Van Heflin Overview:

Legendary actor, Van Heflin, was born Emmett Evan Heflin Jr. on Dec 13, 1910 in Walters, Oklahoma. Heflin appeared in over 65 film and TV roles. His best known films include A Woman Rebels (film debut 1936), Santa Fe Trail (1940), Johnny Eager (1942), Shane (1953), 3:10 to Yuma (1957) and Stagecoach (1966). Heflin died at the age of 60 on Jul 23, 1971 in Hollywood, CA and was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.

MINI BIO:

Square-faced and thin-lipped, Van Heflin was one of Hollywood's most interesting and underrated stars. He often gave quite exceptional performances in meaty, well-written parts. He died following a massive stroke sustained while swimming.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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Van Heflin was nominated for one Academy Award, winning for Best Supporting Actor for Johnny Eager (as Jeff Hartnett) in 1942.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1942Best Supporting ActorJohnny Eager (1941)Jeff HartnettWon
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He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Television and Motion Pictures. Van Heflin's handprints and footprints were 'set in stone' at Grauman's Chinese Theater during imprint ceremony #110 on Oct 8, 1954.

BlogHub Articles:

’s Surprising First Role

By Judy on May 19, 2024 From Cary Grant Won't Eat You

The first time you see (Lord Gerald Waring Gaythorne) in A Woman Rebels (1936), his debut role, you do a double take. I had to look closer, to make sure it was indeed and not Leslie Howard. A word I never thought I’d apply to him is slight. He’s quite slender in it... Read full article


Noir Nook: Spring Trivia – Laraine Day, , Robert Taylor and More

By Karen Burroughs Hannsberry on May 16, 2024 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Spring Trivia – Laraine Day, , Robert Taylor and More Classic movie trivia and the budding of spring ? two things that go great together . . . at least, they do here at the Noir Nook! This month?s Nook celebrates the new season with some tasty tidbits about six great performers an... Read full article


The Raid (1954): Starring

By 4 Star Film Fan on Aug 18, 2020 From 4 Star Films

On first glance, The Raid feels like a punchier, B-grade version of John Ford’s The Horse Soldiers (1959). In time, it winds up being a fairly apt descriptor. The fact that the other Civil War piece is a lumbering giant gives The Raid an unpretentious edge. Because in the casting department it... Read full article


The Moment I Fell for

By Judy on Sep 23, 2014 From Cary Grant Won't Eat You

I didn?t know a thing about when I saw The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). I picked the movie because of my love for Barbara Stanwyck, whom I assumed from the title would be the star of the film; I didn?t realize she wouldn?t appear until half an hour into it. The story begins in 192... Read full article


The Moment I Fell for

By Judy on Sep 23, 2014 From Cary Grant Won't Eat You

I didn?t know a thing about when I saw The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). I picked the movie because of my love for Barbara Stanwyck, whom I assumed from the title would be the star of the film; I didn?t realize she wouldn?t appear until half an hour into it. Stanwyck in The Strange... Read full article


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Van Heflin Quotes:

Sailor: [the car's crashed] What happened?
Sam Masterson: The road curved, I didn't.


Charles Bovary: This could be a disaster, Emma, these people are aristocrats, I know them, I've treated their servants.


Lee Hackett: Times don't change in this country where you breed a man soft. Without any spirit, a man's like a horse: if he don't buck the first time you put a saddle on him he ain't worth having - you know that!


read more quotes from Van Heflin...



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Best Supporting Actor Oscar 1942






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Grauman's Imprints

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Van Heflin on the
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Van Heflin Facts
Attended UCLA film school after achieving fame as an actor, with the intention of learning filmmaking techniques so as to improve his work as an actor. He wrote about the experience in the October, 1950, issue of "Theatre Arts" magazine.

During WWII, he served as a combat cameraman in the Ninth Air Force in Europe.

His favorite pastime was sailing.

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