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James Dunn

 
Actor: James Dunn
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Nov 02, 1901 in New York City, New York
  • Died: Sep 03, 1967 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '30s-'40s, '60s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Comedy
  • Career Highlights: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Sailor's Luck, Bad Girl
  • First Major Screen Credit: Bad Girl (1931)

Biography

American actor James Dunn's early career embraced bit parts in silent pictures, vaudeville, and Broadway before he made his talking picture bow in Bad Girl (1931). For the next several years, Dunn appeared in sentimental "lovable scamp" leading roles; he also helped introduce Shirley Temple to feature films by co-starring with the diminutive dynamo in Stand Up and Cheer, Baby Take a Bow, and Bright Eyes, all released in 1934. When Fox merged with 20th Century Pictures in 1935, the type of domestic comedy-dramas and free-wheeling musicals in which Dunn specialized came to an end; by the end of the 1930s Dunn's appearance were confined to "B" pictures and poverty-row quickies. Dunn was given a comeback chance as Peggy Ann Garner's irresponsible alcoholic father in the 1945 drama A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The actor won an Academy Award for his performance. Eight years passed before Dunn would be seen in films again, though he found occasional solace in TV work, including his tenure as the star of a 1955 sitcom, It's a Great Life. Dunn's final movie role, filmed two years before his death, was a minor part as an agent in the all-star "trash classic" The Oscar (1966). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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Wikipedia: James Dunn (actor)
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James Dunn
Born James Howard Dunn
November 2, 1901(1901-11-02)
New York, New York, U.S.
Died September 3, 1967 (aged 65) (following abdominal surgery)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor, Vaudeville performer
Years active 1929-1966
Spouse(s) Edna O Lier' (?-?)
Frances Gifford (1938-1942)
Edna Rush (1945-1967) (his death)

James Howard Dunn (November 2, 1901 - September 3, 1967) was an American Academy Award-winning film actor.

Contents

Biography

Born in New York, New York, of Irish descent, Dunn was the son of a Wall Street stockbroker who, according to Dunn, "either had a million or nothing." Dunn started his entertainment career in vaudeville before progressing to films at Paramount's Astoria studios in the late 1920s.[1] He was signed by Fox in 1931, making 22 films and several more on loan-out.[1] He made a strong first impression with his first role, in Bad Girl.[1] He went on to make several formula films, including Society Girl (1932) with Peggy Shannon and Hello, Sister! (1933) with Boots Mallory and ZaSu Pitts. Dunn's other early successes included four Shirley Temple films in 1934, Baby Take a Bow, Stand Up and Cheer!, Change of Heart and Bright Eyes.[1]

The roles that followed did nothing to further his career, and during the late 1930s his prospects were further diminished by a battle with alcoholism. In 1945 his performance in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, playing an alcoholic ne'er-do-well Irish father. His success was short lived and by the beginning of the 1950s, he was unemployed, bankrupt, and once again depending on alcohol. After 1950, he appeared in only three feature films, but continued working in television until his death. He appeared in the sitcom It's A Great Life from 1954 until 1956.

Personal life

Dunn was married three times. His first, to Edna O'Lier, ended in divorced.[2] He was married to the actress Frances Gifford from 1938 until 1942. He married his third wife, Edna Rush in 1945, who survived him at his death on September 3, 1967. He died as a result of complications following stomach surgery in Santa Monica, California.

James Dunn has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for his contributions to motion pictures at 6555 Hollywood Boulevard, and television at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1929 In the Nick of Time as Jimmy Dunn
1930 Believe It or Not #3 Reporter uncredited
Barefoot Days
Tom Thumbs Down as Jimmy Dunn
The Varsity Show as Jimmy Dunn
1931 Bad Girl Eddie Collins
Sob Sister Garry Webster
Over the Hill Johnny Shelby as an Adult
1932 Society Girl Johnny Malone
Dance Team Jimmy Mulligan
Handle with Care Bill Gordon
1933 Hold Me Tight Chuck
Hello, Sister! Jimmy
Arizona to Broadway Smiley Wells
Sailor's Luck Jimmy Harrigan
Jimmy and Sally Jimmy O'Connor
The Girl in 419 Dr. Daniel French
Take a Chance Duke Stanley
1934 Hold That Girl Barney Sullivan
365 Nights in Hollywood James 'Jimmy' Dale
Have a Heart James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
Bright Eyes James 'Loop' Merritt
Change of Heart Mack McGowan
Stand Up and Cheer! Jimmy Dugan
Baby Take a Bow Eddie Ellison
1935 Bad Boy Eddie Nolan
The Daring Young Man Don McLane
The Payoff Joe McCoy
Welcome Home Richard Foster
George White's 1935 Scandals Eddy Taylor
1936 Come Closer, Folks Jim Keene
Don't Get Personal Bob
Hearts in Bondage Lieutenant Kenneth Reynolds
Two-Fisted Gentleman Mickey
Mysterious Crossing Addison Francis Murphy
1937 We Have Our Moments John Wade
Living on Love Gary Martin
Venus Makes Trouble Buzz Martin
1938 Shadows Over Shanghai Johnny McGinty
1939 Pride of the Navy Speed Brennan
Mercy Plane Speed Leslie
1940 Son of the Navy Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
Hold That Woman! Jimmy Parker, a Skip-Tracer
1942 The Living Ghost Nick Trayne
1943 The Ghost and the Guest Webster Frye
1944 Leave It to the Irish Terry Moran, Private Investigator
Government Girl Sergeant Joe Blake
1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Johnny Nolan aka The Brooklyn Thrush Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
The Caribbean Mystery Mr. Smith
1946 That Brennan Girl Denny Reagan aka Prof. Who's Its
1947 Killer McCoy Brian McCoy
1948 Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven Mike
1950 A Wonderful Life
The Golden Gloves Story Joe Riley
1960 The Bramble Bush Stew Schaeffer
1962 Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Telegrapher
1966 The Oscar Network Executive

References

  1. ^ a b c d James Dunn. Allocine.co.uk.
  2. ^ Great Character Actors. Doug Macauley.com.

External links

v • d • e
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

Donald Crisp (1941) · Van Heflin (1942) · Charles Coburn (1943) · Barry Fitzgerald (1944) · James Dunn (1945) · Harold Russell (1946) · Edmund Gwenn (1947) · Walter Huston (1948) · Dean Jagger (1949) · George Sanders (1950) · Karl Malden (1951) · Anthony Quinn (1952) · Frank Sinatra (1953) · Edmond O'Brien (1954) · Jack Lemmon (1955) · Anthony Quinn (1956) · Red Buttons (1957) · Burl Ives (1958) · Hugh Griffith (1959) · Peter Ustinov (1960)

Complete list · (1936–1940) · (1941–1960) · (1961–1980) · (1981–2000) · (2001-present)



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