Montgomery Clift

==Edward Montgomery Clift==

==Edward Montgomery Clift==

Montgomery Clift was born 17 Oct 1920, several hours after his twin sister Ethel "Sister", in Omaha, Douglas County, [[Nebraska]] — the son of [[#William Brooks Clift|William Brooks "Bill" Clift]] and his wife [[#Ethel Blair|Ethel "Sunny" Blair]].  Montgomery's father was at that time the vice-president of Omaha National Bank.  William and Ethel also had one other child, an older son Brooks Clift born 18 months earlier.

Montgomery Clift was born 17 Oct 1920, several hours after his twin sister Ethel "Sister", in Omaha, Douglas County, [[Nebraska]] — the son of [[#William Brooks Clift|William Brooks "Bill" Clift]] and his wife [[#Ethel Blair|Ethel "Sunny" Blair]].  Montgomery's father was at that time the vice-president of Omaha National Bank.  William and Ethel also had one other child, an older son Brooks Clift born 18 months earlier.

Montgomery and his two siblings were educated at home by his mother and private tutors.  Sunny, reportedly convinced that she had aristocratic bloodlines, decided to raise and educate her children in a peculiar fashion.  So they spent quite a lot of time in Europe as Sunny believed this was the way "throughbred" children were raised.  She tried to instill the idea in her children that they were of-a-higher-class and must not mix with the common people.  Several people having met Montgomery during this period, came away with the impression that he was quite a snob.

Montgomery and his two siblings were educated at home by his mother and private tutors.  Sunny, reportedly convinced that she had aristocratic bloodlines, decided to raise and educate her children in a peculiar fashion.  So they spent quite a lot of time in Europe as Sunny believed this was the way "throughbred" children were raised.  She tried to instill the idea in her children that they were of-a-higher-class and must not mix with the common people.  Several people having met Montgomery during this period, came away with the impression that he was quite a snob.

Montgomery's first professional stage appearance was at the age of 13 in a local theater show in Florida.  But within a few years, he began appearing regularly on Broadway in New York City.  After several favorable reviews, Hollywood wanted him, but he rejected many offers looking for just the right vehicle.  This would be a constant part of Clift's psyche, that he refused to perform in trashy productions, only seeking the very best that he thought could show his talent without typecasting him.

Montgomery's first professional stage appearance was at the age of 13 in a local theater show in Florida.  But within a few years, he began appearing regularly on Broadway in New York City.  After several favorable reviews, Hollywood wanted him, but he rejected many offers looking for just the right vehicle.  This would be a constant part of Clift's psyche, that he refused to perform in trashy productions, only seeking the very best that he thought could show his talent without typecasting him.

Montgomery, while growing, was very close to his twin Ethel, but she married and moved to Texas, while he continued to live mostly in New York City, even while appearing for times in Hollywood movies.

Montgomery, while growing, was very close to his twin Ethel, but she married and moved to Texas, while he continued to live mostly in New York City, even while appearing for times in Hollywood movies.

An interesting sidenote is that Montgomery's niece Suzanne Clift, daughter of his brother Brooks, when she was 21, pled guilty to manslaughter in the 1 Oct 1962, murder of her boyfriend, Piero Brentani, a Swiss-Italian electronics engineer.  She shot him in the head and castrated him, according to the recent report in ''The Boston Globe'' in 2000.

An interesting sidenote is that Montgomery's niece Suzanne Clift, daughter of his brother Brooks, when she was 21, pled guilty to manslaughter in the 1 Oct 1962, murder of her boyfriend, Piero Brentani, a Swiss-Italian electronics engineer.  She shot him in the head and castrated him, according to the recent report in ''The Boston Globe'' in 2000.

Montgomery Clift died of a heart attack in his New York City townhouse 23 Jul 1966.

Montgomery Clift died of a heart attack in his New York City townhouse 23 Jul 1966.