I’m sure most of you learned of Jack Warden’s death earlier this week, at age 85. Reading his obituaries, you may have seen his list of survivors…
The estranged wife is Three Stooges costar Vanda Dupre of FIFI BLOWS HER TOP (1958).
Maybe we need a new feature here, like "Six Degrees of Stooge Separation." I met Jack Warden in 1987, when I was a young Army Public Affairs Officer (civilian) at the Presidio of San Francisco. He had a supporting part in the film "The Presidio," which really isn't very good. Sean Connery stars, but I didn't get to meet
him, although I saw him filming a few scenes around the base. He's totally miscast— why would a U.S. Military Police officer have that thick Scots burr?
Mr. Warden ate lunch at the Presidio cafeteria, and mingled with the people who worked at the base... I suppose he was trying to get a feel for the place, so that he could play his part to the best of his ability; he was that kind of
serious actor. I interviewed him for the post hospital's newspaper, and he couldn't have been nicer. Unfortunately, I didn't keep a copy of the article.
I think that one of his best roles was as a labor union leader who's terrified by the Mob in "The Untouchables," and stands up to them, but that's probably one that's not well remembered among the many parts he played.
R.I.P., Jack Warden... you were one of the good people.
