Full History Of Rip Torn In Timeline From 1931

February 6, 1931: Birth of Rip Torn

On February 6, 1931, Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn Jr. was born in Temple, Texas.

1948: Graduation from Taylor High School

Rip Torn graduated from Taylor High School in Taylor, Texas in 1948.

1956: Film Debut in "Baby Doll"

Rip Torn made his film debut in Elia Kazan's "Baby Doll" in 1956.

1956: Marriage to Ann Wedgeworth

Rip Torn married actress Ann Wedgeworth in 1956.

1957: Early Roles in Television and Film

Rip Torn appeared in an early episode of "The Restless Gun" and in Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1957.

1959: Broadway Debut and Awards Recognition

In 1959, Rip Torn made his mark on Broadway with his role as Tom Junior in "Sweet Bird of Youth." This performance earned him a Theatre World Award and a Tony Award nomination.

1961: Performance in "King of Kings" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"

Rip Torn portrayed Judas Iscariot in the epic film "King of Kings" and appeared in another episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" in 1961.

1961: Divorce from Ann Wedgeworth

Rip Torn's marriage to Ann Wedgeworth ended in divorce in 1961.

February 7, 1962: Guest Appearance on "The Naked City"

On February 7, 1962, Rip Torn appeared as Charles Starkweather in an episode of the television series "The Naked City".

1962: Return to Broadway in "Daughter of Silence"

Rip Torn returned to the Broadway stage in 1962, playing the role of Carlo in the play "Daughter of Silence."

1963: Appearance in "Strange Interlude"

In 1963, Rip Torn appeared in the Broadway production of "Strange Interlude."

1963: Roles in "Channing", "Breaking Point", and "The Lieutenant"

Rip Torn appeared in the television series "Channing" and "Breaking Point" as well as an episode of "The Lieutenant" in 1963.

1963: Marriage to Geraldine Page

Rip Torn married actress Geraldine Page in 1963.

1964: Guest Appearances in "The Eleventh Hour" and "The Reporter"

In 1964, Rip Torn made guest appearances on the television series "The Eleventh Hour" and "The Reporter".

1964: Performance as Lyle Britten in "Blues for Mister Charlie"

Rip Torn played the character Lyle Britten in the 1964 Broadway production of "Blues for Mister Charlie."

1965: Performance in "The Cincinnati Kid" and "Twelve O'Clock High"

Rip Torn appeared in the film "The Cincinnati Kid" and an episode of the television series "Twelve O'Clock High" in 1965.

1967: Obie Award Win for "The Deer Park"

Rip Torn's performance as Marion-Faye-A-Pimp in the off-Broadway play "The Deer Park" earned him the prestigious Obie Award for Distinguished Performance in 1967.

September 24, 1968: One-Time Performance in "The Cuban Thing"

Rip Torn took on the role of Roberto in "The Cuban Thing" for its sole performance on September 24, 1968.

1968: Altercation with Norman Mailer on Set of "Maidstone"

During the filming of "Maidstone" in 1968, Rip Torn was involved in a physical altercation with the film's director and star, Norman Mailer. The fight, which was captured on camera, involved Torn striking Mailer with a hammer and Mailer biting Torn's ear.

1968: Obie Award for Directing "The Beard"

Rip Torn won an Obie Award for Distinguished Direction in 1968 for his work on the off-Broadway production of "The Beard" at the Evergreen Theater.

1969: Alleged Incident During "Easy Rider" Pre-Production

Dennis Hopper alleged that an incident occurred in 1969 involving Rip Torn during the pre-production of the film "Easy Rider." This incident, the details of which are disputed, allegedly led to Torn being replaced in the film by Jack Nicholson.

1971: Portrayal of Edgar in "Dance of Death"

Rip Torn took on the role of Edgar in the 1971 Broadway production of "Dance of Death."

1972: Critically Acclaimed Role in "Payday"

Rip Torn received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a country and western singer in the film "Payday" in 1972.

1973: Broadway Directorial Debut with "Look Away"

Rip Torn made his directorial debut on Broadway in 1973 with the play "Look Away."

1974: Featured in Studs Terkel's "Working"

Rip Torn was interviewed for Studs Terkel's 1974 book "Working," an oral history of various professions. In the interview, Torn acknowledged his struggles with anger.

1975: Performance in "The Glass Menagerie" Revival

Rip Torn took on the role of the Son in the 1975 Broadway revival of "The Glass Menagerie."

1976: Stars in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" with David Bowie

Rip Torn co-starred with David Bowie in the science fiction film "The Man Who Fell to Earth", released in 1976.

1979: Performance in "The Seduction of Joe Tynan"

Rip Torn played the role of a Southern senator in the film "The Seduction of Joe Tynan" in 1979.

1979: Off-Broadway Performance in Sam Shepard's "Seduced"

Rip Torn took to the stage at the American Place Theatre in 1979, playing Henry Hackamore in Sam Shepard's "Seduced: a Play in Two Acts."

1980: Appears in Paul Simon's "One-Trick Pony"

Rip Torn appeared as a music producer in Paul Simon's film "One-Trick Pony" in 1980.

1982: Roles in "The Beastmaster", "Jinxed!", and "Airplane II: The Sequel"

Rip Torn appeared in the films "The Beastmaster", "Jinxed!", and "Airplane II: The Sequel" in 1982.

1983: Academy Award Nomination for "Cross Creek"

Rip Torn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Marsh Turner in the film "Cross Creek" in 1983.

1984: Performance in "Flashpoint" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

Rip Torn starred in the thriller "Flashpoint" and portrayed Big Daddy in a Showtime production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in 1984.

1985: Appearance in "Summer Rental" and "Extreme Prejudice"

Rip Torn co-starred in the comedy "Summer Rental" and had a role in "Extreme Prejudice" in 1985.

1987: Geraldine Page Passes Away

Geraldine Page, Rip Torn's wife, passed away in 1987.

January 1988: Premiere and Controversy Surrounding "The Telephone"

The premiere of "The Telephone" took place in January 1988, amidst controversy surrounding creative differences between Rip Torn and Whoopi Goldberg during production.

1988: Directorial Debut with "The Telephone"

Rip Torn made his directorial debut with the film "The Telephone", written by Terry Southern and Harry Nilsson, in 1988.

1989: Marriage to Amy Wright

Rip Torn married actress Amy Wright in 1989.

1990: Role in HBO's "By Dawn's Early Light"

Rip Torn portrayed Colonel Fargo in the HBO film "By Dawn's Early Light" in 1990.

1991: Appearances in "Defending Your Life" and "Columbo"

Rip Torn appeared in the films "Defending Your Life" and an episode of the television series "Columbo" in 1991.

1992: Begins Role as Artie on "The Larry Sanders Show"

Rip Torn took on the role of Artie in "The Larry Sanders Show" in 1992, a role that would bring him significant recognition.

1993: Return to Broadway as Chris Christopherson

After a 13-year hiatus, Rip Torn returned to Broadway in 1993 to portray Chris Christopherson in "Anna Christie."

1993: Roles in "RoboCop 3" and "Where the Rivers Flow North"

Rip Torn starred in the films "RoboCop 3" and "Where the Rivers Flow North" in 1993.

1994: Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Dennis Hopper

Rip Torn filed a defamation lawsuit against actor Dennis Hopper in 1994. The lawsuit was in response to claims made by Hopper that Torn had pulled a knife on him during the pre-production phase of the film "Easy Rider."

1996: Appearance in "Down Periscope"

Rip Torn had a role as a naval officer in the comedy film "Down Periscope" in 1996.

1996: Emmy Award for "The Larry Sanders Show"

Rip Torn won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Artie on "The Larry Sanders Show" in 1996.

1997: Final Broadway Appearance in "The Young Man from Atlanta"

In his final Broadway performance, Rip Torn played Will Kidder in "The Young Man from Atlanta" in 1997.

1997: Release of "Men in Black"

Rip Torn starred as Agent Zed in the science fiction comedy film "Men in Black", released in 1997.

1997: Voice Role in "Hercules" and Stars in "Men in Black"

Rip Torn voiced the god Zeus in the Disney animated film "Hercules" and starred as Agent Zed in "Men in Black" in 1997.

April 1, 1998: Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Dennis Hopper

A California appellate court ruled in favor of Rip Torn on April 1, 1998, upholding a defamation lawsuit he filed against Dennis Hopper. The lawsuit stemmed from a story Hopper told on "The Tonight Show" alleging Torn pulled a knife on him.

1998: Concludes Role on "The Larry Sanders Show"

After a successful run, Rip Torn concluded his role as Artie on "The Larry Sanders Show" in 1998.

2001: Appearance in "Freddy Got Fingered"

Rip Torn appeared in the comedy film "Freddy Got Fingered" in 2001.

2002: Reprises Role in "Men in Black II"

Rip Torn reprised his role as Agent Zed in "Men in Black II", released in 2002.

2004: Stars as Patches O'Houlihan in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story"

Rip Torn played the memorable role of Patches O'Houlihan in the sports comedy "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" in 2004.

2004: Appearance in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story"

Rip Torn played the role of Patches O'Houlihan in the sports comedy film "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story", released in 2004.

2007: Guest Appearances on "30 Rock"

Rip Torn began making guest appearances as Don Geiss, the fictional CEO of General Electric, on the sitcom "30 Rock" in 2007.

2008: Continued Guest Appearances on "30 Rock"

Rip Torn continued his recurring guest role as Don Geiss on the sitcom "30 Rock" in 2008.

January 29, 2010: Arrest for Breaking into a Bank

On January 29, 2010, Rip Torn was arrested for breaking into a Litchfield Bancorp branch in Lakeville, Connecticut. He was charged with several offenses, including burglary and carrying a firearm while intoxicated. Torn reportedly mistook the bank for his own home.

August 11, 2010: Denied Special Probation

Rip Torn was denied special probation on August 11, 2010, relating to his arrest for breaking into a bank. The judge cited Torn's history of alcohol abuse and the seriousness of the charges.

December 14, 2010: Plea Deal and Sentencing

On December 14, 2010, Rip Torn entered a guilty plea to charges including reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, and firearm possession. He received a suspended jail sentence and probation.

2010: Voice Acting in "God of War III" and Emmy Nomination

Rip Torn lent his voice to the character Hephaestus in the video game "God of War III" in 2010. This same year, he received an Emmy nomination for his work on "30 Rock".

2011: Appearance in They Might Be Giants Music Video

Rip Torn appeared in the music video for "Can't Keep Johnny Down" by They Might Be Giants, released as part of their 2011 album "Join Us."

2015: Reprises Role for Air New Zealand Safety Video

Rip Torn reprised his role as Zed from "Men in Black" for an Air New Zealand safety video in 2015, appearing alongside rugby player Israel Dagg and singer Stan Walker.