Hume Cronyn

Actor
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Hume Cronyn (1911-2003) talks about his long career in the theater, in television, and in film, often opposite his late wife Jessica Tandy. He recalls his television debut in a 1939 NBC production called Her Majesty's Voice. He discusses his film association with director Alfred Hitchcock, starting with his screen debut in Shadow of A Doubt and later Lifeboat and Under Capricorn. He describes his appearances on live television on such series as Omnibus and Studio One. Cronyn talks about his work with Jessica Tandy on the first network series to be seen in color, The Marriage (1954), based on their radio show. He details his later work in television as well as his long-running Broadway show opposite Jessica Tandy, The Gin Game, which was filmed and shown on PBS in 1984. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on June 24, 1999 in Fairfield, CT.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"We were on a boat, and a television executive, who was rather corpulent, said to me and Jessica [Tandy], 'I'll ask you one question. If you could, next year, be in the position that Lucy Ball is today, would you do it?' And I looked across at Jessie who was shaking her head 'no.' He said, 'All right, that's it,' and he got up and he dived overboard. Of such small trivial things, are memories made."

People Talking About ...
Hume Cronyn
Highlights
Hume Cronyn on meeting and marrying Jessica Tandy and creating the Actor's Laboratory Theater
05:37
Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53
Hume Cronyn on directing live television in the '50s
08:02
Hume Cronyn on the Hollywood Blacklist
07:53
Hume Cronyn on the craft of acting
02:41
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On his early life and influences
On books he read as a child; on deciding he wanted to be an actor; on joining the National Theater

Chapter 2
On his early theatrical roles; on his theater education; on his Broadway debut
On going to Hollywood to appear in films; on working with Alfred Hitchcock on "Shadow of a Doubt"

Chapter 3
On his earliest appearance on television; on writing screenplays; on meeting and marrying Jessica Tandy and creating the Actor's Laboratory Theater
On producing early plays by Tennessee Williams and getting Jessica Tandy the lead in "Streetcar Named Desire"; on directing live television in the '50s

Chapter 4
On appearing on Ominbus; on appearing on the series The Marriage with Jessica Tandy; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On appearing on Studio One; on the craft of acting; on preparing to act on live television 

Chapter 5
On appearing in Moon and Sixpence with Jessica Tandy and Laurence Olivier; on appearing in the made-for-television movie The Gin Game with Jessica Tandy; on what attracts him to a script
On continuing to act in his later years; on how he regards live television and his favorite role; on television news
Shows

Actors Studio

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Hume Cronyn on directing Jessica Tandy in "Portrait of a Madonna" for Actors Studio
03:12

Gin Game, The

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in the made-for-television movie The Gin Game with Jessica Tandy
08:05

Marriage, The

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53

Moon and Sixpence

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in Moon and Sixpence with Jessica Tandy and Laurence Olivier
03:08

Omnibus

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Hume Cronyn on appearing as John Quincy Adams on Ominbus
02:19

Studio One

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in Studio One's presentation of "A Member of the Family"
02:40
Topics

Anthology Drama

View Topic
Hume Cronyn on directing live television in the '50s
08:02
Hume Cronyn on directing Jessica Tandy in "Portrait of a Madonna" for Actors Studio
03:12
Hume Cronyn on appearing as John Quincy Adams on Omnibus
02:19
Hume Cronyn on appearing in Studio One's  presentation of "A Member of the Family"
02:40

Comedy-Variety

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage  with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Hume Cronyn on memorable teachers at The American Academy of Dramatic Art
01:29

Hollywood Blacklist

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Hume Cronyn on the Hollywood Blacklist
07:53

Industry Crossroads

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Hume Cronyn on the Hollywood Blacklist
07:53

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

View Topic
Hume Cronyn on directing live television in the '50s
08:02
Hume Cronyn on directing Jessica Tandy in "Portrait of a Madonna" for Actors Studio
03:12
Hume Cronyn on appearing as John Quincy Adams on Ominbus
02:19
Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage  with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53
Hume Cronyn on appearing in Studio One's  presentation of "A Member of the Family"
02:40

Television Industry

View Topic
Hume Cronyn on the Hollywood Blacklist
07:53
Professions

Actor

View Profession
Hume Cronyn on the craft of acting
02:41
Hume Cronyn on preparing to act on live television 
02:54
Hume Cronyn on what attracts him to a script
02:34

Performers

View Profession
Hume Cronyn on the craft of acting
02:41
Hume Cronyn on preparing to act on live television 
02:54
Hume Cronyn on what attracts him to a script
02:34
Genres

Comedy Series

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage  with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in Moon and Sixpence  with Jessica Tandy and Laurence Olivier
03:08
Hume Cronyn on appearing in the made-for-television movie The Gin Game  with Jessica Tandy
08:05
People

Alfred Hitchcock

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Hume Cronyn on going to Hollywood to appear in films
08:21
Hume Cronyn on appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's feature "Shadow of a Doubt"
06:03

George Abbott

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Hume Cronyn on going to Hollywood to appear in films
08:21

Horton Foote

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in Studio One's presentation of "A Member of the Family"
02:40

Jessica Tandy

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Hume Cronyn on meeting and marrying Jessica Tandy and creating the Actor's Laboratory Theater
05:37
Hume Cronyn on directing Jessica Tandy in "Portrait of a Madonna" for Actors Studio
03:12
Hume Cronyn on producing early Tennessee Williams plays and getting Jessica Tandy the lead in "Streetcar Named Desire" on Broadway
06:18
Hume Cronyn on appearing in the series The Marriage  with wife Jessica Tandy
08:53
Hume Cronyn on appearing in Moon and Sixpence  with Jessica Tandy and Laurence Olivier
03:08
Hume Cronyn on appearing in the made-for-television movie The Gin Game with Jessica Tandy
08:05

Laurence Olivier

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Hume Cronyn on appearing in Moon and Sixpence  with Jessica Tandy and Laurence Olivier
03:08

Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

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Hume Cronyn on NBC executive Pat Weaver
01:03

All Interviews

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