Born on April 21, 1915 in Chihuahua, Mexico during the Mexican Revolution, he is a Mexican American actor, film director, writer and painter. Anthony grew up in El Paso, Texas. As a young man he was a professional boxer and he studies art and architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright. He made his film debut in 1936's "Parole".

Anthony won 2 Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. The first was in 1952 for "Viva Zapata" and then in 1956's "Lust for Life".

He passed away in Boston on June 3, 2001. He had pneumonia and respiratory failure while suffering from throat cancer. He was diagnosed with the cancer after completing his last film "Avenging Angels" which was released in 2002.