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biff mcguire

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He has performed on the Broadway stage for seven decades, appearing in “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” William “Biff” McGuire passed away on April 3, 2021 at the age of 94. “Reserved, even shy in real life, Biff gained an almost terrifying confidence once he took the stage,” said Doug Hughes, his representative, who did not provide further details about the death. “He was one of the most relaxed actors I’ve ever worked with. He had a special gift for repose, for an imposing stillness in the middle of the action of a play that magnetized the audience.”

Born on October 25, 1926 in New Haven, Connecticut, William Joseph McGuire Jr. owed his intellectual concern to his mother. “My mother was what you would call an eloquent when I was very young. She always made me memorize poems,” she said in an interview in 2004. “We had all these big gatherings of the whole family on Saturday nights, and everyone had to do something, so that was my theater. I shared it with a very large family.”

While fighting in England during World War II, he became interested in acting. In 1949, Biff McGuire played a radio operator in the original Broadway production of “South Pacific,” directed by Josh Logan and starring Mary Martin, even convincing the author, Oscar Hammerstein (II) , to change a line on a song she performed, “There Is Nothing Like a Dame.” Six years later, he was in the original production of Arthur Miller ‘s A Memory of Two Mondays , directed by Martin Ritt . He earned Tony nominations for “The Young Man From Atlanta” and “Morning’s at Seven.” 

In 1960,  Biff McGuire fell in love with fellow actress Jeannie Carson , his co-star in “Finian’s Rainbow.” After getting married in November of that year, they starred in “Camelot.” She has been by his side until his death.

On the big screen, Biff McGuire played the father of Sondra Locke ‘s character in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968) and appeared in other films including The Phenix City Story (1955), Station Six Sahara (1963), The Thomas Affair Crown  (1968). ), Paradise Lost (1971), Serpico (1973) and The Battle of Midway (1976). He first appeared on television at The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre , in 1950 followed by numerous series including Starsky and Huth , ER and Frasier .

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