Edward James Begley was born to Irish immigrant parents in Hartford, Connecticut on March 25, 1901. He ran away from home at 11 to join a travelling carnival. Over the next two decades he tried several things, from bowling alley pin boy to Naval service. His first job in radio was as an announcer at a Hartford station.

Moving to New York, he became a prolific radio actor. From 1944 to 1948 he was radio's Charlie Chan. He was a regular cast member on Richard Diamond, Private Detective as Diamond's pal Lt. Walt Levinson. He played Sgt. O'Hara in The Fat Man and Detective Dan Britt on Official Detective, and was a cast member on The Mysterious Traveler.

His broadway career started at 47, with 'Land of Fame'. He continued with Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons'(1947), and 'Inherit the Wind'(1955)But he is best remembered for his roles in film. Begley appeared in '12 Angry Men', 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown', and 'Sweet Bird of Youth'. He played the St. Louis manager in the baseball film 'It Happens Every Spring'.

Busy as his career was, he was standing in the unemployment line when he learned of his Oscar nomination for 'Sweet Bird of Youth' in 1961. He won Best Supporting Actor, and was so proud if it that he carried the Oscar statue everywhere he went.

His size and booming voice made him a popular character actor on big screen and small. His TV appearances included such shows as The Lucy Show, The Fugitive, Bonanza, The Wild, Wild West, Alfred Hitchcock, Gunsmoke, and many more. He died on April 28, 1970.

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