Yes, I know you're here because you already know who Anthony Perkins is, but a website dedicated to him just wouldn't be complete without a small biography now would it!

Anthony Perkins' rise to fame began on the day he heard that Elia Kazan was casting the film East of Eden. Although he had already racked up many dramatic appearances on television, the urge to "do something big" spurred him on to seek a role that would express his innermost ambitions. At the start of the audition, Kazan was in a cool and most business-like mood, but as he felt the natural untrained impact of this young actor, he became more and more absorbed. The famed director said that he had just signed James Dean for the part in question, but that he thought Tony would be an ideal replacement for John Kerr in the stage play Tea and Sympathy. He accepted the offer, and his impressive performance of this part gladdened the hearts of all theatre-goers.

Hollywood was quick to recognize Tony's talents now that he was established as an artist. The coast beckoned and he did his first film, The Actress. He then went on to do Friendly Persuasion, and once again his performance projected the full strength of his personality (winning him his first Oscar) and Tony went on from there to immediate film stardom. His return to the stage to portray the sensetive hero of Look Homeward, Angel electrified New York critics into unanimous approval and left no doubt that Tony had arrived both on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Then along came Alfred Hitchcock. The great success of Psycho made him internationally famous, and he went on to play major roles in a number of American and European films in the 1960's. However, he remained forever identified in the audience's mind with Norman Bates, and although he was an extremely versatile and talented actor, his career never quite took off the way it ought to have done after the success of Psycho.

Perkins married photographer Berry Berenson in 1973, who interviewed him for Andy Warhol's Interview magazine. He fathered two sons with Berenson and remained happily married with her up until his death. In September 1992, at the age of 60, Anthony Perkins died from pneumonia as a result of AIDS. He was surrounded by his friends and family at his home in California. Also tragically, one day before the 9th anniversary of his death, his wife Berry was a victim of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 when she was on board the first plane that struck one of the buildings.

He is succeeded by his sons Oz, who followed in his footsteps as an actor, and Elvis, who is a musician.

For info on all of Tony's Broadway performances GO HERE
For info on all of Tony's film and television work GO HERE