Born on this day in New York City, movie star Burton Stephen Lancaster (1913–1994) grew up in East Harlem, where, as he recalled, “the kids on my block used to carry knives.” Athletic and determined, he worked as a circus acrobat before leaping into film and becoming one of the most magnetic leading men of the 1950s and 1960s.

With a washboard stomach and a commanding presence, Lancaster could shift from rugged hero to sensitive character study. “Most people seem to think I’m the kind of guy who shaves with a blowtorch,” he said. “Actually, I’m bookish and worrisome.”

He brought both muscle and mind to roles like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) and From Here to Eternity (1953), and won an Academy Award for his electrifying performance in Elmer Gantry (1960). As the imprisoned ornithologist in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Lancaster portrayed a man’s will to grow, resist conformity, and keep learning inside a narrow world.

Later, his role in Atlantic City (1980) opposite Susan Sarandon revealed a reflective vitality, a presence softened by time yet still bright with charisma. “Everybody changes,” he said. “I hope I have.”

Burt Lancaster’s light shone with truth and discipline. His legacy endures on screen and in spirit.