Paul Muni

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Actor Born Muni Weisenfreund on Sept. 22, 1895 in Lemburg, Austria

Actor Paul Muni gained film fame as "Scarface" and Louis Pasteur.

Muni got his start in Cleveland where his family opened a little nickel theater. "You know how it was: Show the picture and have a little song, dance and comedy sketch between showings, about 25 times a day," he said.

In 1908 his parents took him out of school and made him a part of the act. "I was delighted. Not that I loved the theater, but because it meant I could give up violin lessons. I hated the violin."

From this beginning he graduated to vaudeville, first with his parents and then on his own. He toured the Midwest for the most part, playing theaters and nightclubs.

In 1914, he joined the Girard Theater in Philadelphia and three years later became a stock company player with the Yiddish Art Theater in New York.

In 1928, after two years on Broadway, Muni was signed by 20th Century Fox. He played in two pictures, "The Valiant" and "Seven Faces," and was relieved when his contract expired.

Muni returned to Broadway and unbroken success in "This One Man," "Rock Me, Julia" and "Counsellor At Law." In 1932 United Artists brought him back to Hollywood for his memorable gangster role in "Scarface."

Among his best remembered films are "The Story of Louis Pasteur," for which he won the Academy Award in 1936, "Black Fury," "The Good Earth," "The Life of Emile Zola," "Juarez" and "We Are Not Alone."

Muni retired in 1962 after declaring that more than 50 years of acting was enough.

— Los Angeles Times Aug. 26, 1967

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