Richard Conte


Richard Conte 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.

Early years

Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte on March 24, 1910, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Italian-Americans Julia, 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 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.
Conte was a Republican who campaigned for Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election. He also adhered to Roman Catholicism.

Career

Stage

He made his film debut under the name Nicholas Conte in Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence at 20th Century Fox.
He made his Broadway debut in My Heart's in the Highlands for the Group Theatre. Also for the Group he was in Clifford Odets' Night Music. He performed in the road company of Golden Boy.
On Broadway he was in Heavenly Express, and Walk Into My Parlor. He was in a hit in Jason then was in The Family.
During World War II, Conte served in the United States Army, but was discharged because of eye trouble.

20th Century Fox

In May 1943, Conte signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox, changing his name to Richard Conte. His first Fox film was Guadalcanal Diary, where he was billed fourth.
He followed it with another war drama, The Purple Heart, directed by Lewis Milestone; he was billed second, beneath Dana Andrews.
Conte had a smaller part in Captain Eddie, a biopic about Eddie Rickenbacker, and played an Italian POW in A Bell for Adano.
Conte had the star role in another war film for Milestone, A Walk in the Sun, where he was teamed again with Andrews.

Stardom

Fox promoted Conte to top billing with a film noir, The Spider. Although a "B" film for the studio, it was successful enough to establish Conte in film noir.
He had a good support role in Somewhere in the Night directed by Joseph Mankiewicz then supported James Cagney in a spy film, 13 Rue Madeleine, directed by Henry Hathaway.
Conte was borrowed by Enterprise Productions for The Other Love with Barbara Stanwyck and David Niven. Back at Fox he had an excellent part in Hathaway's crime drama Call Northside 777, as the prisoner whose innocence is proved by James Stewart.
Conte was teamed with Victor Mature in Cry of the City. MGM borrowed him to support Wallace Beery in Big Jack, Beery's final film, then he did another for Mankiewicz at Fox, House of Strangers with Edward G. Robinson, playing Max Monetti, a lawyer who defends his father against government charges of banking irregularities and goes to prison for jury tampering.
Conte was top billed in Thieves' Highway, directed by Jules Dassin, and co-starred with Gene Tierney in Otto Preminger's classic film noir Whirlpool.

Universal

Conte signed a contract with Universal Pictures, for whom he starred in some crime films: The Sleeping City ; Hollywood Story, directed by William Castle; and The Raging Tide.
After doing a boxing film for United Artists, The Fighter, he returned to Universal for The Raiders.
Conte went to Warner Bros to co-star with Anne Baxter and Ann Sothern in The Blue Gardenia
directed by Fritz Lang. Back at Universal Conte supported Alan Ladd in Desert Legion. He made Slaves of Babylon for Sam Katzman at Columbia. Conte started guest starring on TV shows such as Medallion Theatre, Ford Television Theatre, and General Electric Theater.

Bill Broidy

In 1953 Conte signed a contract with Bill Broidy to make six films over three years, under which he would be paid 25% of the profits. The first was a crime drama, Highway Dragnet, based on a story by Roger Corman and went to England to make Mask of Dust for Hammer Films director Terence Fisher. He was going to direct The Wolf Pack for Broidy but it was not made.
Back in the US Conte did The Big Combo for Cornel Wilde's own company, replacing Jack Palance; New York Confidential for producer Edward Small; and The Big Tip Off for Broidy.
Conte went back to England for Little Red Monkey and over to RKO for Bengazi and Warners for a Korean War movie Target Zero.
Conte broke out B movies with the second lead in I'll Cry Tomorrow, an MGM biopic about Lillian Roth starring Susan Hayward. Conte and director Daniel Mann announced they would make Play by Play together but it was not made.

Columbia

Conte made a series of films for Columbia. He was co-starred with Judy Holliday in Full of Life ; played the lead in The Brothers Rico ; supported Anthony Perkins and Silvana Mangano in This Angry Age ; was one of several names in They Came to Cordura.

Television

He continued to guest on TV shows like The 20th Century-Fox Hour and The Twilight Zone and played the lead in a TV adaptation of The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio. He had his first regular TV role in The Four Just Men.
Conte supported Frank Sinatra in Ocean's 11 but then focused on TV: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bus Stop, Naked City, Checkmate, Frontier Circus, The DuPont Show of the Week, The Untouchables, Alcoa Premiere, Going My Way, Kraft Mystery Theater, 77 Sunset Strip, The Reporter, Kraft Suspense Theatre and Arrest and Trial.
He had a support role in Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?, Circus World and The Greatest Story Ever Told and the lead in The Eyes of Annie Jones for Robert L. Lippert. After Synanon he had the lead in Stay Tuned for Terror, shot in Argentina.
Conte supported Frank Sinatra in Assault on a Queen and was one of several stars in Hotel. In 1966, Conte landed a supporting role in the short-lived CBS sitcom, The Jean Arthur Show.
He appeared as Lieutenant Dave Santini in two Frank Sinatra crime films, Tony Rome and Lady in Cement. In between he did a Western in Europe, Sentenza di morte.
In 1968 he released his only film as a director, Operation Cross Eagles, in which he also starred.
Conte's later performances include , The Challengers, and The Name of the Game.

''The Godfather''

Conte had one of his most memorable performances in The Godfather as Don Barzini. He was at one time also considered for the title role, Don Vito Corleone, a role which Marlon Brando eventually filled.
The success of the film led to Conte being cast in a series of "mob" roles: Murder Inferno, The Big Family, Pete, Pearl and the Pole, My Brother Anastasia, The Violent Professionals, No Way Out with Alain Delon, Anna, quel particolare piacere, Shoot First, Die Later and Violent Rome. He did horror films, Evil Eye, A Diary of a Murderess and Naked Exorcism.

Family

Conte was married to actress Ruth Storey, with whom he adopted a son, film editor Mark Conte. They divorced in 1963. He married his second wife, Shirlee Garner, in 1973; they remained married until Conte's death. His grandson is National Football League free safety Chris Conte. Chris is the son of Mark Conte.

Death

On April 3, 1975, Conte suffered a massive heart attack and a stroke. He was taken to UCLA Medical Centre where the staff worked for eight hours to keep him alive. He was put in intensive care and died on April 15. He is buried in the Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.

Awards

Selected filmography