With leading man good looks and screen presence to spare, actor and director Don Murray could have easily pursued a highly successful turn as a matinee idol or teen heartthrob. To the contrary, throughout a distinguished career that includes an auspicious feature film debut opposite Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956), Murray has consistently selected ambitious dramatic projects reflective of his own socially conscious views and concerns. In a long run of memorable and challenging roles, including co-starring as a tormented closeted senator in Otto Preminger’s Advise & Consent (1962), Murray has specialized in flawed, complex characters that are often unsure, afraid, and profoundly human.
Join cinema scholar Foster Hirsch in conversation with Don Murray, along with a screening of a classic television drama and a feature film from the Archive’s vaults, both starring Mr. Murray.