Harold Gordon
American stage and screen actor whose portrayal of President Francisco Madero in Viva Zapata! (1952) remains his most celebrated performance.
Harold Gordon - Personal Information
- Name: Harold Gordon
- Date of Birth: August 9, 1918
- Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Date of Death: January 19, 1959
- Gender: Male
- Job Title: Actor
- Crew Jobs: Editor
Biography
Harold Gordon was born Harold Goldstein on August 9, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York. He launched his career on the stage during the 1930s, building a foundation in theatrical performance before transitioning to film and television work in the following decades.
His most celebrated screen role came in 1952, when director Elia Kazan cast him as Mexican President Francisco Indalecio Madero in Viva Zapata!, a landmark historical drama starring Marlon Brando. The performance brought Gordon wide recognition and cemented his place among the character actors of Hollywood's postwar era. That same year he appeared in The Iron Mistress, and in 1953 he wed actress Inge Jolles and took on a memorable supporting role in The Jazz Singer. His work continued steadily through the mid-1950s, with notable appearances in Bengal Brigade (1954) and East of Eden (1955), the latter directed once again by Kazan.
Harold Gordon died on January 19, 1959, in New York City from natural causes, at the age of 40, leaving behind a compact but distinctive body of work that spanned stage and screen.
Filmography
A selection of Harold Gordon's film appearances across his career.
- Yellowneck (1955) as Cockney
- East of Eden (1955) as Gustav Albrecht
- Bengal Brigade (1954) as Hari Lal
- The Jazz Singer (1953) as Rabbi Roth
- The Iron Mistress (1952) as Andrew Marschalk
- Viva Zapata! (1952) as Madero
External Links
Explore Harold Gordon's profile on major entertainment and reference databases.