This person was born on the 30 th Janruary 1930 in San Bernadino, California, his parents divorced when he was very young so he moved from place to place finally settling in Illinois.

At 16 he left home to join the us marine core and served 3 years as a radio operator

He then went to university to study tv production but then at the age of 30 decided to try his hand at acting , he joined the passedena playhouse and then moved to new york where he appeared in many off broadway shows , finally in 1964 he got his big broadway break and the movie roles soon followed

In 1971 he was nominated a 2 nd time for his role in I never sang for my father and was again unsuccessful , a year later he was nominated again for the best actor oscar and this time he took it home for his role as popeye doyle.

Other Film roles he has to his credit are Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton- Bat#21, Reverand Frank Scott- The Poseidon Adventure, Bill Daggart- The Unforgiven, Avery Turner- The Firm, Captain Frank Ramsey- Crimson Tide & Edward “ Brill” Lyle- Enemy Of The State. He has also turned down some big movie roles such as Jaws, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind also the role of Hannibal Lectar in the film Silence Of The Lambs.

In recent years he has starred in many films such as The Mexican, Heartbreakers, The Royal Tenenbaums & Behind Enemy Lines. But the one role he is most remembered for is as Lex Luther in the Superman Films. He is of course: