HotmailOscar-winning actor Karl Malden dies at 97
 | Slideshow |
 | Celebrity scandals of 2009 From Jon and Kate's divorce to Susan Boyle's dream to Mel Gibson leaving his wife. more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 |
 Family ditches home for RV Nov. 27: With the high rate of foreclosures, many families are going to extremes to survive. NBC's Michelle Franzen has the story of one family who is spending their days on the road. |
‘He was such a regular guy’
He was born Mladen Sekulovich in Chicago on March 22, 1912. Malden regretted that in order to become an actor he had to change his name. He insisted that Fred Gwynne’s character in “On the Waterfront” be named Sekulovich to honor his heritage.
The family moved to Gary, Ind., when he was small. He quit his steel job 1934 to study acting at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre “because I wasn’t getting anywhere in the mills,” he recalled.
“When I told my father, he said, ‘Are you crazy? You want to give up a good job in the middle of the Depression?’ Thank god for my mother. She said to give it a try.”
In 2005, the U.S. Postal Service honored Malden by naming the post office in Brentwood to honor his achievement in film and his contributions to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, which meets to discuss ideas for stamp designs.
Malden helped create the “Legends of Hollywood” stamp series that has featured Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Gary Cooper, and another celebrating Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers.
“As a kid, all the letters that would come from the old country, he would see the stamps and they always intrigued him,” said David Failor, executive director of stamp services for the Postal Service. “He was such a regular guy.”
Malden and his wife, Mona, a fellow acting student at the Goodman, had one of Hollywood’s longest marriages, having celebrated their 70th anniversary in December.
“That was sort of the last goodbye,” said Saint, who attended a party in the couple’s honor. “His wish was, ‘After I die, I don’t want you to do anything but have a party.’ So another party is coming up.”
Besides his wife, Malden is survived by daughters Mila and Cara, his sons-in-law, three granddaughters, and four great grandchildren.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT |
 Entertainment Section Front |
| Add Entertainment headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links
Resource guide