born , April 5, 1900, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.
died June 10, 1967, Beverly Hills, Calif.
U.S. film actor.
He enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City in 1922 and was soon earning roles on Broadway. He first starred on Broadway in The Last Mile (1930) and on film in Up the River (1930). Noted for his craggy features and his sincere performances, he became one of the top stars of the 1930s and '40s, winning Academy Awards in Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938)
the first actor to win consecutive Oscars for best actor
and being nominated for seven other roles, including Inherit the Wind (1960) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). He had a long relationship with Katharine Hepburn , with whom he costarred in nine films, including Woman of the Year (1942), Adam's Rib (1949), and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967).