Black & White Portraits #17 Jeff Bridges

Black & White Portraits #17

Jeff Bridges

Film Actor, Actor (1949–)

Synopsis

Born into a Hollywood family in 1949, Jeff Bridges began his acting career as an infant. He broke through with The Last Picture Show (1971), for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination. Bridges went on to star in the popular films Heaven's Gate (1980) and TRON (1982), as well as the cult hit The Big Lebowski (1998). Following decades of acclaimed work, he finally nabbed an Oscar for his performance in Crazy Heart (2009).

Early Life

Actor. Born Jeffrey Leon Bridges on December 4, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. Bridges was born into a Hollywood family: His father was famed actor Lloyd Bridges, and his mother, Dorothy, was also an actress, which paved the way for both his and big brother Beau's early careers. Bridges made his first big-screen appearance as an infant in The Company She Keeps (1951). His mother and brother also made uncredited appearances in the film. He then appeared in his father's television series Sea Hunt for several episodes, as well as The Lloyd Bridges Show.

Often in trouble at school, Bridges was sent to a military academy for his freshman year of high school in order to teach him discipline. Bridges hated every minute of military school, and returned to a public high school to finish out his education. Despite the attempt to make him focus on his studies, Bridges's academics tended to take a backseat to his creative efforts. At the age of 16, he wrote a song which was used in the 1969 film John and Mary. While still a teenager, he also sold two compositions to music producer Quincy Jones.

Upon his graduation from University High School, Bridges followed in his brother Beau's footsteps and enlisted in the Coast Guard Reserves with the help of his father's Sea Hunt connections. He then headed to New York, where he studied acting at the famed Herbert Berghof Studio. Bridges appeared in the film Halls of Anger in 1970, followed by a role in The Yin and Yang of Mr. Go that same year.

Career Breakthrough

The young actor first earned widespread acclaim in 1971, when he starred in Peter Bogdanovich's critically acclaimed The Last Picture Show. His role as Duane Jackson, one of two best friends coming of age in a sleepy Texas town, earned Bridges an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. It also led to more serious roles in films such as Fat City (1972) and The Last American Hero (1973). However, during this time in his career, Bridges wasn't focused on stardom; he was more interested in his experimentation with drugs and spirituality, and his relationships with the actresses Cybill Shepherd and Valerie Perrine.