Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing "tough guys", he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles. He was nominated four times for Academy Awards and won once for his work in "Elmer Gantry" in 1960. He also won a Golden Globe for that performance and BAFTA Awards for "The Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962) and "Atlantic City" (1980).

At the age of 19, Lancaster met Nick Cravat, with whom he developed a lifelong partnership. Together they learned to act in local theatre productions and circus arts at Union Settlement, one of the city's oldest settlement houses. They formed the acrobat duo Lang and Cravat in the 1930s and soon joined the Kay Brothers circus. However, in 1939, an injury forced Lancaster to give up the profession, with great regret. He then found temporary work, first as a salesman for Marshall Fields and then as a singing waiter in various restaurants.

During the 1950s, his production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster was highly successful, making films such as "Trapeze" (1956), "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957), "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958), and "Separate Tables" (1958). The American Film Institute ranks Lancaster as #19 of the greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

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