John Garfield, one of America’s best known actors who was born Julius Garfinkle in New York’s lower East Side, died yesterday of a heart ailment. He was 39 years-old. He will be buried tomorrow at the Weschester Hill Jewish cemetery.
Mr. Garfield, who starred in numerous plays and movies, often spoke of the fact that his father was a pants presser in a factory during the week and a cantor in a synagogue on week-ends and Jewish holidays. He was known in Hollywood as an actor with no interest in night clubs, fancy cars or other frills. Once he turned down a studio offer reputed to be $250,000 a year to go into a little Theatre production at $80 a week.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.