Morning Man Classic: Anthony Perkins!

If Anthony Perkins were still alive, he would have celebrated his 90th birthday this week. He, of course, was the star of the classic 1960 thriller Psycho in which he played Norman Bates and later reprised his role in three forgettable sequels.

But there was far more to the career of Mr. Perkins before Psycho. He was nominated for an Oscar for what was just his second movie: Friendly Persuasion and followed that up with Fear Strikes Out playing a troubled former pro baseball player.

In the late 50s, the heartthrob Perkins released three pop albums and one of his singles, Moon-Light Swim, reached number 24 on the Billboard charts.

He also starred opposite Shirley MacLaine in 1958’s The Matchmaker and opposite Jane Fonda in her first movie, 1960’s Tall Story and conquered the Broadway stage first in Tea and Sympathy then earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the play Look Homeward, Angel.

Film roles in the 60s and 70s included The Trial, Catch-22, Pretty Poison, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean and Murder on the Orient Express. He also starred opposite Diana Ross in what was her second feature film: Mahogany.

He had been married to the late photographer Berry Berenson (she died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks) for 19 years and was the father of two sons when he died of AIDS in 1992 at the age of 60. He never came out publicly as gay or bisexual although Tab Hunter had discussed their romance in his autobiography.