Moody, boyishly handsome and elegantly charming (on and off screen) romantic lead. Along with Marlon Brando, Clift was the first of America's new breed of brooding, non-conformist young stars of the late 1940s and 50s whose naturalistic acting style and independence from Hollywood studio-stardom shaped the next crop of actors including James Dean. Clift began acting at the age of 12, first in amateur and stock productions and by 14 was a promising young Broadway talent, appearing in 13 productions during the 1940s including "There Shall Be No Night" opposite Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, "The