Anthony Perkins Car Accident Scene [Phaedra, 1962]

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* Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932 – Sept 12, 1992) was an American actor, director & singer. He is regarded an influential figure in popular culture for his work in horror films, though was renown during the days of his stardom for playing romantic leads.

His 1st film, The Actress, with Spencer Tracy & Jean Simmons, directed by George Cukor. His Broadway debut was in the Elia Kazan-directed Tea & Sympathy.

He won 1 Golden Globe, a Cannes Film Festival Award & nominated for 1 Oscar & a Tony Award

Perkins solidified himself as a powerful actor in Fear Strikes Out the following year, which caused many to name him the next James Dean & the greatest American actor under thirty.

Paramount was more concerned with heterosexualizing Perkins's image, which led to romantic roles with Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren & Shirley MacLaine.

He was cast as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), which established him as a horror icon. This also led to him being typecast & in order to escape the same villainous roles (as well as the brutal homophobia he was being subjected to), Perkins bought himself out of his Paramount contract & fled to France.

After European films with Sophia Loren, Orson Welles, Melina Mercouri & Brigitte Bardot, he returned to US in 1968 with his 1st American film after an 8 year hiatus.

Perkins went through conversion therapy & married Berry Berenson in 1973. He died in 1992, from AIDS-related causes.

* Phaedra is a 1962 American-Greek drama film directed by Jules Dassin as a vehicle for his partner Melina Mercouri, after her worldwide hit Never on Sunday.

It was the 4th collaboration between Dassin & Mercouri. Margarita Liberaki adapted Euripides' Hippolytus into a melodrama concerning the rich society of ship owners & their families, but still containing some of the tragic elements of the ancient drama. The film is set in Paris, London & the Greek island of Hydra.

The movie released in 1962. It was a hit in Europe but a box-office failure in the USA. Mercouri & Perkins became friends during the filming. The press attacked the film, because of Perkins's vulnerability.

The music composed by Mikis Theodorakis. Melina Mercouri sang 2 songs. Both of the songs are popular in Greece & have been performed by many singers & actors.