October 20 1994 Burt Lancaster dies in Los Angeles from a heart attack at the age of 80. A strapping, street-smart kid with a passion for gymnastics, Lancaster scores his fortuitous Hollywood break in 1946 with a key role in noir classic The Killers. His subsequent four decade career is strewn with prestigious titles like From Here To Eternity (1953), Sweet Smell Of Success (1957) the Oscar-winning Elmer Gantry (1960) and Birdman Of Alcatraz (1962), as well as Western classics like Gunfight At The OK Corral and The Professionals. His more esoteric work includes The Leopard (1963), The Swimmer (1968), Castle Keep (1969) and Conversation Piece (1974). His last screen appearance is a cameo in Field Of Dreams (1989) opposite Kevin Costner. A stroke in 1990 leaves him paralyzed until his death in 1994 just 13 days shy of his 81st birthday
