Pat Hingle (real name: Martin Patterson Hingle) was born in Miami, Florida, the son of a building contractor. His parents divorced when Hingle was still in his infancy (he never knew his father) and his mother supported the family by teaching school in Denver. She then began to travel (with her son in tow) in search of more lucrative work; by age 1...
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Pat Hingle (real name: Martin Patterson Hingle) was born in Miami, Florida, the son of a building contractor. His parents divorced when Hingle was still in his infancy (he never knew his father) and his mother supported the family by teaching school in Denver. She then began to travel (with her son in tow) in search of more lucrative work; by age 13 Hingle had lived in a dozen cities. The future Tony Award nominee made his "acting debut" in the third grade, playing a carrot in a school play ("At that time it didn't seem like much of a way to make a living!", he recalled). Hingle attended high school in Texas and in 1941 entered the University of Texas, majoring in advertising. After serving in the Navy during WW II, he went back to the university and got involved with the drama department as a way to meet girls. With his wife Alyce (whom he first met at the university), Hingle moved to New York and began to get jobs on the stage and on TV. The apex of his stage career was "J.B." by poet Archibald Macleish, with Hingle in the title role as a 20th-century Job. It was during the run of "J.B." that Hingle took an accidental plunge down the elevator shaft of his New York apartment building, sustaining near-fatal injuries in the 54-foot fall. He was near death for two weeks (and lost the little finger of his left hand); his recovery took more than a year. In more recent years, Hingle has played Commissioner Gordon in the "Batman" movies.Just prior to his death, he resided in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, with his wife, Julia. Show less «
There were the Gary Coopers and the Clark Gables, but they didn't really appeal to me. But I saw Wal...Show more »
There were the Gary Coopers and the Clark Gables, but they didn't really appeal to me. But I saw Walter Huston and Hume Cronyn in about 10 movies and I saw that it was possible to play a wide variety of roles where there [were] no connections between one or the other; they weren't put into a slot . . . I saw what was possible. Show less «
The stage is an actors' medium. When the curtain goes up, there are those crazy actors. The story co...Show more »
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I can be a truck driver, a doctor, a lawyer, a hanging judge, whatever. And looking like I do has allowed me to make a good living in all kinds of media. It's a blessing and I'm aware of it. Show less «
After one [college] semester I went into the Navy for four years in the Pacific on a destroyer. I we...Show more »
After one [college] semester I went into the Navy for four years in the Pacific on a destroyer. I went back to school and every time I saw a pretty girl I'd say, "Who the hell is that?" Well, they were all headed towards the theater department so I joined the campus Curtain Club. In three years I did 35 plays and in one of those plays I finally realized that I felt more comfortable than I did anywhere and I was where God intended me to be. I always feel that way. Show less «
I know that if I had done Elmer Gantry (1960), I would have been more of a movie name. But I'm sure ...Show more »
I know that if I had done Elmer Gantry (1960), I would have been more of a movie name. But I'm sure I would not have done as many plays as I've done. I've had exactly the kind of career I hoped for. Show less «