Karl Malden, an Academy Award-winning actor best known for movie and TV roles, but who also acted in 20 Broadway productions, died today at age 97

He interpreted characters created by some of America's best-known writers, including Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. He was in the original Broadway productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Fathers and Sons, which had a Broadway revival just last year.

He starred in the movie version of Streetcar as well, but became known to the television generation with the police drama The Streets of San Francisco.

Photo by Frasier Harrison/Getty Images.