Sydney Walker, a talented actor of stage and screen, was born on May 5, 1921, in the vibrant city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His journey in the entertainment industry began with his Broadway debut as the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1960 production of Jean Anouilh's "Beckett", starring the renowned Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn. This marked the start of his impressive 22-year run on Broadway, with numerous productions from 1960 to 1973.
As a member of the APA-Phoenix Repertory Company, Walker received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his outstanding performance as Lt. Ekdahl in the 1967 revival of Henrik Ibsen's "The Wild Duck". His subsequent membership in the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center led to notable roles such as the Second God in the 1970 production of Bertolt Brecht's "The Good Woman of Setzuan", Sir Toby Belch in the 1972 production of "Twelfth Night", and Shylock in the 1973 production of "The Merchant of Venice". His final play was the 1973 production of "Veronica's Room", where he served as the standby for Arthur Kennedy, who had replaced Anthony Quinn in "Beckett", Walker's first Broadway production.
Walker made his film debut in the Kirk Douglas movie "A Lovely Way to Die" (1968) and played the doctor in "Love Story" (1970). He made five appearances on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater in 1974. His last film was "Getting Even with Dad" (1994),but his most iconic movie role came two years earlier in the film adaptation of "Prelude to a Kiss" (1992),where he reprised the role of the Old Man, which he had previously portrayed in the 1988 Berkeley Repertory production of the Craig Lucas play.
Walker received widespread critical acclaim for his poignant portrayal of the Old Man who swaps bodies with a young woman, showcasing the frightened young woman trapped inside an old man's body while simultaneously channeling a sad, genteel sagacity. Unfortunately, the movie "Prelude to a Kiss" was not a commercial or critical success, primarily due to Meg Ryan's subpar acting, which failed to convey the depth of the Old Man's character.
Tragically, Sydney Walker was unable to capitalize on this late-career success and passed away on September 30, 1994, in San Francisco, California, due to cancer.
