R.I.P.: Karl Malden, an actor named desire

 

Karl Malden with Eva Marie Saint in "On the Waterfront." (Columbia Pictures)

When an actor stands and performs toe-to-toe opposite an icon like Marlon Brando in a classic drama like "A Streetcar Named Desire," that's probably accomplishment enough.

If, however, that actor is honored by his peers with an Academy Award for that performance and Brando is not, that, my friends, is something really special.

That's exactly what Karl Malden did in Elia Kazan's version of Tennessee Williams' sizzling drama "A Streetcar Named Desire" of 1951. Malden was "Mitch" Mitchell opposite Brando's Stanley Kowalski.  Vivien Leigh, of course, played Blanche DuBois.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Malden, who reportedly passed away in his sleep in the wee hours Wednesday morning.  His steadfastly extraordinary performances over so many years, however, made me feel like he lived next door, or maybe was that favorite uncle we'd all like to have.

When someone dies at 97 after living almost a century and leaving such an enormous performance footprint, it's not a time to mourn.  It's a time to celebrate.

I first discovered the prolific actor on TV, prowling "The Streets of San Francisco" opposite a young Michael Douglas in the mid-1970s.  I was curious about the gifted seasoned performer with the bulging nose who was obviously over-qualified for a weekly TV detective drama.

By the way, Malden beat others to the punch when it came to joking about his nose, which he reportedly broke (maybe more than once) playing football.

According to reports published on the Web yesterday, Malden claimed he was the only actor in Hollywood whose nose qualified him for handicapped parking.

Once the neighborhood video store industry opened up Hollywood's golden years, I kept running across Malden in classic movies like "Streetcar" and "On the Waterfront" (also with Brando) of 1952 and "Patton" (1970).

Click here to read Mr. Malden's biography, and here for a detailed obituary.

In his later years, Malden brought his talent to TV ads for American Express.  I can still hear him say, "Don't leave home without it."

I won't leave home today or for many days to come without thinking about Karl Malden and the gift he bestowed on theater, TV and movie fans for over 60 years.

Job well done, Karl.  Rest in peace.