AMONG THE mega stars of Hollywood, not many are as
affectionately respected and universally adored as Gregory Peck.
For five decades and more since his Hollywood debut in 1943 with
"Day of Glory" and his first hit, "The Keys of the Kingdom"
(1944) for which he received an Oscar nomination, he rose to be
a major and majestic presence in theatre, television, and of
course, Hollywood cinema. For the average American, Gregory Peck
shone brightly as a symbol of the American Man at his best, an
icon of moral courage and a faithful defender of traditional
values of his native land. The roles he played during his long
and successful career, like General MacArthur ... Captain Ahab
(in "Moby Dick")... and Atticus Finch, (in "To Kill A Mocking
Bird") gave moviegoers not only in America but also elsewhere
values of dignity, strength, character and masculinity and the
will and talent to face any crises and their consequences.
Influenced by his father's desires for him to be a doctor, Peck
began to study medicine but his i