Beatty, Ned Thomas,
1937-2021, American television and film actor, b.
Louisville, Ky. Beatty began his career in regional theater, beginning in
1956, including eight years at Washington’s Arena Stage, before
making the transition to film roles. Among his best-known parts were as one
of the urban outdoorsmen brutalized by the locals in the film
Deliverance (1972) and an evil corporate executive in
Network (1976), for which he received a Best Supporting
Actor nomination from the Academy Awards. He played Lex Luther’s
comic sidekick in the first two installments of the
Superman movies (1978, 1980) and the academic dean in
the comedy Back to School (1986). He returned to stage
acting in the 21st century, notably appearing on Broadway and in London in
the revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2004), for which he
won a Drama Desk Award. He won two Emmy awards for his television work,
Friendly Fire (1979; Outstanding Lead Actor) and
Last Train Home (1990; Outstanding Supporting Actor).
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