Monday, January 23, 2012

Happy 105th Birthday, Dan Duryea!

He was that well-loved Hollywood villain with the maniacal laugh. People loved him, even though he was the heavy. In 1950, Andrea King (on behalf of all the feminine "villains" in Hollywood) presented him with a special award of a gold-plated heel, making him the "Hollywood Heel of the Year".



In his words: You can't make a picture without a villain . . . it pays well and you last.

In his personal life, Mr. Duryea was a model husband, parent and citizen. The opposite of his screen image. Today would have been his 105th birthday, so we're remembering the man (and the actor). After all, without the villains how can there be a hero? Happy Birthday, Mr. Duryea!