James Whitmore (1969)

In the 1960s the Historic Elitch Theatre hosted many touring companies with big-name stars, including a tour of The Chic Life in August of 1969, starring James Whitmore and Audra Lindley. (Whitmore and Lindley would later marry in 1972.) Today’s movie fans may primarily know Whitmore for his role in The Shawshank Redemption. (And Lindley may be best known for her role as Helen Roper in Three’s Company.)

The other footnote for the tour of The Chic Life is that it also starred former-Denver resident, Milo Boulton. A graduate of nearby Denver North High School, Boulton first played the Historic Elitch Theatre in 1936.

In 1950, Whitmore won the Golden Globe for Battleground. He also won a Tony Award and an Emmy Award, and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

Whitmore’s biorgraphy from the 1969 HET Program for The Chic Life:

Mr. Whitmore was born in White Plains, New York, and raised in Buffalo, New York. His football career at Yale was abruptly curtailed by two knee injuries, but he became a member of the famous Whiffenpoofs and was one of the eight seniors comprising the Pundits, a society of high ranking seniors founded by William Lyon Phelps. He also became class historian. He left Yale in his senior year to enlist in the Marine Corps and received his degree while in boot camp.

When he was discharged in 1946, he toured with the USO entertaining troops. After the USO tour he arrived in New York and studied at The American Theatre Wing. He used his last dollar to fly to an audition for producer Kermit Bloomgarten for a part in “Command Decision.” The play opened to rave reviews on his birthday. For this performance he was awarded the Antoinette Perry award for the best supporting performance of the year, as well as the Donaldson Award for the best newcomer of the year. During the run of the play he made his motion picture debut with Glenn Ford in The Undercover Man” and studied at the Actor’s Studio with Elia Kazan.

Under contract to MGM, he contributed the unforgettable portrayal of the sergeant in the movie “Battleground,” for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. His versatile talent found him in comedies and musicals as well as drama. Among them: “The Asphalt Jungle,” “The Next Voice You Hear,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Battle Cry,” “The Eddie Duchin Story,” “Who Was That Lady,” and “Black Like Me.” He won a wide audience with his role in the television series “The Law and Mr. Jones,” and “My Friend Tony.”

In May of 1965, Mr. Whitmore appeared at the Nassau Community College in “An Evening With Walt Whitman.” In 1966 he appeared as Mr. Sloan in “A Case of Libel” at the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee. He was seen as Chris in “Anna Christie” at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood. Just prior to the tour of “The Chic Life” he finished filming the part of Admiral “Bull” Halsey in the Twentieth Century Fox Film, “Tara, Tora, Tara.”

Whitmore’s biorgraphy from the 1969 HET Program for The Chic Life

Seasons at the Theatre

1969

Elitch Theatre Productions/Roles:

1969 — The Chic Life — Touring production presented at the Historic Elitch Theatre in August 1969, starring James Whitmore and Audra Lindley. The company also included longtime performer and fellow Elitch alumnus Milo Boulton.

Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:

1947–1948 — Command Decision (Broadway) — Whitmore made his Broadway debut as Tech Sergeant Harold Evans and received the 1948 Tony Award for Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer, as well as a Theatre World Award.
1949 — Battleground — Played Sergeant Kinnie, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
1950–1960s — Major film and television work — Appeared in such notable films as The Asphalt Jungle, Them!, Oklahoma!, and Black Like Me, while starring on television as attorney Abraham Lincoln Jones in The Law and Mr. Jones.
1968 — Planet of the Apes — Appeared as the President of the Assembly in the landmark science-fiction film.
1970s — Celebrated one-man stage performances — Became particularly associated with portraying American historical figures, including Will Rogers in Will Rogers’ USA, Harry S. Truman in Give ’em Hell, Harry!, and Theodore Roosevelt in Bully.
1975 — Give ’em Hell, Harry! — His solo portrayal of President Harry S. Truman was filmed for theatrical release and earned Whitmore an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
1976 — Grammy Award — Won Best Spoken Word Recording for Give ‘Em Hell Harry.
1994 — The Shawshank Redemption — Played Brooks Hatlen, the elderly prison librarian whose story became one of the film’s most memorable and poignant sequences.
2000 — The Practice — Won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Raymond Oz.

Elitch Theatre Connections:

Command Decision (Broadway play, 1947–48): Paul McGrath (HET 1968) was in the original Broadway cast alongside Whitmore.
Battleground (film, 1949): Van Johnson (1977) co-starred with Whitmore.
Please Believe Me (film, 1950): Spring Byington (1906) was in the supporting cast.
It’s a Big Country (MGM anthology film, 1951): Fredric March (1926), Van Johnson (1977), and Lewis Stone (1913) were all in the cast. (The film is made of separate segments, so they did not share scenes with Whitmore.)
Whitmore appeared with Elitch alums, Lewis Stone and Spring Byington, in the 1951 film Angels in the Outfield. (Technically, Whitmore didn’t “appear” with them — he was the voice of the angel and was never seen.)
Because You’re Mine (film, 1952): Spring Byington (1906) was in the supporting cast.
The Girl Who Had Everything (film, 1953): Gig Young (1973) was in the cast with Whitmore.
All the Brothers Were Valiant (film, 1953): Lewis Stone (1913) played Captain Holt in what became his final film.
The McConnell Story (film, 1955): June Allyson (1966) starred as the wife of Alan Ladd’s character; Whitmore played Ty Whitman.
The Restless Years (film, 1958): Teresa Wright (1976) was a co-star.
The Law and Mr. Jones (ABC series, 1960–62):
- Jack Albertson (1966) was a guest in the episode “Accidental Jeopardy” (1961).
- Joyce Van Patten (1944) is listed in the series cast as “Ethel.”
The Tenderfoot (Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, 3-part TV miniseries, 1964): Brandon deWilde (1972) was a co-lead.
Planet of the Apes (film, 1968): Kim Hunter (1975) was a co-star.
The Split (film, 1968): Julie Harris (1978) co-starred.
The Challenge (ABC TV movie, 1970): Darren McGavin (1964) was the male lead.
Inquest (Broadway play, 1970): Mason Adams (1984) played Irving Saypol.
If Tomorrow Comes (ABC TV movie, 1971): Patty Duke (1973) starred as Whitmore’s daughter, and Pat Hingle (1981) played the sheriff.
Temperatures Rising (ABC series, 1972–73):
- Joan Van Ark (1960) was a series regular alongside Whitmore.
- Jayne Meadows (1974) was a guest in the episode “Good Luck, Lefkowitz” (1972).
The Canterville Ghost (TV movie, 1974): Audra Lindley (1969) was in the cast.
General Electric’s All-Star Anniversary (ABC TV special, 1978): Pat Hingle (1981) was on the performer roster. This was a variety special, so I can’t say they shared a scene.
The Golden Honeymoon (PBS, The American Short Story, 1980): Teresa Wright (1976) played his wife, Lucy.
Parade of Stars (Palace Theatre revue and ABC special, 1983): Shelley Winters (1973) and Richard Kiley (1976) were both performers in the benefit.
All My Sons (PBS American Playhouse, produced 1986, aired January 1987): Michael Learned (1987) played his wife, Kate Keller.
Favorite Son (NBC miniseries, 1988): Jon Cypher (1958) played Bartholomew Scott; Whitmore played the President.
Old Explorers (film, 1990): José Ferrer (1973) co-starred with Whitmore.
The Relic (film, 1997): Constance Towers (1969) and Audra Lindley (1969) were both in the cast. It was Lindley’s last film.