HARRY GUARDINO DIES - The Washington Post

PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. -- Harry Guardino, who co-starred with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren in "Houseboat" and acted in "Dirty Harry" and "Lovers and Other Strangers," died of lung cancer here July 17. He was 69.

Mr. Guardino was a tough-talking, tough-acting leading man and character actor whose career spanned film, stage and television.

His movie credits included "Flesh and Fury" in 1952, "Houseboat" in 1958, "Pork Chop Hill" in 1959, "King of Kings" in 1961," "Hell Is for Heroes" in 1962, "Madigan" in 1968, "Lovers and Other Strangers" in 1970 and "Dirty Harry" and "Red Sky at Morning" in 1971. He also appeared in "Capone" in 1975, "The Enforcer" in 1976, "Rollercoaster" in 1977, "Goldengirl" in 1979 and "Any Which Way You Can" in 1980.

He starred in the 1973-74 season of CBS-TV's "Perry Mason," playing Hamilton Burger. He also portrayed the determined newsman Danny Taylor on that network's "The Reporter" in 1964.

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Mr. Guardino, a New York native, joined a Police Athletic League dramatic group while attending high school. He joined the Navy during World War II and after the war became a merchant seaman.

Being at sea "was good for me, for psychological reasons," he once said. "I'd get all tied up and frustrated because I couldn't make a go of it as an actor."

He later enrolled in a New York dramatic workshop with fellow students Tony Curtis and Ben Gazzara. He eventually went to Hollywood, where he got only one acting job between stints as a dishwasher and a gas station attendant. He returned to the East Coast as understudy to Gazzara in "Hatful of Rain," later to take over the role on the road. The result was a flood of offers.

Survivors include his wife. CAPTION: HARRY GUARDINO.

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