Burt Lancaster: 10 Photos of the Classic Hollywood Actor in His Younger Years

Few have lived a life as interesting as Burt Lancaster. The New York City born actor, who joined the circus at 19 years old, was bit by the acting bug when he started taking part in USO shows while serving in the second World War. Taking to Broadway before hitting the big screen, his first film was 1946's The Killers. Over the course of his career, Lancaster made his mark on films like From Here to Eternity (1953), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), The Leopard (1963) and plenty more.

Over the course of his long and illustrious career, Lancaster had collected Academy Awards, Golden Globes and a number of other accolades in plenty. Toward the end of his career, he rounded out his resume with a role in the 1989 film Field of Dreams alongside Kevin Costner. Though he passed from a heart attack in 1994, we still remember his decades long film career fondly. Here, take a look at these retro photos of the famed Burt Lancaster while he was young.

Burt Lancaster young

1946: Burt and Ava break out

This darling acting duo starred alongside each other in the 1946 film noir, The Killers. It was Lancaster's film debut and served as Gardner's big break.

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1950: Rub-a-dub-dub

A young Burt Lancaster is all smiles in this 1950 portrait of him in the shower.

1950: The actor strikes a pose

Lancaster looks adorable in this 1950 promo photo.

1953: The trio of our dreams

Burt Lancaster is pictured alongside heartthrobs Frank Sinatra and Montgomery Clift in this 1954 throwback photo. The three young actors starred alongside one another in the 1953 film, From Here to Eternity.

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1954: Lancaster goes cowboy

The actor showed off his skills in the western world in 1954's Vera Cruz.

1947: Burt Lancaster dons a pair of glasses for his 1957 role

The actor embodied the character of newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker in 1957's Sweet Smell of Success.

1960: An Academy Award-winning role

For this 1960 role in Elmer Gantry, the actor brought home an Oscar for Best Actor.

1961: As Hollywood as it gets

Two of Hollywood's biggest stars stand side-by-side in this 1961 photograph. The duo both hold their Oscars in hand, Lancaster having won Best Actor for his role in Elmer Gantry (1960), and Taylor taking home the trophy for Best Actress for Butterfield 8 (1960).

1968: Burt Lancaster makes a splash in The Swimmer

In this 1968 film, Lancaster's character makes his way through each of the pools in the neighborhood in which he lives, and based on the reactions he receives and encounters he has at each home, we learn more and more about his character.

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