About Pat Hingle
Martin Patterson Hingle (July 19, 1924 – January 3, 2009) was an American actor. He was best known to screen audiences for his character roles, often as tough blue-collar authority figures, in over 200 productions between 1954 and 2008. On stage, Hingle starred in notable Broadway productions like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), J.B. (1958), Strange Interlude (1963), and That Championship Season (1972). He was nominated the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in William Inge's Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1957). Hingle was a close friend of Clint Eastwood and appeared in the Eastwood films Hang 'Em High, The Gauntlet, and Sudden Impact. He also portrayed Commissioner Gordon in the Batman film franchise from 1989 to 1997. Hingle's first film role was an uncredited part as bartender Jock in On the Waterfront (1954). Hingle was widely known for portraying the father of Sally Field's title character Norma Rae (1979). In November 2007, he created the Pat Hingle Guest Artist Endowment to enable students to work with visiting professional actors at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.