Biography of Spencer Tracy

This prolific and versatile actor appeared in over seventy films during his career. Many consider him one of the best actors of all time. The American Film Institute included Spencer in their 1999 list of the Greatest Male Stars of All Time, ranking him at #9.

Spencer Tracy was born on April 5, 1900, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tracy’s family moved frequently, and he attended a number of different high schools. While enrolled at the Jesuit School Marquette Academy, Spencer met actor Pat O’Brien, and the pair left school to enlist in the United States Navy when the country became involved in World War I. After leaving the Navy and completing his high school studies, Tracy attended Ripon College. He took on a leading role in a school stage production, and instantly fell in love with acting. A future screen legend was born.

Like many actors, Spencer got his start on the stage, appearing in numerous Broadway productions. His performance in The Last Mile caught the attention of director John Ford, who offered him a starring role in Up the River. The 1930 film also featured Humphrey Bogart, who would become Tracy’s close friend.  

Tracy’s days as a struggling actor were now over. He and his family moved to Hollywood, where Spencer quickly racked up an impressive list of starring roles. He received two Academy Awards for Best Actor for his appearances in Captains Courageous, a movie adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling novel which also starred Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, and Mickey Rooney; and Boys Town, which received a nomination for Best Picture.

Along with two of the most coveted awards in the film world, Spencer received seven further nominations for Best Actor. Laurence Olivier is the only other person to receive as many, and the two actors share the record with nine nominations each. Tracy’s other works recognized by the Academy include San Francisco, in which he shares the spotlight with Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald; the 1950 comedy Father of the Bride, also featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Bennett; Bad Day at Black Rock; The Old Man and the Sea, a film adaptation of Hemingway’s classic novella; Inherit the Wind, with Gene Kelly; Judgment at Nuremberg, with appearances by Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, and William Shatner; and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, with screen greats Katharine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier.

Spencer Tracy passed away as a result of heart failure at the age of sixty-seven, shortly after filming of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was completed. The star’s talents, however, have stood the test of time, and there are still many people who admire his work. In 1988, the UCLA Spencer Tracy Award was created. The award is given to actors to recognize their contributions to the world of film, and past recipients include Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, and Harrison Ford, among numerous others. A biography of the fascinating actor is currently being written by James Curtis.

Spencer was survived by his wife, actress Louise Treadwell, and his two children, John Ten Broeck and Louise Treadwell Susie. The pair married in September of 1923. Although they never divorced, Spencer was publicly involved with legendary actress Katharine Hepburn for a number of years. The pair appeared in nine films together, including Spencer’s last work. Out of respect for Tracy’s children and estranged wife, she did not attend the funeral.

YUDDY