and Easy Come, Easy Go, where he was top billed.
28.
Mark Hellinger borrowed Barry Fitzgerald to play the lead in a cop film at Universal, The Naked City which was a solid success.
29.
Barry Fitzgerald made his television debut with an episode of The Ford Theatre Hour, "The White-Headed Boy" in 1950.
30.
Barry Fitzgerald went to Italy to star in the comedy Ha da veni.
31.
Barry Fitzgerald then appeared in Happy Ever After with De Carlo and David Niven.
32.
Barry Fitzgerald appeared in TV on episodes of Lux Video Theatre, General Electric Theater, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
33.
Barry Fitzgerald had a supporting role in MGM's The Catered Affair and was top billed in the British comedy Rooney.
34.
Barry Fitzgerald was top billed in the Irish film Broth of a Boy.
35.
Barry Fitzgerald returned to live in Dublin in 1959, where he lived at 2 Seafield Ave, Monkstown.
36.
Barry Fitzgerald appeared to recover, but in late 1960 he re-entered the hospital.
37.
Barry Fitzgerald died, as William Joseph Shields, of a heart attack in St Patrick's Hospital, James Street, on 4 January 1961.
38.
Barry Fitzgerald has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for motion pictures at 6252 Hollywood Boulevard and for television at 7001 Hollywood Boulevard.