An iconic movie star and Broadway trailblazer was seen during a rare outing in New York City on Tuesday.
The Hollywood staple has just turned 85-years-old and looked to be in good shape still as he was carrying a black briefcase on a busy sidewalk.
This actor with a theater background has popped up in many big films over the years.
He was in the screwball comedy What’s Up, Doc? in 1972 with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal. In 1979 he was featured in the classic kids’ feature The Muppet Movie.
And in 1992 he worked with Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in the comedy My Cousin Vinny.
In 2001 the versatile actor co-starred with Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly in the Oscar-beloved film A Beautiful Mind.
His six-decade career has also included roles in films such as Catch-22 (1970); The Front Page (1974); Short Circuit (1986); Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990); Mr. Nanny (1993); Guarding Tess (1994); and Amistad (1997).
And he voiced a character in the animated hit Finding Nemo (2003). Can you identify the mystery star?
An iconic movie star and Broadway trailblazer was seen in New York City this week. The Hollywood staple has just turned 85-years-old and looked to be in good shape still as he was carrying a briefcase on a sidewalk
This actor has popped up in many big films over the years. Who is he?
It’s Austin Pendleton who is known for roles in My Cousin Vinny, Guarding Tess and A Beautiful Mind.
Pendleton was born in Ohio. He is the son of actress Frances (née Manchester) Pendleton; she taught him how to act.
Austin graduated from the University School, a private all-boys school in Shaker Heights, Ohio, then participated in theater while attending Yale University, from which he graduated in 1961.
After Yale, Pendleton moved to New York City and broke into the theater performing in the 1962 off-Broadway production of Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad.
The actor also appeared in Fiddler on the Roof, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac, The Diary of Anne Frank, Goodtime Charley, and Up from Paradise.
And he worked as a director too.
Austin directed Elizabeth Taylor and Maureen Stapleton in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes garnered him a Tony Award nomination in 1981.
Austin never gave up on theater.
In 2009, Pendleton directed Uncle Vanya, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, at the Classic Stage Company.
He is Austin Pendleton, seen here in the movie My Cousin Vinny in 1992
The actor also had a role in the 1994 movie Guarding Tess with Shirley MacLaine
Pendleton served as artistic director of the Circle Repertory Company with ᴀssociate artistic director Lynne Thigpen. The company closed in 1996.
Pendleton was the subject of Starring Austin Pendleton, a 2016 documentary in which former costars Meryl Streep, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Olympia Dukakis and Ethan Hawke talked about his career.
Pendleton has been married to actress Katina Commings since November 1970. They have one child.
During an interview with Steppenwolf, Austin revealed what his first lucky break was.
Austin is the actor in the white suit and tie next to Ryan O’Neal and Barbra Streisand in What’s Up, Doc? in 1972
From left, Ryan, Austin and Barbara
‘An important one was the first time I met the Steppenwolf ensemble. It was all because of the play Say Goodnight, Gracie, which I had directed Off–Broadway. The producer wanted to bring it to Chicago, but the playwright wouldn’t give him the rights unless I was the director. But I kept saying, “I don’t want to direct it, I’ve already directed it,”‘ he said.
‘But, he convinced me and I flew out for auditions in a foul mood… and it was like Alice in Wonderland.
‘I fell into this rabbit hole of brilliance that I didn’t know existed. I met and auditioned the whole ensemble, which was an unforgettable couple of hours.
‘I hadn’t even heard of any one of them, and all of a sudden, I had to choose between actors like Laurie Metcalf and Joan Allen for the same role.
‘The rest of the cast included John Malkovich, Glenne Headley, and Fran Guinan. I remember offering another role to Jeff Perry, and he said to me, “Buddy…” – we had just met and he calls me “Buddy” – “Buddy, I can’t do this. I’ve played too many big parts in recent productions. For the good of the ensemble, I shouldn’t take this part.”
Austin, left, with Russell Crowe, in 2001’s A Beautiful Mind
‘And I said, “Are you out of your mind?” I was a New York actor, I had never heard a sentence like that!
‘He said, “Oh, I want the part and I’d love to work with you, but I mustn’t. It will disturb the equilibrium of the ensemble.” I thought, “These people are lunatics.”‘
And he added, ‘Almost everything has been an accident.’
He also shared: ‘I can’t think of a project that I have pursued. Even Orson’s Shadow was written because Judith Auberjenois asked me to write it for her husband Rene, who then didn’t want to do it.’
And he discussed working with Orson Welles on Catch–22, hinting he was not nice to work with.
Pendleton and wife Katina Commings pose at the opening night of This Beautiful Future in 2022 in New York City
‘When the movie came out, I was quoted in all these magazines saying really snide things about him. And, as big an a**hole as he was, he was still a great artist, though he really injured Catch–22 artistically.
‘He redirected all the scenes he was in – and I was in all of them with him, so I know. [Director] Mike Nichols would finish a scene, and then Orson would redirect it and take all the humor out of it.
‘He would say to Mike, “You don’t understand comedy.” Now, the worst detractors of Mike Nichols have never said he doesn’t understand comedy! [laughter] Orson would give these pompous little speeches about comedy and then redirect the scene.’
