Actor Karl Malden Dead at 97

The lights on Broadway dimmed tonight in honor of the late and beloved actor Karl Malden, who died at the age of 97 on July 1st. Although his work has been sporadic over the last couple decades, Malden was a fixture on television sets in the '70s on the TV show "The Streets of San Francisco". Malden is best known to theater fans for two roles in particular, as Mitch in the original Broadway production of the Tennessee Williams classic A Streetcar Desire (which he repeated on film), and as Herbie in the movie version of the musical Gypsy. He performed on Broadway in a number of plays by 20th century greats from the '30s through the '50s, including Golden Boy, All My Sons, Tea and Sympathy, and a 1952 revival of Desire Under the Elms. Karl Malden's notable film credits include On the Waterfront, Birdman of Alcatraz, and Patton. He won an Oscar for his role in Streetcar, amongst many other well-deserved award nominations and honors.