ACTOR · BORN 1912 · DIED 1992
José Ferrer
- Born
- 8 January 1912
- Died
- 26 January 1992
- Known for
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Caine Mutiny (1954), The Sentinel (1977), Moulin Rouge (1952)
20 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
José Ferrer (8 January 1912 – 26 January 1992) was an actor best known for Lawrence of Arabia, The Caine Mutiny and The Sentinel.
20 Interesting Facts About José Ferrer
Interesting Facts (2)
- #001
- #002
In 1951, José Ferrer declared that he had always been opposed to Communism, but admitted that he had put his name to some 'good causes' without realizing they were in fact Communist fronts. This statement was an important admission in the political atmosphere of the period. With these words, Ferrer both acknowledged his own naivety and made his anti-Communist stance clear.
Behind the Scenes (6)
- #003
José Ferrer was an artist known for his gift for languages; he spoke English, Italian and Spanish fluently, and had a good command of French as well. This multilingual ability allowed him to take roles comfortably in productions from different countries and opened the doors to an international career. Especially in the films where he portrayed French characters, his knowledge of the language added further depth to his roles.
- #004
Although José Ferrer was an actor of Puerto Rican origin, he portrayed many French characters throughout his career. He appeared before audiences as the Dauphin Charles in 'Joan of Arc' (1948), in the title role in 'Cyrano de Bergerac' (1950), as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 'Moulin Rouge' (1952), as Alfred Dreyfus in 'I Accuse!' (1958) and as Athos in 'The Fifth Musketeer' (1979). These roles reveal his command of French culture and the diversity of his characters.
- #005
The producers of the 1966 television series 'Batman' initially considered José Ferrer for the role of the Joker. However, the role was ultimately given to Cesar Romero. In an interesting coincidence, Ferrer's nephew George Clooney played Batman decades later in the 1997 film 'Batman & Robin'. This shows the Ferrer family's connection to the world of superheroes.
- #006
José Ferrer and Gérard Depardieu are the two actors who have been nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for playing Cyrano de Bergerac. Ferrer played the role in 1950 and won the award; Depardieu was nominated in 1990 for the film 'Cyrano de Bergerac'. This pair is mentioned alongside other famous duos who have played the same character: such as Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro (Don Vito Corleone), John Wayne and Jeff Bridges (Rooster Cogburn).
- #007
José Ferrer is one of 10 artists who have won both a Tony and an Oscar for the same role. He achieved this with 'Cyrano de Bergerac': the Tony in 1947, the Oscar in 1950. The other names, in chronological order, are Shirley Booth, Yul Brynner, Rex Harrison, Anne Bancroft, Paul Scofield, Jack Albertson, Joel Grey and Viola Davis. These nine actors won their Tonys before their Oscars; the tenth, Lila Kedrova, won her Oscar first (1964) and then her Tony (1984).
- #008
José Ferrer, like Kenneth Branagh and Christopher Plummer, played both Iago in Shakespeare's 'Othello' and Cyrano de Bergerac. These two challenging roles require a wide range of acting ability; Ferrer delivered successful performances in both. This shows his mastery of classical theater.
Characters & Cast (1)
- #009
At a special charity performance of 'Cyrano de Bergerac', José Ferrer appeared only in the first four acts of the play. In the final scene, portraying Cyrano aged 15 years, Walter Hampden took over the role. Hampden was an experienced actor who had played the character for years; this collaboration amounted to the passing of the torch to Ferrer. From that moment on, Ferrer became the most important interpreter of Cyrano and played the lead in the play's first English-language film adaptation.
Career & Awards (5)
- #010
In the 1943 Broadway production of 'Othello', José Ferrer played Iago opposite Paul Robeson's Othello, a performance that earned him a place in theatre history. The production broke the record for the longest-running Shakespeare play in Broadway history, a record that remains unbroken to this day. This achievement led Ferrer to be remembered as one of the most respected theatre actors of his era.
- #011
In the early 1950s, José Ferrer had an intense period in both cinema and theatre. While appearing in some of his best-remembered films, he simultaneously starred in or directed four different Broadway productions: 'Stalag 17', 'The Fourposter', 'The Shrike' and the 1951 revival of 'Twentieth Century'.
- #012
At the age of 60 in 1972, José Ferrer had his left ear pierced at the insistence of his girlfriend, whom he later married. For the rest of his career he chose to wear an earring in many of his roles, and it became his signature even when it was anachronistic for some productions. His earring-wearing roles include 'Paco' (1975), 'The Return of Captain Nemo' (1978), 'Fedora' (1978), 'The Fifth Musketeer' (1979), 'The Man from the South' (1979), 'Battle Creek Brawl' (1980), 'Evita Peron' (1981) and 'Dune' (1984). In 'Fedora', the matter was even made into a joke.
- #013
José Ferrer was the first name Billy Wilder considered for the lead in 'The Lost Weekend' (1945). The studio, however, wanted a more attractive matinee idol such as Cary Grant. When it became clear that Paramount would not approve the film with Ferrer, Wilder gave up and began looking for another star. The role was turned down by many of the era's male stars because they found it 'unsympathetic'; it eventually went to Ray Milland. Milland accepted the role reluctantly and won an Oscar for his performance.
- #014
José Ferrer was among the names considered for the role of Addison DeWitt in 'All About Eve' (1950). The role, however, went to George Sanders, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for it. Ferrer's loss of the part can be seen as the loss of an important opportunity in his career, though Sanders's performance went down in cinema history.
Life & Family (6)
- #015
José Ferrer had five children from his marriage to the famous singer and actress Rosemary Clooney. Their first son, Miguel Ferrer, was born in 1955; he was followed by Maria (1956), Gabriel (1957), Monsita (1958) and Rafael (1960). One of his children, Miguel, followed in his father's footsteps and became a successful actor, while the other children also forged their own paths in the world of art and entertainment. This large family held an important place in both Ferrer's private life and his artistic career.
- #016
A talented pianist in his childhood, José Ferrer maintained his passion for music throughout his life. In later years he performed as an opera singer at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Beverly Hills Opera. Ferrer was one of the rare figures who developed himself in different branches of art.
- #017
- #018
- #019
While playing Cyrano, José Ferrer had the opportunity to work with three different Cyranos. He first came together with Walter Hampden in a special benefit performance. He later played Cyrano on live television in a production in which Christopher Plummer played Christian. Plummer went on to play Cyrano himself and commissioned Anthony Burgess to write one of the best translations of the play. In 'Cyrano et d'Artagnan' (1964), D'Artagnan was played by Jean-Pierre Cassel, who would later play Cyrano in 'The Return of the Musketeers' (1989).
- #020
Related pages
- Lust for Life — José Ferrer comes up in the facts on that page
- Peter O'Toole — José Ferrer comes up in the facts on that page
- The Band Wagon — José Ferrer comes up in the facts on that page
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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