Biografia

He was also a teacher, leading workshops in improvisation. Students found him warm, insightful, and very, very funny.

Disliked filming the scene in Gli occhi della notte (1967) where his character Harry Roat Jr terrorizes Suzy Hendrix (Audrey Hepburn).

Although he usually played quirky, fatherly types in his later years, back in the '60s and '70s he was known as an edgy, intense actor. His darkest role is almost certainly Harry Roat in Gli occhi della notte (1967), who was a vicious but intelligent psychopath who terrifies a seemingly defenseless blind woman (Audrey Hepburn).

One of only six actors to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his first screen appearance. The other five actors are: Orson Welles, Lawrence Tibbett, James Dean, Paul Muni and Montgomery Clift.

A founding member of the folk group The Tarriers, he co-wrote "The Banana Boat Song" (also known as "Day-o"), which later became a mega-hit for Harry Belafonte.

[on his character Harry Roat Jr. terrorizing Suzy Hendrix (Audrey Hepburn) in Gli occhi della notte (1967)] I hated it. I just thought she was terrific. I had an enormous amount of regard for her. I didn't like being cruel to her. It made me very uncomfortable.

It's not enough for me to just be a personality and go up there and say lines nicely. I want to tell a story with a character.

Well, I've always been a character actor. I've never been a leading man. It gave me an opportunity not to have to take my clothes off all the time.

I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?

[on why he thinks he won the Oscar in 2007] I haven't got a clue. I think it's my age. Everybody thinks I'm going to keel over in a year or two.