Anthony Perkins (1932–1992) was an American actor famous for his iconic role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), which garnered him an Academy Award nomination. He also had an early career as a pop singer and received critical acclaim for his role in the 1956 film Friendly Persuasion. A private individual, Perkins was married to Berry Berenson, with whom he had two sons, but maintained several affairs with men. He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1990 and died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1992.
Early Life and Career
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Born:April 4, 1932, in New York City.
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Family:Son of actor Osgood Perkins and Janet Rane; his father died when he was five.
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Education:He attended several schools, including Columbia University and Rollins College.
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Debut:His film debut was in The Actress (1953), followed by an Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion (1956).
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Singing Career:Perkins also released three pop albums in the late 1950s under the name “Tony Perkins”.
Psycho and Later Career
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Iconic Role:He is best known for portraying the disturbed innkeeper Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror film Psycho.
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Typecasting:The role typecast him as a villain and made it difficult to be cast in other types of roles.
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Later Films:He returned to the role in sequels Psycho II (1983) and Psycho III (1986), even directing the latter.
Personal Life
- Relationship with Mother: He described a tortured, emotionally strained relationship with his mother and felt excessive affection.
- Homosexuality: Perkins was aware of his homosexuality from a young age and had affairs with men.
- Marriage and Family: He married Berry Berenson in 1973, and they had two sons.
- Death: Diagnosed with HIV in 1990, he died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1992.
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