Pat Hingle

Diagnosed in November 2006 with myelodysplasia, a blood disease. He died in early 2009.

In his last appearance as Commissioner Gordon in the Batman series, he worked with Uma Thurman, whose first husband, Gary Oldman, succeeded him in the role in Batman Begins (2005).

Along with Michael Gough, he is one of only two actors to appear in Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997).

He was awarded the 1983 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

He lost the lead role in the film Elmer Gantry (1960), which could have been a turning point in his screen career, when he, trying to escape a stalled elevator in his apartment building on the West Side, fell more than 50 feet down the shaft. He fractured his skull, hip, wrist, and most of the ribs on his left side, also breaking his left leg in three places. A finger had to be amputated. Near death for two weeks, he spent a year relearning to walk. Burt Lancaster inherited the role and won an Oscar.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as best supporting or featured actor (dramatic) for "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.".

Studying acting with Uta Hagen with the Herbert Berghof Acting Studio in NYC, he later was a strong disciple of the Actors Studio in New York. It was Elia Kazan, who gave Hingle his big screen break by casting him in the unbilled role of a bartender in On the Waterfront (1954). Later he played Warren Beatty's browbeating father in Kazan's Splendor in the Grass (1961). Kazan also cast him as the original Gooper on Broadway in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".

Went to the University of Texas in 1942 on a tuba scholarship.

Appearing on Broadway in a revival of the musical "1776" as Benjamin Franklin. [August 1997]