By Pete Allman
Peteonthescene@yahoo.com

 Anthony Quinn, a Passionate Man  

Anthony Quinn, without question, was a passionate man in everything he did. His role in “Zorba the Greek,” which he starred in at the beginning of his 50-plus-year career, is regarded as one of the all-time great films.

Born Antonio Rodolfo Quinn, April 21, 1915, in Chihuahua, Mexico, he believed in helping his people in Mexico. Frank “Francisco” Quinn, his father, was of Irish-Mexican descent. The family moved to Los Angeles, Calif., where they resided in Boyle Heights and Echo Park neighborhoods.

Anthony Quinn

Quinn was not enthralled with school as a youngster. After he attended Polytech UIE High school then Belmont High, he dropped out. He was a daring, aggressive, young man who was an amateur boxer.

He played his first part—Stanley Kowalski—in Chicago and received rave reviews. That, however, was not enough for the young Quinn’s soul; he ended up studying architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright.

Wright encouraged Quinn to continue his acting career. He did; in 1936, he resumed his acting career with a lot of small roles in several films and ended up with Paramount playing a Native American in the “Plainsman” directed by Cecil B. Demille, who later became Quinn’s father-in-law.

Anthony Quinn

Like many stars, Quinn did not want to become typecast. Much of the time, in his more than 50 films, he was cast as a villain and ethnic-type for roles, such as the comedic, angry Arab Sheik in “Road to Morocco.” During this time as a contract player, Quinn was exempt from the draft. That provided him with an abundance of activities since many veteran and upcoming actors were away at war.

His marriage to Demille’s daughter Katherine enabled Quinn to move in the right circles of Hollywood. However, he was disenchanted with his career and returned to New York where he replaced Marlon Brando in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” on Broadway. Thanks to director Elia Kazan, Quinn’s film career took off.

The movie list goes on and on, but one particular film he loved was “Lust for Life,” a biopic of Vincent Van Gogh, for which Quinn won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the role of best friend Paul Gaughin.

Rita Hayworth and Anthony Quinn

Over the next decade, Quinn lived in Italy and became a major figure in world cinema. It was a place where studios liked to film because it was cost-effective. What the world should remember about Quinn is that he wasn’t just satisfied doing any film, he wanted to do films that carried a message.

In later years, Quinn grew to love creating fine art and painted in the desert, especially in the Furnace Creek are near Death Valley. His paintings are highly treasured by friends and collectors.

Just in the short time spent with Quinn, I learned about his art and the different dimensions that he would paint. He would capture images and impressions from his experience, in an abstract manner, expressing his feelings.

During his last years, he resided in Bristol, R.I., where he operated a restaurant.

As a family man, Quinn obviously loved his children. He said they gave him peace of mind and delighted his senses. He was a very caring person who helped many others.

He passed from this life in 2001 from complications stemming from respiratory failure linked to his battle with throat cancer. At 86, he had lived a tremendous life. He had been the husband to former wife Jolanda Addolori, whom he married after his divorce to Katherine. He fathered many children, some by women to whom he was not married. He left a reported 13 children to explore the world as he had, and was survived by his widow Kathy Benvin.

While taping one of my television interviews with Quinn in his younger years at one his art shows at the then-Resort at Summerlin, now called the J.W. Marriott, he shared with me an experience with local Las Vegas history flavor. Quinn spoke about his experience with Benjamin Siegel, who was dubbed “Bugsy,” to his dismay, by other early mob figures.

Quinn, who loved Las Vegas, started dating a very lovely young woman he had met at the Flamingo Hotel. At that time, he had no idea that she was Siegel’s girlfriend. Sure enough, one day, Quinn was called up to Siegel’s office where Quinn made assurances that he had no idea that the woman was Siegel’s girlfriend. Fortunately, the powerful icon believed him.

“I remember going to the penny slots with Mr. Siegel, He used to say, ‘I won. I won the jackpot!’ He was like a kid in the cookie jar, said Quinn.”

Quinn was the kind of man who was at ease with political leaders, unsavory characters, as well as the worker next door. He was always a gentleman. Even when I first met him in New York City at an international chess tournament, he was kind enough to fit me into his time, right there on the spot, for an interview.

True stars don’t have big egos; they are actually hugely talented people who remain humble. Anthony Quinn was truly that, and he was truly a star.

Pete Allman is a Las Vegas-based commentator, broadcast personality and celebrity interviewer. He also produces inspirational messages for television and other media. Contact him at peteonthescene@yahoo.com  or (702) 265-9099.