Jeff Bridges biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Actor. Born Jeffrey Leon Bridges on December 4, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. Bridges was born into a Hollywood family-his father was famed actor Lloyd Bridges, and their mother, Dorothy, was also an actress-which paved the way for both his and his brother Beau's early acting careers. Jeff made his first big-screen appearance in The Company She Keeps (1951), when he was less than a year old. His mother and brother also made uncredited appearances in the film. He then appeared in his father's television series Sea Hunt (1958) for several episodes, as well as The Lloyd Bridges Show.

Often a discipline problem at school, Jeff's parents sent him to a military academy his freshman year of high school in order to teach him discipline, and take his mind off of girls. Bridges hated every minute of military school, and returned to a public high school to finish out his education. Despite the attempt to make him focus on his studies, Bridges' academics tended to take a backseat to his creative efforts. At the age of 16, he wrote a song which was used in the 1969 film John and Mary. While still a teenager, he also sold two compositions to music producer Quincy Jones.

Upon graduation from University High School, Bridges followed in his brother Beau's footsteps and enlisted in the Coast Guard Reserves with the help of his father's Sea Hunt connections. He then headed to New York, where he studied acting at the famed Herbert Berghof Studio. He appeared in the film Halls of Anger in 1970, followed by a role in The Yin and Yang of Mr. Go that same year.

Career Breakthrough

But the young actor's truly broke into show business in 1971, when he starred in Peter Bogdonavitch's critically acclaimed The Last Picture Show. His role as Duane Jackson, one of two best friends coming to age in a sleepy Texas town, earned Bridges an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. It also led to more serious roles in films such as Fat City (1972) and The Last American Hero (1973). But during this time in his career, Bridges wasn't focused on acclaim or stardom. He was more interested in his experimentation with drugs, spirituality, and his relationships with actress such as Cybil Shepard and Valerie Perrine.

It wasn't until he signed on to the 1973 drama The Iceman Cometh, that Bridges seriously considered making a life of acting. After Bridges turned the film down, he was shamed into doing the picture by friend and director Lamont Johnson. "So I said to myself, maybe I'll do a little experiment," Bridges later recalled. "I hear that if you're a pro you're supposed