He was later spotted by director Robert Altman, who cast him in California Split (1974) and Nashville (1975). In 1974, at 21, he also took on the role of a home invader in the movie Death Wish. In character, he can be seen as a clean-cut figure with loose curls that fell to the bottom of his ears.
The Tennessee native was born in 1937, making him 88 today, and he’s become synonymous with roles that exude experience and calm authority—like the all-knowing Professor Samuel Norman in Lucy and the analytical CIA director Bill Cabot in The Sum of All Fears.
His path to screen legend started at the age of nine when he acted in a school play, and by the age of twelve, he won a state drama competition. In his adult life, Freeman made his Broadway debut at age 30 in the musical Hello, Dolly!, perhaps delayed by his service in the Airforce.
A photo of Freeman in his twenties shows a clean-shaven, rangy young man in his military uniform.
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