Rip Torn

Born in Temple, Texas, on February 6, 1931, Elmore Rual Torn, Jr. –his full name– studied at the University of Texas. He then moved to Los Angeles, hitchhiking, determined to become a movie star, but since things didn’t go his way at first, he had to do all sorts of odd jobs. He moved to New York where he studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actor’s Studio, and also enrolled in dance with Marta Graham. He finally made his Broadway debut in a big way, in 1959 in a production of Tennessee Williams ‘ “Sweet Bird of Youth,” opposite Paul Newman and Geraldine Page . He was nominated for a Tony for Best Supporting.

He made his film debut in a brief role as a dentist in Baby Doll , and later appeared in A Face in the Crowd , both by Elia Kazan . Among his numerous feature films, titles such as The King of the Game , Land as You Can II, The Dilemma , Prodigious Youngsters , Marie Antoinette , and the first three installments of Men in Black , where Q was the head of the secret organization that watches over life. alien on Earth. He was nominated for a supporting Oscar in 1984 for his work in Martin Ritt ‘s  The Best Years of My Life . For his work in the television sitcomThe Larry Sanders Show , won the Emmy, for best supporting role.

Divorced in 1961 from the also actress Ana Wedgeworth, Rip Torn joined the aforementioned  Geraldine Page , until her death in 1987. With the latter he had three children; although the actor was the father of another, the result of a parallel relationship.