Gregory Peck
“The screen's conscience, lending quiet moral gravity to the roles a troubled era needed.”
After four Academy Award nominations without a win, Gregory Peck finally took home the Best Actor Oscar in 1962 for playing Atticus Finch, the principled small-town lawyer in 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' The role became the defining performance of his career and an enduring symbol of moral courage.
California Native
Born in the San Diego seaside town of La Jolla, Peck dropped his first name Eldred and headed to New York to study acting under Sanford Meisner. His tall, dignified bearing quickly made him a leading man.
The Conscience of Hollywood
Peck gravitated toward roles of integrity, from the crusading journalist of 'Gentleman's Agreement' to the steadfast lawyer Atticus Finch. His off-screen activism mirrored those characters' values.
Honored Statesman
Beyond acting, Peck served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He remained a respected elder statesman of cinema until his death in 2003.
Career Timeline
- 1916Born Eldred Gregory Peck in La Jolla, California
- 1942Makes Broadway debut in 'The Morning Star'
- 1944Film debut in 'Days of Glory'
- 1945First Oscar nod for 'The Keys of the Kingdom'
- 1947Stars in acclaimed 'Gentleman's Agreement'
- 1953Charms audiences in 'Roman Holiday'
- 1956Plays Captain Ahab in 'Moby Dick'
- 1962Wins Best Actor Oscar for 'Mockingbird'
- 1969Receives Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- 1976Stars in horror hit 'The Omen'
- 2003Dies at home in Los Angeles
Biggest Hits
- The American Film Institute named his Atticus Finch the greatest movie hero of the 20th century in 2003.
- A back injury during wartime kept him out of military service, fueling false rumors he had dodged the draft.
The Moment You Remember
Viewers still hold the image of Atticus Finch rising in a hushed courtroom, and the balcony of onlookers standing in respect as he passes, a scene that fixed Peck forever as the screen's quiet conscience.
Portrait: Clarence Sinclair Bull · Public domain (PD US no notice) · via Wikimedia Commons