As a peaceful and relaxing pastime people sometimes like and even love to go to the movies. People who like and love to go to the movies often go to the movies to escape from their stressful everyday lives. This is because movies are what some artists and other people would label escapist entertainment. Plus, we often go to the movies to see our favorite movie stars as up close and personal as we can without being accused of stalking them. Some movie goers and some movie lovers alike often go to the movies in order to both fantasize and to ogle over their favorite perceived screen god or goddess. Today, movie goers and movie lovers alike can and often do worship actors Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Hugh Grant and actress Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, and Amy Adams. In addition to the screen actors and actress of modern movie going fame, there were some great actors and actress in the 1940s and 1950s; one of these great actors was Gregory Peck. Now, let’s look a bit closer into the life and career of actor and activist Gregory Peck.

The Academy Award winning actor named Gregory Peck was born on April 5th 1916 and he passed away on June 12th, 2003. Did you know that this great American actor was one of 20th Century Fox’s most poplar movie stars from the 1940’s through the 1960’s? He also played important movie roles well into the decade of the 90’s. However, Gregory Peck won an Academy Award for playing lawyer Atticus Finch in the film adaptation of Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird. Although, he only won one Academy Award as Best Actor for To Kill a Mockingbird, Gregory Peck was nominated for five, yes five Academy Awards. In addition to Mockingbird, Peck also was nominated for his roles in The Keys of the Kingdom in 1944, The Yearling in 1946, Gentleman’s Agreement, the following year, and Twelve O’clock High in 1949. Peck won his Academy Award for playing Southern lawyer Atticus Finch in 1963. Did you know that this film was released during the height of the Civil Rights Movement? Did you also know that To Kill a Mockingbird was Gregory’s Peck’s favorite movie and Atticus Fich was his favorite film role? In interesting event that occurred in 2003 was that the fictional film lawyer, Atticus Finch was named the top film hero of the past 100 years by the American Film Institute. In addition, in 1999, Gregory Peck was named one of the Greatest Male Actors of all time; Peck ranked 12th on the list. Among his other accomplishments, Gregory Peck was presented the Presidential Medal Of Freedom by then President Lyndon Johnson in 1969 because of Peck’s longtime humanitarian efforts. In addition, Peck also was a member of the National Council of the Arts from 1964 to 1966. We have glimpsed into Peck’s acting and activist life; now let’s peek into the beginning’s of this outstanding American actor’s life.

Did you know that Gregory Peck was born with the first name of Eldred and that he was born in San Diego, and more precisely he was born in La Jolla, California? Another interesting fact is that Gregory Peck went to San Diego State University before going on to the University of California at Berkeley. Peck received a BA. in English from Berkeley. He also founded the La Jolla Playhouse in 1949. All of this information about Gregory Peck’s life seems to support that he was both a great actor and activist.