Biography: Eldred Gregory Peck was born in California, in a small town by the ocean called La Jolla. His parents divorced when he was only six years old and his father moved out of town. At age ten Gregory was sent to Military Academy in Los Angeles. After graduating he attended San Diego high school and then continued to study at the University of California. His plan was to become a doctor and walk in his fathers footsteps. But he realised that his biggest inteterest was theater and literature. He played in a production of "Moby Dick" and then decided that he would become an actor and moved directly to New York. Peck worked in many different theatre groups before getting parts on Broadway. This was during World War II, when many Hollywood stars were fighting for their country. But Peck was disabled by a back injury he received a couple of years ago. He caught the attention of some talent scouts and moved to Hollywood. He married Greta Kukkonen in 1942 and they had three chldren together.

Peck was one of few Hollywood stars at that time who manage to keep their independence. He refused to sign a long term contract with any studio, which was unusual at the time. But it gave him freedom to choose which films to appear in. Right from the start he was cast in leading roles. He became a star by 1944 when he appeared in KEYS OF THE KINGDOM. This would be the start of a 20 year long period during which he would appear in films of outstanding quality. He was Oscar nominated for KEYS OF THE KINGDOM, then played the male lead in Hitchcock’s classic thriller SPELLBOUND opposite Ingrid Bergman. He was again Oscar nominated for the part of Pa Baxter in the superb animal picture THE YEARLING. He also starred in David O’Selznicks expensive DUEL IN THE SUN (”Lust in the Dust”), an attempt to equal the greatness of GONE WITH THE WIND that failed miserably. One of the most interesting roles of Peck’s career was as a reporter in Elia Kazan’s Oscar winning message movie GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT. Peck was Oscar nominated but didn’t win this time either.

Peck gives a very strong performance in Henry King’s magnificent combat film TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH, about night time bombing during WW II. Peck plays the commander who works himself, and his men, to exhaustion. He was again Oscar nominated, but still no cigar. He again worked under King’s direction in THE GUNFIGHTER, a western where Peck plays outlaw Jimmy Ringo. He worked in England for a couple of films, one of them the sea adventure CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER. Then returned to USA to play Audrey Hepburn’s leading man in William Wyler’s classic comedy ROMAN HOLIDAY. It is notable that Peck alternated romantic fluff with exciting adventure movies. Peck was a tall and handsome actor who almost always portrayed strong and noble characters with great dignity.  In 1955 he divorced Greta to marry Veronique Passani, to whom he was married to his death. He starred in the thrilling war adventure PURPLE PLAIN, in the sea adventure MOBY DICK and in William Wyler’s epic western THE BIG COUNTRY opposite Charlton Heston.

In 1961 Peck starred in what was then one of the highest grossing films ever, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, with Anthony Quinn and David Niven. He produced CAPE FEAR himself, and played the good guy opposite Robert Mitchum’s Max Cady. Also in 1962 he appeared in the epic western HOW THE WEST WAS WON, along with an all star cast including James Stewart, John Wayne and Henry Fonda. Peck’s signature role, however, for which he would eventually win an Academy Award, was in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Peck plays Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the south who defends a black man who is accused of rape. This ended Peck’s long period at the top. He would continue to work steadily in the movies, but it would take 14  years until his next hit, which was THE OMEN.

During his career, Peck’s heart would always be with the theater. He founded the La Jolla playhouse, where he played many times over the years. Peck was concerned with worldly issues too, working hard to raise money for cancer research and helping create jobs in the USA. He made a couple of movies for TV during the 80’s but his days as a big movie star were over long ago. Peck worked hard for the movies away from the camera. He founded the American Film Institute and worked at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was a member of the National Council For the Arts. Gregory Peck died in 2003 at age 87, a short while after he received AFI’s award for greatest on-screen hero of all time (Atticus Finch in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD). 

This biography was written by Erik Ståhlberg.