Spencer Tracy was a person who acted.
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy ( April 5 , 1900 -- June 10 , 1967 ) was an American actor , noted for his natural style and versatility . One of the major stars of Hollywood 's Golden Age , Tracy was nominated for nine Academy Awards for Best Actor and won two , sharing the record for nominations in that category with Laurence Olivier . After a successful film debut in Up the River , Tracy was signed to a contract with Fox Film Corporation . In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked Tracy as the 9th greatest male star of Classic Hollywood Cinema .