Anthony Perkins had agreed to voice the dentist in the 1989 The Simpsons episode "Last Exit to Springfield." However, he died before recording began. The role was later given to Hank Azaria. Azaria's portrayal became one of the show's most memorable characters.
Perkins was a great admirer of Orson Welles and planned to write a book about him. However, he abandoned the project for fear of disappointing his idol. Welles later said he would have loved the idea. This episode demonstrates Perkins's deep respect for Welles.
Enrolling at Rollins College in Florida in September 1950, Perkins studied on the same campus as Fred Rogers and John Reardon during his first year. In 1953 he was offered the lead role in the film The Actress and soon after dropped out of school to replace John Kerr in the Broadway play "Tea and Sympathy." He never completed his degree, but some twenty years later the college honored him with an honorary degree.
In 1990, a blood sample was taken from Perkins because of paralysis in his face; his test was illegally examined for the AIDS virus by the National Enquirer and came back positive. The magazine later reported on the matter; however, Perkins learned he was HIV positive only from that article. He probably suspected he was ill but had never been tested before.
On September 11, 2001, Perkins's widow Berry Berenson, the mother of his two sons, was one of the 58 victims on American Airlines Flight 11, which departed from Boston. The plane, hijacked by terrorists, struck the World Trade Center. Berenson's death once again brought the tragedies suffered by the Perkins family to public attention.
Before his unforgettable Norman Bates performance in Psycho (1960), Perkins was a harmless young actor who starred opposite stars such as Sophia Loren and Jane Fonda. After the film, romantic leading-man offers dwindled, and Perkins was frustrated by the effect his most famous film had on his career. This led to his being remembered more as a character actor in later years.
Perkins's body was cremated, and the urn holding his ashes was inscribed with "Don't Fence Me In." The phrase symbolizes his love of freedom and his dislike of being constrained. It is also the title of a famous song.
Perkins had not had sexual relations with a woman until he was 39. According to People magazine, he lost his virginity to Victoria Principal in 1971. This late experience is seen as a reflection of the complex feelings he had about his sexual identity.
Arrested at London Heathrow Airport in 1984 for possessing eight grams of marijuana and three doses of LSD, Perkins was detained again in 1989 at the Angel Hotel in Cardiff for illegally bringing 1.3 grams of marijuana into the country. These incidents laid bare his troubled relationship with drugs.
Perkins's Norman Bates performance in Psycho (1960) ranked 4th on Premiere magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. This ranking proves his lasting impact on cinema history. Bates remains one of the most iconic figures of the horror genre.
The biography "Anthony Perkins: Split Image," written by Charles Winecoff, examines in detail Perkins's early life, his homosexuality, his drug use and his family life. Figures such as Janet Leigh, Hilton A. Green, Jeff Fahey, John Gavin and Joseph Stefano contributed to the book. However, his wife Berry Berenson was not involved in the project. The book also contains important information about how Perkins contracted the AIDS virus.
Perkins was nominated for a Tony Award twice for his successful Broadway performances. He was nominated for Best Actor (Dramatic) in 1958 for "Look Homeward, Angel" and for Best Actor (Musical) in 1960 for "Greenwillow." These nominations are important milestones in his theater career.
In 1950, Rollins College expelled most of its homosexual students in a mass purge. Although his sexuality was widely known, Perkins was not on the list. The reason was that he was the theater professor's favorite and could not be expelled without his approval. This incident shows the homophobic atmosphere of the period and Perkins's privileged position.
In 1961, Perkins bought out his contract with Paramount and settled in France. He spent the next few years in European productions and shared the lead with some of the era's most popular actresses, such as Ingrid Bergman, Melina Mercouri and Sophia Loren. This period allowed him to move away from Hollywood's formulas and take part in more varied projects.
In 1957, Perkins entered the Billboard top 30 with his single "Moonlight Swim." This success showed that he was talented not only in acting but also in music. The song earned a place in the popular culture of the era.
Perkins was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has a star at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to film and at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to television. This is an indication of the mark he left both on the big screen and on television.
Perkins's second son, Elvis Perkins, was named after Elvis Presley, of whom Anthony was a fan. This choice of name reflects Perkins's love of music and his admiration for Presley. Elvis Perkins also pursued music, like his father.
According to Tab Hunter's autobiography, Perkins and Hunter had a relationship from the mid-to-late 1950s. Perkins was also linked to Grover Dale, Alan Helms, Patrick Loiseau and Christopher Makos. He was also associated with figures such as Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev and Stephen Sondheim. Perkins and Dale shared the same apartment for six years.
Perkins starred alongside Jane Fonda in Tall Story (1960), her first film. Fonda said Perkins gave her invaluable acting advice and was the only person who taught her how to act in front of a camera. This collaboration provided important support early in Fonda's career.
Perkins auditioned for the role of the Phantom in the Los Angeles production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "The Phantom of the Opera." However, he lost the part to Robert Guillaume. This audition shows Perkins's interest in musical theater.
Perkins starred alongside Fred Astaire in the apocalyptic science fiction film On the Beach (1959), in which Astaire took on his first dramatic role. Noticing Astaire's nervousness, Perkins guided him through his serious scenes and coached him in acting throughout the shoot. This shows how helpful Perkins was as an experienced actor.
Perkins was offered a role in Some Like It Hot (1959) that required him to dress in women's clothing. However, Paramount forbade him from accepting the part on the grounds that it would damage his young heartthrob image. The role then went to Tony Curtis. This incident shows the strict control studios held over actors' careers.
Perkins and Audrey Hepburn played a loving couple in the jungle adventure Green Mansions (1959). The film failed to achieve the expected success at the box office, but Perkins greatly enjoyed working with Hepburn and held a deep affection for her. The experience remained a positive memory for him.
In 1976, Perkins hosted the first season of Saturday Night Live. On the program he performed a sketch portraying Norman Bates as a teacher at a motel management school. This performance showed that he could poke fun at his most famous character and had a knack for comedy.
Perkins and Dallas Buyers Club founder Ron Woodroof both died of AIDS on September 12, 1992. This coincidence makes their shared struggle with the same disease and their deaths on the same day all the more striking. Perkins's death once again reminded the public of the disease's impact on society.
Perkins and Shirley MacLaine worked the same number of days on The Matchmaker (1958) but were not paid equally. Perkins received $75,000, while MacLaine was paid only $25,000. Perkins protested this injustice, but the studio ignored him. The incident was recorded as an early example of gender inequality in Hollywood.
Perkins's parents hired a French nanny, Jeanne, to look after their son. Jeanne taught Perkins to speak fluent French. This skill contributed greatly to his later work in Europe and his roles in French productions.
In 1957 and 1958, Perkins released three pop albums and several singles under the name Tony Perkins on the Epic and RCA Victor labels. His song "Moon-Light Swim" reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Prettiest Girl in School" did not attract the expected attention in the US but became popular in Australia.
Perkins starred alongside Ava Gardner in On the Beach (1959). Perkins said that Gardner flirted with him in real life and suggested they get together. However, because he had no prior experience with women, he politely declined. This incident reveals the conflicts he experienced regarding his sexual identity.
Perkins became an ordained minister and in 1983 performed the marriage of director Ken Russell to his second wife, Vivian Jolly. This was regarded as an indication of his religious faith and spiritual side.
From the early 1950s to the late 1970s, Perkins attended psychoanalysis sessions with Dr. Mildren Newman in New York. This long-term therapy shows his effort to cope with issues concerning his inner world. Psychoanalysis was a common practice among artists of that era.
Contrary to popular belief, Perkins did not boycott the film Bates Motel (1987). At a horror convention in 1988, he stated that he had no involvement with the film and that he had watched it when it was first released. He described the film as "very bad." This statement clarified his distance from the project.
In a 1958 cover story, Newsweek magazine hailed Perkins as "the most talented dramatic actor under 30 in this country." This praise shows how respected an actor he was at a young age. Perkins worked to meet these expectations.
In 1957, Perkins worked with Henry Fonda on the film The Tin Star (1957). They grew close while riding to and from the set in the same car every day, sharing stories from their private lives on the long journeys. These conversations led to a strong friendship between the two.
As a child, Perkins disliked sports and was forced by his mother to play on the school baseball team. He hated the experience, but was allowed to leave the team because of recurring scarlet fever. This incident shows his mother's pressure on him and Perkins's inability to stand up for his own wishes.
Perkins was portrayed by James D'Arcy in the 2012 film Hitchcock. The film deals with Alfred Hitchcock's process of making Psycho and Perkins's role in that process. D'Arcy's performance was regarded as a faithful interpretation of Perkins's character.
Perkins starred in Psycho (1960), which was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically" significant. This selection emphasizes the film's enduring value in American cinema and the importance of Perkins's performance.
In a 1983 interview, Perkins said that as a child he was very close to his mother but rarely spent time with his father. He admitted to having an Oedipus complex and harboring a secret resentment toward his father: 'Whenever my father came home, I would get jealous. I loved him, but at the same time I wanted him to die, so that I could have my mother all to myself.' These statements lay bare his psychological depth.
Perkins played characters implied to be gay in three films: Catch-22 (1970), Play It As It Lays (1972) and Mahogany (1975). These roles may reflect his own experiences with his sexual identity. Through these characters, Perkins contributed to gay representation in Hollywood.
In Perkins's early films, Gary Cooper and Jack Palance played the fathers of the characters he portrayed. Perkins got along very well with Cooper and saw him as a true father figure. With Palance, however, no good relationship was ever established; the antipathy was mutual.
Perkins's mother, Janet Esselstyn Rane (1894-1979), was a woman alleged to be gay. After she was widowed, she was said to have had a relationship with the playwright Michaela O'Harra. This information sheds light on the diversity of sexual orientation within Perkins's family.
Perkins, who took basketball lessons in order to appear in the film Tall Story (1960), likened the game to chess and found it great fun. In interviews, he said he practiced dribbling, passing and shooting for an hour and a half a day at the Warner Brothers gym. He appreciated the strategic side of basketball.
On the night before the 1988 US presidential election, Perkins campaigned at a rally for Michael Dukakis held at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. This was one of the rare occasions on which he openly supported his political views. Perkins worked for the election of the Democratic candidate.
Along with Vera Miles and Virginia Gregg, Perkins is one of three actors who appeared in both Psycho (1960) and Psycho II (1983). This secured his connection to the character of Norman Bates and his place in the sequel to the series. With these roles, Perkins entered the ranks of the legends of horror cinema.
Perkins attended the prestigious Buckingham Browne and Nichols School in Massachusetts. Other alumni of the school include The Sopranos actor Ari Graynor, jazz musician Nate Peterson and Broadway star Lizzie Rose. The education Perkins received at this school contributed to his intellectual development.
Perkins's lineage extended back to America's colonial era; he had roots especially in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. His ancestors were predominantly English, as well as Irish, German and Dutch. This deep-rooted past was part of his American identity.
Perkins was Marisa Berenson's brother-in-law. Marisa Berenson was a famous model and actress. This family tie strengthened Perkins's connections to the worlds of fashion and cinema.
In 1984, Perkins appeared alongside Rod Steiger in the British thriller miniseries The Glory Boys. The series was about two terrorists plotting to assassinate a nuclear scientist. Perkins did not like Steiger's smug attitude at all, while Steiger found Perkins's chemical dependency pitiful and unreliable. The two were constantly at odds throughout the shoot.
In 1962, Perkins starred in a black comedy directed by Orson Welles. In the film, he played a bureaucrat who is constantly harassed by the police over charges that are never explained to him. Perkins appreciated Welles's confident but non-authoritarian directing style. This experience provided a positive working environment, in contrast to the difficulties he had had with previous strict directors.
In 1960, Perkins starred in the Broadway musical 'Greenwillow', written by Frank Loesser. Because Loesser did not like Perkins, he designed his main solo, 'Never Will I Marry', to be the least memorable song in the musical. However, the song became one of Perkins's most popular performances and was widely acclaimed. Later, names such as Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Linda Ronstadt sang the song.
Perkins was the grandfather of the actors James Perkins and Bea Perkins. His grandchildren carried on his artistic legacy. This family tie shows that Perkins's acting tradition continues.
In 1978, Perkins appeared with Mary Tyler Moore in the television film First, You Cry. The film told the story of a woman who survives breast cancer and of the effects of her psychological trauma on her career and marriage. In 1979, Saturday Night Live parodied the film with a sketch titled 'First He Cries', in which a husband is upset that after her mastectomy his wife no longer has sexy breasts. The parody drew criticism for insensitivity.
In 1985, Perkins was offered the lead villain role in the Western comedy Lust in the Dust (1984). The film was a parody of 'Duel in the Sun' (1946) without its sadomasochistic elements. The role would have required him to act alongside his former lover Tab Hunter, whom he had not seen in about twenty years. Perkins turned down the offer; after a brief conversation between the two men, they never met again.
In 1954, Perkins gained fame with the character Tom Lee, whom he played in the play 'Tea and Sympathy'. The character was an effeminate young man seduced by an older woman. This role brought him many job offers, but for several years he was confined to similar effeminate characters. This situation hindered his efforts to broaden his acting range.
In the summer of 1953, while vacationing in California, Perkins began hanging around the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio and ran errands for the studio in the hope of finding work as an actor. As a result of these efforts, he was cast as Fred Whitmarsh in The Actress (1953). His character was the love interest of the lead character, played by Jean Simmons.
In 1956, Perkins came to Los Angeles to take a role in Friendly Persuasion (1956). Since he had no car and no driver's license, he hitchhiked from his hotel to the set every day. This led to stories about him appearing in gossip magazines and gave him some publicity.
In 1966, after a gap of several years, Perkins returned to the screen with the television musical Evening Primrose, his first American performance in some time. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music, and Perkins regarded the work as one of the most important moments of his career. Sondheim offered Perkins a role in his next Broadway musical; Perkins turned it down, but Sondheim continued to create many roles for him afterward.
In 1956, Perkins signed a seven-year semi-exclusive contract with Paramount Pictures that allowed him to return to Broadway whenever he wished. Over the next few years, Perkins was promoted as Paramount's last matinee idol. This period represents the peak of his popularity in Hollywood.
In 1990, Perkins shot the pilot episode of a proposed television series titled The Ghost Writer. In the series, he played Anthony Strack, a horror writer haunted by the ghost of his wife after he remarries. However, the pilot could not be sold to any network.
In the early 1970s, Perkins gave up almost always playing leading roles and began appearing more often in supporting parts. This shift was partly due to his advancing age; in his late thirties, he was no longer considered suitable for the typical romantic leads of the era. During this period he played more mature characters.
In the early 1960s, Perkins felt that his contract with Paramount Pictures was ruining his career. The studio kept casting him in 'young idol' roles, preventing him from taking part in more interesting or experimental projects. This frustration led him to buy out his contract and move to France.
Between 1966 and 1967, Perkins appeared alongside Connie Stevens in the romantic comedy play 'The Star-Spangled Girl'. The play was about people with different political and social views falling in love with each other. However, the play was mocked by critics and even by its own author for treating its subject superficially and lacking comic elements.
In 1964, Perkins played a Soviet spy in the spy comedy The Ravishing Idiot. Brigitte Bardot was his accomplice and love interest in the film. The press wrote that Perkins was the first American actor to play Bardot's love interest, and Bardot was pleased to work with Perkins. However, Perkins was uncomfortable working with Bardot and described her as the leading lady he liked least; he was used to more experienced and mature actresses.
Perkins was the great-grandson of the famous wood engraver and book illustrator Andrew Varick Stout Anthony (1835-1906). Anthony was known for his illustrations for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 'Skeleton in Armor' (1877) and Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' (1878). This lineage demonstrates Perkins's artistic heritage.
Perkins shared his birthday with the famous Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky. This coincidence forms an interesting connection in terms of the marks both artists left on the world of cinema.
Perkins, who graduated from high school in 1950, had grades that, unlike those of his friends, were insufficient to get into Harvard University. He therefore enrolled at Rollins College in Florida. This decision was an important step in his turn toward a theater career.
In 1947, while still a young man, Perkins joined the Vermont-based summer stock company Brattleboro Summer Theater. He found the job thanks to his mother's connections in the theater world. He earned a weekly salary of 25 dollars and an Actors' Equity Association membership card; this was the beginning of his professional acting career.
Perkins, a popular singer in the late 1950s, noticed that his voice came out unintentionally sad on some songs. He joked to a lover that his quavering voice could make any happy love song sad. This contributed to his melancholic image.
In the late 1940s, Perkins attended the boys' school Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He entertained his classmates with a lisping impression of the actor Roddy McDowall. Although he did not enjoy baseball, he joined the school's tennis team; he was also in the glee club and served as literary editor of the school newspaper.
Perkins played the son of Edward Binns in the film Lovin' Molly (1974), although in real life he was only sixteen years younger than him. This age gap shows the flexibility in casting. Through such roles, Perkins brought to life characters beyond his age.
In 1987, Perkins played the famous French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838) in the miniseries Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story. This performance stood out as one of the villain roles in Perkins's career. Talleyrand was a controversial historical figure who served many different regimes during turbulent periods such as the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era. He was known for frequently betraying his employers and allies in order to achieve his goals. A congenital physical defect that left him permanently limping led to him being nicknamed 'le diable boiteux' (the lame devil). In portraying this complex character, Perkins successfully reflected both historical reality and dramatic effect.
Anthony Perkins died on September 12, 1992. His wife, Berry Berenson, died on September 11, 2001, just one day before the ninth anniversary of her husband's death. This tragic coincidence brought the couple's deaths to dates close to each other. Berenson's death occurred because she was on American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks. What Perkins brought to the world of cinema, and especially his unforgettable performance in Psycho, continues to make him an actor who is still remembered.