James Dunn
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- November 2, 1901
- Died
- September 3, 1967 (aged 65)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
Biography
James Dunn worked on the stage, in vaudeville and as an extra in silent movies before he was signed by Fox in 1931. His first movie with Fox was 1931's Sob Sister (1931). While at Fox, he appeared with Shirley Temple in her first three features: Baby Take a Bow (1934), Stand Up and Cheer! (1934) and Bright Eyes (1934). Dunn's screen character was usually the boy next door or the nice guy. In 1935 musicals at the new 20th Century-Fox were out and Dunn would move to the "B" list, from which he would never return. In The Payoff (1935) he plays the nice guy newspaper columnist whose wife ruins his career. By the late 1930s he was drinking heavily and become unemployable. He would appear in small roles in films during the early 1940s, but those parts were few. In 1945 he was able to make a comeback and win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), but his rejuvenated career would not continue. By 1951 he would again be unemployed and bankrupt. Television would later supply some work and he would be a regular on the series It's a Great Life (1954). Dunn was born 2 November 1901, New York City, New York, USA, and he died 1 September 1967, Santa Monica, California, USA (following abdominal surgery)
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Hollywood’s Children
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Movie · as Self(archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Shadow Over Elveron
Movie · as Luke Travers
The Oscar
Movie · as TV executive
Branded
TV · as Sam Manning
The Great Adventure
TV · as Indian Agent McLean · 2 eps
The Fugitive
TV · as Lou Bragan · 1 ep
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV · 1 ep
Vacation Playhouse
TV · as P.J. Cunningham · 1 ep
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Movie · as Telegrapher
Going My Way
TV · 1 ep
The Virginian
TV · as Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove · 1 ep
Ben Casey
TV · 2 eps
The Investigators
TV · as Chief Reynolds · 1 ep
The Bramble Bush
Movie · as Stew Schaffer
Journey to the Day
Movie · as Melville Cooper
Route 66
TV · 2 eps
Rawhide
TV · as Dr. Soloman Flood
Bonanza
TV · as Danny Lynch · 1 ep
Naked City
TV · as Peter Wilkin · 1 ep
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV · as Gabe Henshaw · 1 ep
Mr. Broadway
Movie · as Jerry Cohan
The Ninth Day
Movie · as Jackson
The Last Stop
Movie · as Yigal
Matinee Theater
TV · 2 eps
Screen Director's Playhouse
TV · as Sheriff Garrett · 1 ep
Climax!
TV · as Eldon Abernathy, Warren · 1 ep
It's a Great Life
TV · as Earl Morgan · 78 eps
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as J. Henry Newman · 3 eps
General Electric Theater
TV · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Dan McLain · 2 eps
A Wonderful Life
Movie · as Henry Wood
The Golden Gloves Story
Movie · as Joe Riley
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Joey · 1 ep
Robert Montgomery Presents
TV · 3 eps
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Movie · as Mike
Studio One
TV · as Frank Gabriel · 3 eps
Killer McCoy
Movie · as Brian McCoy
That Brennan Girl
Movie · as Denny Reagan
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Movie · as Johnny Nolan
The Caribbean Mystery
Movie · as Mr. Smith
Leave It to the Irish
Movie · as Terry Moran
Take It or Leave It
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Ghost and the Guest
Movie · as Webster Frye
Government Girl
Movie · as Sergeant Joe Blake
The Living Ghost
Movie · as Nick Trayne
Hold That Woman!
Movie · as Jimmy Parker
Son of the Navy
Movie · as Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
Pride of the Navy
Movie · as Speed Brennan
Mercy Plane
Movie · as 'Speed' Leslie
Shadows Over Shanghai
Movie · as Johnny McGinty
We Have Our Moments
Movie · as John Wade
Living on Love
Movie · as Gary Martin
Venus Makes Trouble
Movie · as Buzz Martin
Hearts in Bondage
Movie · as Lt. Kenneth Reynolds
Two-Fisted Gentleman
Movie · as Mickey
Mysterious Crossing
Movie · as Addison Francis Murphy
Come Closer, Folks
Movie · as Jim Keene
Don’t Get Personal
Movie · as Bob McDonald
Welcome Home
Movie · as Richard Foster
George White's 1935 Scandals
Movie · as Eddie
The Payoff
Movie · as Joe McCoy
Bad Boy
Movie · as Eddie Nolan
The Daring Young Man
Movie · as Don McLane
Baby Take a Bow
Movie · as Eddie Ellison
Bright Eyes
Movie · as Loop Merritt
Stand Up and Cheer!
Movie · as Jimmy Dugan
Have a Heart
Movie · as James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
Change of Heart
Movie · as Mark McGowan
365 Nights in Hollywood
Movie · as James 'Jimmy' Dale
Hold That Girl
Movie · as Barney Sullivan
The Girl in 419
Movie · as Dr. Daniel French
Arizona to Broadway
Movie · as Smiley Wells
Hello, Sister!
Movie · as Jimmy
Sailor's Luck
Movie · as Jimmy Fenimore Harrigan
Take a Chance
Movie · as Duke Stanley
Jimmy and Sally
Movie · as Jimmy O'Connor
Hold Me Tight
Movie · as Chuck Evans
Society Girl
Movie · as Johnny Malone
Dance Team
Movie · as Jimmy Mulligan
Handle with Care
Movie · as Bill Gordon
Bad Girl
Movie · as Eddie Collins
Over the Hill
Movie · as Johnny Shelby as an Adult
Sob Sister
Movie · as Garry Webster
The Song Plugger
Movie · as Man in Record Shop
In the Nick of Time
Movie
Deliverance
Movie · as Life Saver