THEY LIVED HERE – CORNEL WILDE

The rag-to-riches story has been used all too often when actors describe their rise to stardom. Cornel Wilde, however, might be the lone exception who actually embraced obscurity to fuel his way to the top.
An incredibly bright young man growing up, Wilde did not envision a career as an actor. His passion for performing blossomed later in life and he chased his dream all the way to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
A New York City boy, Cornelius Louis Wilde was born on October 13, 1915. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary. As a young man, he traveled throughout Europe which broadened his views of the world and exposed him to a variety of cultures and experiences. He became fluent in numerous languages. This eventful upbringing would become a deep well from which to draw from as an actor who played an array of characters.
Wilde grew up on Sanford Avenue in Auburndale. He attended Townsend Harris High School and graduated at the age of 14. Wilde attended City College of New York, where he studied pre-med. Wilde held numerous jobs growing up. He was a commercial artist, a Macy's toy salesperson, a newspaper advertising representative and a Boys Club counselor. Wilde continued his pursuit of a medical degree at Columbia University.
In 1936, while at Columbia, Wilde was offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He was chosen to represent America at the Olympics in Berlin as part of the fencing team. Wilde chose not to attend the Olympics and he decided to walk away from the medical profession. He decided to commit himself to his passion for acting. He enrolled at the Theodora Irvine Studio for the Theatre in Manhattan to hone his art.
Trying his hand at theatre in New York, Wilde's fencing background would prove to be an intricate part of his career. In 1940, he was hired as a fencing coach to Lawrence Olivier, who was performing in a Broadway production of &#8220Romeo and Juliet.” Wilde made quite an impression on Olivier and was offered the role of Tybalt in the play. His performance caught the attention of many and propelled his career to Hollywood.
Singing with Warner Bros. in 1940, Wilde took roles in several small films before playing Frederic Chopin in the 1945 film, &#8220A Song to Remember,” for which he received an Academy Award nomination. From the 40's to the 70's, Wilde enjoyed an illustrious career playing flamboyant swordsmen and romantic heroes. He appeared in films such as &#8220Leave Her to Heaven” (1945), &#8220Road House” (1948) and &#8220Shockproof” (1949).
In 1955, Wilde decided to take a freelance approach to his career. He created Theodora Productions as his own production company. Wilde now had the freedom to produce, direct, and star in his own films. The first film released by Theodora Productions was &#8220Storm Fear” (1955); Wilde directed, produced and acted in the film. He made 11 films in this way, but earned little critical respect for his work.
Wilde died on October 16, 1989 at the age of 74, losing his battle with leukemia. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 1635 Vine Street.
He said late in his life, &#8220I realized long ago that I could not depend on luck to bring me success. I worked hard, extra hard, to improve my chance by increasing my abilities and my experience. It was my goal to accomplish, in my life, something of value and to do it with self-respect and integrity.”