1. Nicholas Peter Conte, known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor.
44 Facts About Richard Conte
1. 2.
Richard Conte was known for his starring roles in films noir and crime dramas during the 1940s and 1950s, including Call Northside 777, Cry of the City, House of Strangers, Whirlpool, The Blue Gardenia, and The Big Combo.
3.
Richard Conte co-starred in three films opposite Frank Sinatra: the original Ocean's 11, Tony Rome, and Lady in Cement.
4.
Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte on March 24,1910 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Italian-Americans Julia, a seamstress, and Pasquale Conte, a barber.
5.
Richard Conte graduated from William L Dickinson High School in Jersey City.
6.
Richard Conte was discovered by film director Elia Kazan and actor John Garfield during his job at a Connecticut resort, which led to Conte finding stage work.
7.
Richard Conte eventually earned a scholarship to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he became a standout actor.
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Richard Conte made his film debut under the name Nicholas Conte in Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence at 20th Century Fox.
9.
Richard Conte played Tony, a hobo who meets up with Joe and Anita.
10.
Richard Conte made his Broadway debut in My Heart's in the Highlands for the Group Theatre.
11.
Richard Conte performed in the road company of Golden Boy.
12.
Richard Conte was a hit in Jason then was he Family.
13.
Richard Conte followed it with another war drama, The Purple Heart, directed by Lewis Milestone; he was billed second, beneath Dana Andrews.
14.
Richard Conte had a smaller part in Captain Eddie, a biopic about Eddie Rickenbacker, and played an Italian POW in A Bell for Adano.
15.
Richard Conte had the star role in A Walk in the Sun, another war film for Milestone, and he was teamed again with Andrews.
16.
Richard Conte had supporting roles in Somewhere in the Night, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, and the spy film 13 Rue Madeleine, directed by Henry Hathaway.
17.
Richard Conte was borrowed by Enterprise Productions for The Other Love with Barbara Stanwyck and David Niven.
18.
Richard Conte was teamed with Victor Mature in Cry of the City.
19.
Richard Conte was top billed in Thieves' Highway, directed by Jules Dassin, and co-starred with Gene Tierney in Otto Preminger's film noir Whirlpool.
20.
Richard Conte signed a contract with Universal Pictures, and he starred in some crime films: The Sleeping City ; Hollywood Story, directed by William Castle; and The Raging Tide.
21.
Richard Conte went to Warner Bros to co-star with Anne Baxter and Ann Sothern in The Blue Gardenia directed by Fritz Lang.
22.
Richard Conte made Slaves of Babylon for Sam Katzman at Columbia.
23.
Richard Conte started guest starring on TV shows such as Medallion Theatre, Ford Television Theatre, and General Electric Theater.
24.
Richard Conte was going to direct The Wolf Pack for Broidy, but it was not made.
25.
Back in the US, Richard Conte did The Big Combo for Cornel Wilde's company; New York Confidential for producer Edward Small; and The Big Tip Off for Broidy.
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John Garfield Elia Kazan Dana Andrews Eddie Rickenbacker Henry Hathaway Barbara Stanwyck David Niven Victor Mature Jules Dassin Gene Tierney Anne Baxter Ann Sothern Fritz Lang Sam Katzman Susan Hayward Lillian Roth Judy Holliday Alfred Hitchcock Frank Sinatra Jean Arthur Marlon Brando Vito Corleone Chris Conte 26.
Richard Conte went to England for Little Red Monkey, RKO for Bengazi, and Warners for a Korean War movie Target Zero.
27.
Richard Conte broke out of B movies with the second lead in I'll Cry Tomorrow, an MGM biopic about Lillian Roth starring Susan Hayward.
28.
Richard Conte co-starred with Judy Holliday in Full of Life, played the lead in The Brothers Rico, and had supporting roles in This Angry Age and They Came to Cordura.
29.
Richard Conte continued to guest on TV shows like The 20th Century-Fox Hour and The Twilight Zone and played the lead in a TV adaptation of The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio.
30.
Richard Conte had his first regular TV role in The Four Just Men.
31.
Richard Conte supported Frank Sinatra in Ocean's 11 but then focused on TV: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bus Stop, Naked City, Checkmate, Frontier Circus, The DuPont Show of the Week, The Untouchables, Alcoa Premiere, Going My Way, Kraft Mystery Theater, 77 Sunset Strip, The Reporter, Kraft Suspense Theatre and Arrest and Trial.
32.
Richard Conte had a supporting role in Assault on a Queen, and he was one of several stars in Hotel.
33.
In 1966, Richard Conte landed a supporting role in the short-lived CBS sitcom The Jean Arthur Show.
34.
Richard Conte appeared as Lieutenant Dave Santini in two crime films with Frank Sinatra: Tony Rome and Lady in Cement.
35.
Richard Conte had one of his memorable performances in The Godfather as Don Emilio Barzini.
36.
Richard Conte was at one time considered for the title role, Don Vito Corleone, a role performed by Marlon Brando.
37.
The success of the film led to Richard Conte being cast in a series of "mob" roles, mainly in Italian-produced poliziotteschi films.
38.
Richard Conte did the horror films Evil Eye, A Diary of a Murderess and Naked Exorcism.
39.
Richard Conte was a Republican who campaigned for Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.
40.
Richard Conte was married to actress Ruth Storey, with whom he adopted a son, film editor Mark Richard Conte.
41.
Richard Conte married his second wife, Shirlee Colleen Garner, in 1973.
42.
Richard Conte's grandson is National Football League free safety Chris Conte.
43.
Richard Conte was taken to UCLA Medical Center where the staff worked for eight hours to keep him alive.
44.
Richard Conte is buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.