Hollywood actor Richard Widmark, who became an overnight star for his portrayal of a psychopathic killer in 1947 classic "Kiss of Death," has died after a long illness, US media reported Wednesday. Widmark died at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut on Monday aged 93, his wife Susan Blanchard told The New York Times.
Blanchard told the paper that the actor had suffered a fractured verterbra in recent months and his condition had worsened. Widmark made more than 60 films in a career that spanned five decades which saw him carve out a reputation for playing villains and tough guys.
But it was his debut Oscar-nominated performance as the gangster Tommy Udo in "Kiss of Death" that was to be his most memorable role. The film features a chilling scene where Widmark's character ties up an old lady in a wheelchair with a piece of cord and then shoves her down a flight of stairs to her death, as her killer cackles dementedly.