Malden was a model

When people see the scandal and self-absorbed headlines coming out of Hollywood, they wish it were somehow different.

They probably wish it were more like Karl Malden.

The actor with the big nose and even larger talent passed away earlier this week at age 97. Many people remember him as the "anonymous celebrity" from the American Express television commercials, but that's only because he went quietly about his profession as a major American talent. He was an actor's actor, taking small roles in big films and making them sing.

He won an Oscar for his part in "A Street Car Named Desire" and shined as the priest in another Marlon Brando film, "On the Waterfront." He also gave a pitch-perfect performance as Gen. Omar Bradley opposite George C. Scott in "Patton."

He was always about the work. The fact he broke his nose twice kept him from getting ideas of becoming a matinee idol, but then that wouldn't have been his style anyway.

In the late 1970s, he worked with Michael Douglas on the television series "The Streets of San Francisco," a role that today many see as his defining moment. Malden's defining moments, however, likely came elsewhere.

He remained married to the same woman for more than 70 years. He died surrounded by his appreciative family. He lived and loved with care.

Those aren't things that keep the tabloid press buzzing, but they are things that make a good life.

The fact Malden was able to hold steady in the shifting seas of Tinsel Town is as much a credit to him as his stellar screen performances.