1952 proved to be a vintage year for "beefcake bondage" in his film career. In At Sword's Point (1952), he appeared bound and stripped to the waist in a torture chamber where his torso was burned with a hot iron. In California Conquest (1952), he appeared stripped to the waist and bound to a tree where he was lashed across the chest with a whip.
Although most records indicate Wilde was born in New York City, the 1930 U.S. Census and the California Death Records database both state that he was born in Hungary.
At his death he was editing his autobiography, "My Very Wilde Life, " and working on a sequel to his acclaimed film The Naked Prey (1966).
Chosen for the 1936 Olympic fencing team in Berlin, he turned down the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actively pursue acting.
Daughter with first wife Patricia Knight: Wendy Wilde, born February 22, 1943. Son with second wife Jean Wallace: Cornel Wilde, Jr.
Enrolled as a pre-med student at the City College of New York (CCNY) and completed the four-year course in three years. (CCNY at that time was tuition-free and admitted only the best scholars.) He was a member of CCNY's fencing team.
Featured in "Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir" by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry (McFarland, 2003).
He graduated from Townsend Harris High School for gifted students in New York at the age of 14. Townsend Harris was affiliated with CCNY, the college he entered upon graduation.
His role as Tybalt in the 1940 Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh led to a Warner Brothers contract.
Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California.
Prior to his film career, Wilde had various jobs -- commercial artist, Macy's toys salesman, newspaper advertising and Boys' Club counselor.
Spoke Hungarian, French, German, English, Italian, and Russian.