Brad Davis (actor)

For other persons named Brad Davis, see Brad Davis (disambiguation).
Brad Davis
Born Robert Creel Davis
November 6, 1949(1949-11-06)
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Died September 8, 1991 (aged 41)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active 1974–1991
Spouse(s) Susan Bluestein
(1976-1991)

Brad Davis (born Robert Creel Davis, November 6, 1949 – September 8, 1991) was an American actor, best known for his role in the 1978 film Midnight Express.

Contents

Biography

Born Robert Creel Davis in Tallahassee, Florida to Eugene Davis, a dentist whose career declined due to alcoholism, and his wife, Anne Creel. His brother Gene is also an actor. According to an article in The New York Times published in 1987, Davis suffered physical abuse and sexual abuse at the hands of both parents. As an adult, he was an alcoholic and an intravenous drug user before becoming sober in 1981.1 Davis was known as "Bobby" during his youth, but took Brad as his stage name in 1973.1

At 17, after winning a music talent contest, Davis worked at Theatre Atlanta. He later moved to New York City and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as studied acting at the American Place Theater. After a role on the soap opera How to Survive a Marriage, he performed in off-Broadway plays. In 1976 he was cast as Sally Field's love interest in the television film Sybil. He played the lead role in Larry Kramer's play about AIDS, The Normal Heart (1985). His most successful film role was as the main character, Billy Hayes, in Midnight Express (1978), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor. He was also nominated for a similar award at that year's BAFTA Awards, in addition to receiving Best Actor nominations at both ceremonies (losing the "Best Actor" BAFTA Award to Richard Dreyfuss for The Goodbye Girl and the "Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama" Golden Globe Award to Jon Voight for Coming Home). He also had a small role in Roots.

Personal life

Davis was married to Susan Bluestein, who later became an Emmy Award-winning casting director. They had one child, Alexandra.1

Diagnosed with AIDS in 1985, Davis kept his condition secret until shortly before his death. Although it was announced he died of AIDS in 1991 in Los Angeles, he actually died of an intentional drug overdose. Near death and in severe pain in a hospital, he opted to return home and end his life on his own terms. With his wife and a family friend present, he committed assisted suicide.2

Davis was referred to as "the first heterosexual actor to die of AIDS," although he reportedly was bisexual, a claim disputed by his wife in her book.3

Susan Bluestein Davis continues to campaign to combat AIDS.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ a b c Witchel, Alex. (16 April 1997) For the Widow Of Brad Davis, Time Cannot Heal All the Wounds New York Times. Accessed 31 July 2007.
  2. ^ After Midnight: The Life and Death of Brad Davis by Susan Bluestein Davis with Hilary De Vries, Pocket Books, 1997, pp. 283-299, ISBN 0-671-79672-0
  3. ^ "Brad Davis at GLBTQ Encyclopedia". Brad Davis. Retrieved on March 12, 2006.

External links

Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 8 January 2009, at 07:37.

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