Richard Conte
| Richard Conte | |
|---|---|
Richard Conte in 1945.
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| Born |
Nicholas Peter Conte March 24, 1910 Jersey City, New Jersey, United States |
| Died | April 15, 1975 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1939–1975 |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Storey (1943–1962 div.) Shirlee Garner (1973–75, his death) |
| Children | Mark Conte |
Richard Conte (born Nicholas Peter Conte; March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s through 1970s, including I'll Cry Tomorrow, Ocean's 11, and The Godfather.
Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte on March 24, 1910, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Italian-Americans Julia (Fina), a seamstress, and Pasquale Conte, a barber. He graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City.
Conte worked as a truck driver, messenger, shoe salesman and a singing waiter before starting his acting career. He was discovered by actors Elia Kazan and John Garfield during his job at a Connecticut resort, which led to Conte finding stage work. He eventually earned a scholarship to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he became a standout actor.
He made his Broadway debut late in Moon Over Mulberry Street in 1939, and went on to be featured in other plays, including Night Music and Walk Into My Parlor.
Conte has been described as "a key actor in noir films ... invaluable because he could play tough heroes ... as well as conniving villains ...." His first film performance was in 1939, Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence, in which he was billed as Nicholas Conte. His career started to thrive during the Second World War. In 1942, Conte signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. He then changed his name to Richard Conte. His first Fox film was Guadalcanal Diary (1943). During the World War II years, Conte played mostly soldiers in war dramas, including The Purple Heart (1944) and A Walk in the Sun (1945).
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