#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)
[1] Melvyn Douglas (born 1901) was the oldest credited cast member. Other credited actors like Whit Bissell (1909) and Montie Montana (1910) were younger.
[2] Filming occurred from May 21 to August 1, 1962. Douglas, born April 5, 1901, was 61.
[3] Douglas played Homer Bannon, the ranch patriarch.
[4] The character dynamics described are accurate to the film's plot.
[5] Melvyn Douglas was born April 5, 1901.
[6] Principal photography began May 21, 1962, and concluded August 1, 1962.
[7] In Larry McMurtry's novel 'Horseman, Pass By', Homer Bannon is explicitly 85.
[8] Paramount executives were concerned about Douglas's heart condition, but director Martin Ritt insisted on casting him.
[9] Melvyn Douglas won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 'Hud' at the 36th Academy Awards.
[10] The 36th Academy Awards were held on April 13, 1964. Douglas turned 63 on April 5, 1964.
[11] John Roy (born May 3, 1898) appears uncredited as a 'Show Spectator'. He was 64 during filming.
[12] Sol Murgi (born August 5, 1900) appears uncredited as a 'Show Spectator'. He was 61 (turning 62 that year) during filming.
[13] Paul Newman (born Jan 26, 1925) was 37 in May 1962.
[14] Patricia Neal (born Jan 20, 1926) was 36 in May 1962.
[15] Brandon deWilde (born April 9, 1942) was 20 in May 1962.
#C RELATED QUERIES
#01 What other films did Melvyn Douglas win an Oscar for?
#02 Did Paul Newman win an Oscar for Hud?
#03 How does the ending of Hud differ from the novel Horseman, Pass By?
In the 1963 film *Hud*, the oldest cast member among the credited actors at the time of filming was **Melvyn Douglas**, who was **61 years old** during production.
### Specific Details:
* **Role:** Melvyn Douglas played **Homer Bannon**, the principled, aging, and increasingly frail patriarch of the Bannon ranch. He serves as the moral foil to his unscrupulous son, Hud (Paul Newman), and a mentor to his grandson, Lonnie (Brandon deWilde).
* **Age at Filming:** Douglas was born on **April 5, 1901**. Principal photography for *Hud* took place between **May and August 1962**. At the start of filming, he had recently turned 61. By contrast, his character, Homer Bannon, was written as being significantly older; in Larry McMurtry's source novel *Horseman, Pass By*, the character is **85 years old**.
* **Casting Challenges:** Despite being the senior member of the primary cast, Douglas was considered a risky choice by Paramount Pictures. Studio executives were initially hesitant to hire him because of a **chronic heart condition**. However, director Martin Ritt insisted on Douglas, believing his natural dignity and "physical fragility" were essential to portraying the fading era of the Old West that Homer represented.
* **Academy Recognition:** Douglas’s performance was highly acclaimed, and he won the **Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor** for the role. At the time of the 36th Academy Awards ceremony in April 1964, he was 63 years old.
While uncredited bit players like **John Roy** (born May 3, 1898; age 64 during filming) and **Sol Murgi** (born August 5, 1900; age 61 during filming) also appeared in the film as background spectators, Douglas remained the oldest member of the credited cast. Other primary cast members were considerably younger: **Paul Newman** was 37, **Patricia Neal** was 36, and **Brandon deWilde** was 20.