William Powell

William Horatio Powell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 29, 1892. He died on March 5, 1984 in Palm Springs California due to cardiac arrest. He played on the New York stage starting in1912 and in 1924 he went to paramount pictures he played in interesting films and the film that brought him notoriety was The Last Command in1928. He played Philo Vance in The Canary Murder Case in1929 and when sound came to film his deep voice and stage training was a natural.
In 1933 he again play Philo Vance in The Kennel Murder Case and in1934 he starred in Manhattan Melodrama with Myrna Loy. Powell obtained an Academy Award nomination for The Thin Man in 1934 and starred in The Great Ziegfeld in 1936. My Man Godfrey in 1936 garnered him another Academy Award nomination. He played in Reckless with Jean Harlow in 1935 and they became a pair on and off the screen. While Powell was making Double Wedding in 1937 Harlow became ill and died. Her death upset Powell and he took six weeks off to deal with his grief. He did not make another film for a year.
He made five sequels to The Thin Man and received an Academy Award nomination for Life with Father in 1947. His last movie role was in 1955.
Powell married Carole Lombard from 1931 to 1933 when they divorced and Diana Lewis in 1940 until his death in 1984. He was also married to Eileen Wilson from 1915 until1930. They had one son. Powell was awarded a star on the Walk of Fame.