Movie studio · Public domain

John Garfield, born Jacob Garfinkle in poverty on New York's Lower East Side, brought the Group Theatre's raw naturalism to Hollywood and became one of Warner Bros.' biggest stars playing brooding, working-class men, earning Oscar nominations for Four Daughters and Body and Soul. Called before the House Un-American Activities Committee, he denied Communist ties but refused to name others, which ended his film career; he died of a heart attack at 39 not long after. He is now regarded as a forerunner of Method actors like Marlon Brando and James Dean.