Trivia

Served in the US Navy from 1938-41, then joined the Merchant Marine as water tender in the engine room but disliked convoy duty because of Axis aircraft attacks and his location three decks below the main deck--this, as he says, ended his "romance with the life of a sailor". He left the Merchant Marine in 1942, joined the US Army and became a platoon sergeant and parachute jump master in the 101st Airborne. Fought in the Battle of the Bulge. While hospitalized with a leg injury sustained in a jump, he read a play written by Clifford Odets and decided to become an actor.

Boxed as a welterweight under the name "Johnny Costello" in his youth. Fought on the same card as Charles Durning in Madison Square Garden.

He and Gilbert Gottfried are the only two actors to appear in all three "Problem Child" films. Unlike Gottfried, Warden did not participate in the animated series.

Appeared in five films that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Tant qu'il y aura des hommes (1953), 12 Hommes en colère (1957), Les Hommes du président (1976), Le ciel peut attendre (1978) and Le verdict (1982). Of those, Tant qu'il y aura des hommes (1953) was the only one to win the award.

Separated from wife Wanda Ottoni some time in the mid-1970s. However, they never got divorced and were still legally married at the time of his death.

Appeared in five films directed by Sidney Lumet: 12 Hommes en colère (1957), Une espèce de garce (1959), Bye Bye Braverman (1968), Le verdict (1982) and L'Avocat du diable (1993).

Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Actors Branch).

Played Cpl. Steve Henshaw in the unaired pilot of The Phil Silvers Show (1955).

He has appeared in six films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Boulevard du Crépuscule (1950), Tant qu'il y aura des hommes (1953), L'homme qui tua la peur (1957), 12 Hommes en colère (1957), Les Hommes du président (1976) and Bienvenue Mister Chance (1979).

The son of John Warden Lebzelter and Laura M. Costello, Warden's father was of German and Irish ancestry, and his mother was of Irish ancestry. His paternal grandfather, Phillip Lebzelter, was the son of German immigrants, Johann Wilhelm Lebzelter and Martha Ackerman. Jack's three other grandparents (paternal grandmother Catherine O'Brien, and maternal grandparents Edward F. Costello and Mary H. McGrath) were all of Irish origin. Warden moved to Louisville, Kentucky as a youth to live with his grandparents. He graduated from DuPont Manual High School in Louisville.

Both his Oscar nominations are for roles in movies starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and written by Beatty: Shampoo (1975) and Le ciel peut attendre (1978).

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Lt. Mike Haines on N.Y.P.D. (1967).