Richard Arlen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 30, 1899
- Died
- March 28, 1976 (aged 76)
- Birthplace
- Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Biography
Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore) was an American film and television actor. He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Flying Corps during World War I. After the war, he went to the oilfields of Texas and Oklahoma and found work as a tool boy. He was thereafter a messenger and sporting editor of a newspaper before going to Los Angeles to act in films, but no producer wanted him. He was a delivery boy for a film laboratory when the motorcycle which he was riding landed him a broken leg outside the Paramount Pictures lot. A sympathetic film director gave him his start as an extra. He appeared at first in silent films before making the transition to talkies. His first important film role was in Vengeance of the Deep. He took time out from his Hollywood career to teach as a United States Army Air Forces flight instructor in World War II. Arlen is best known for his role as a pilot in the Academy Award-winning Wings with Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Gary Cooper, El Brendel, and his second wife, Jobyna Ralston, whom he married in 1927. He was among the more famous residents of the celebrity enclave, Toluca Lake, California. He married New York socialite, Margaret Kinsella, in 1946. In 1939, Universal teamed him with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies with heavy reliance on stock footage from larger-scale films. They are informally known as the "Aces of Action" series, which is how the stars were billed in the trailers. When Arlen left the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine teamed with a variety of other actors. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen was active in television, having guest starred in several anthology series, including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and in three episodes of the series about clergymen, Crossroads. In 1960, Arlen was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry. In 1968, he appeared on Petticoat Junction playing himself. The episode was called "Wings" and it was in direct reference to the 1927 silent movie Wings. Arlen appeared in westerns, such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, and in such drama/adventure programs as Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess
Movie
The Muppets Go to the Movies
Movie · as David Armstrong (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Horror Show
Movie · as (archive footage)
A Whale of a Tale
Movie · as Mr. Monahan
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Movie · as Silent Film Star 2
The Sky's the Limit
Movie · as Grimes
Rogue's Gallery
Movie · as Man in Club
Buckskin
Movie · as Townsman
Red Tomahawk
Movie · as Deadwood Telegrapher
Hostile Guns
Movie · as Sheriff Travis
Fort Utah
Movie · as Sam Tyler
Johnny Reno
Movie · as Ned Duggan
To the Shores of Hell
Movie · as Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate
Waco
Movie · as Billy Kelly
Road to Nashville
Movie · as Studio Boss
Apache Uprising
Movie · as Captain Gannon
Black Spurs
Movie · as Pete
The Human Duplicators
Movie · as National Intelligence
Town Tamer
Movie · as Doctor Kent
The Bounty Killer
Movie · as Matthew Ridgeway
Branded
TV · 1 ep
Young Fury
Movie · as Sheriff Jenkins
Law of the Lawless
Movie · as Ben the Bartender
Sex and the College Girl
Movie · as Charles Devon
The Best Man
Movie · as Sen. Oscar Anderson
The Shepherd of the Hills
Movie · as Old Matt
The Crawling Hand
Movie · as Lee Barrenger
The Young and the Brave
Movie · as Col. Ralph Holbein
Petticoat Junction
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Lucy Show
TV · as Richard · 1 ep
The Last Time I Saw Archie
Movie · as Col. Edwin Martin
The New Breed
TV · as Willits · 1 ep
Raymie
Movie · as Chris Garber
Coronado 9
TV · 1 ep
Warlock
Movie · as Bacon
Lock-Up
TV · 1 ep
Cavalry Command
Movie · as Sgt. Jim Heisler
Yancy Derringer
TV · as General Hugh Morgan · 1 ep
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV · as Damon Ring, Sr. · 1 ep
Bat Masterson
TV · as John Minor, Sheriff Dan Rainey · 1 ep
Child of Trouble
Movie · as Louis Contino
Perry Mason
TV · as Dr. Harrison · 1 ep
Hidden Guns
Movie · as Sheriff Ward Young
The Mountain
Movie · as C. W. Rivial
Blonde Blackmailer
Movie · as Tony Pelassier
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV · 1 ep
Matinee Theater
TV · 1 ep
Crossroads
TV · as Father John Fletcher Slee · 1 ep
Devil's Point
Movie · as John 'Captain' Martin
Climax!
TV · as Nevers · 1 ep
The Whistler
TV · 1 ep
Sabre Jet
Movie · as Gen. Robert E 'Bob' Hale
Letter to Loretta
TV · as Christopher Waring · 1 ep
The Blazing Forest
Movie · as Joe Morgan
Hurricane Smith
Movie · as Brundage
Flaming Feather
Movie · as Showdown Calhoun
This Is Your Life
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Silver City
Movie · as Charles Storrs
Kansas Raiders
Movie · as Union Captain
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Your Show of Shows
TV · 1 ep
Grand Canyon
Movie · as Mike Adams
When My Baby Smiles at Me
Movie · as Harvey Howell
Speed to Spare
Movie · as Cliff Jordan
The Return of Wildfire
Movie · as Dobe Williams
Buffalo Bill Rides Again
Movie · as Buffalo Bill
Accomplice
Movie · as Simon Lash
The French Key
Movie · as Himself (uncredited)
Identity Unknown
Movie · as Johnny March
The Phantom Speaks
Movie · as Matt Fraser
Storm Over Lisbon
Movie · as John Craig
The Big Bonanza
Movie · as Capt. Jed Kilton
The Lady and the Monster
Movie · as Dr. Patrick Cory
That's My Baby!
Movie · as Tim Jones
Timber Queen
Movie · as Russell Evans
Submarine Alert
Movie · as Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold
Minesweeper
Movie · as Richard Houston
Aerial Gunner
Movie · as Jon Davis
Alaska Highway
Movie · as Woody Ormsby
Wildcat
Movie · as Johnny Maverick
A Letter From Bataan
Movie · as Pvt. John W. Lewis
Torpedo Boat
Movie · as Skinner Barnes
Soaring Stars
Movie · as Himself
Wrecking Crew
Movie · as Matt Carney
A Dangerous Game
Movie · as Dick Williams
Lucky Devils
Movie · as Dick McManus
Power Dive
Movie · as Brad Farrell
Forced Landing
Movie · as Dan Kendall
Mutiny in the Arctic
Movie · as Dick Barclay
Raiders of the Desert
Movie · as Dick Manning
Flying Blind
Movie · as Jim Clark
Men of the Timberland
Movie · as Dick O'Hara
The Devil's Pipeline
Movie · as Dick Talbot
Swing with Bing
Movie · as Himself
Danger On Wheels
Movie · as "Lucky" Larry Taylor
The Leather Pushers
Movie · as Dick 'Kid' Roberts
Black Diamonds
Movie · as Walter Norton
Hot Steel
Movie · as Frank Stewart
The Man from Montreal
Movie · as Clark Manning
Mutiny on the Blackhawk
Movie · as Capt. Robert Lawrence
Missing Daughters
Movie · as Wally King
Tropic Fury
Movie · as Dan Burton
Legion of Lost Flyers
Movie · as Gene 'Loop' Gillan
Call of The Yukon
Movie · as Gaston Rogers
Straight, Place and Show
Movie · as Denny Paine
No Time to Marry
Movie · as Perry Brown
Artists & Models
Movie · as Alan Townsend
Secret Valley
Movie · as Lee Rogers
The Great Barrier
Movie · as Hickey
Murder in Greenwich Village
Movie · as Steve Havens Jackson Jr.
Three Live Ghosts
Movie · as William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster
The Mine with the Iron Door
Movie · as Bob Harvey
Helldorado
Movie · as Art Ryan
Let 'em Have It
Movie · as Mal Stevens
The Calling of Dan Matthews
Movie · as Dan Matthews
Hollywood Hobbies
Movie · as Himself
Ready for Love
Movie · as Julian Barrow
She Made Her Bed
Movie · as Wild Bill Smith
Come On, Marines!
Movie · as Lucky Davis
Hollywood on Parade No. B-10
Movie · as Self
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
Movie · as Self / Arlen the Great
Alice in Wonderland
Movie · as Cheshire Cat
Three Cornered Moon
Movie · as Dr. Alan Stevens
College Humor
Movie · as Mondrake
Hell and High Water
Movie · as Capt J.J. Jericho
Song of the Eagle
Movie · as Bill Hoffman
Golden Harvest
Movie · as Walt Martin
How to Break 90 #4: Downswing
Movie
Island of Lost Souls
Movie · as Edward Parker
Hollywood on Parade No. A-4
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
Tiger Shark
Movie · as Pipes Boley
Guilty as Hell
Movie · as Frank C. Marsh
Wayward
Movie · as David Frost
Sky Bride
Movie · as Bert 'Speed' Condon
The All-American
Movie · as Gary King
The Lawyer's Secret
Movie · as Joe Hart
Caught
Movie · as Lt. Tom Colton
The Secret Call
Movie · as Tom Blake
Gun Smoke
Movie · as Brad Farley
The Conquering Horde
Movie · as Dan McMasters
Touchdown!
Movie · as Dan Curtis
The Light of Western Stars
Movie · as Dick Bailey
Only Saps Work
Movie · as Larry Payne
Dangerous Paradise
Movie · as Heyst
Burning Up
Movie · as Lou Larrigan
The Border Legion
Movie · as Jim Cleve
The Sea God
Movie · as Phillip 'Pink' Barker
Paramount on Parade
Movie · as Hunter (Dream Girl)
The Santa Fe Trail
Movie · as Stan Hollister
Thunderbolt
Movie · as Bob Moran
The Virginian
Movie · as Steven 'Steve'
The Four Feathers
Movie · as Lt. Harry Faversham
The Man I Love
Movie · as Joe "Dum-Dum" Brooks
Dangerous Curves
Movie · as Larry Lee
Feel My Pulse
Movie · as Her Problem
Beggars of Life
Movie · as The Boy (Jim)
Ladies of the Mob
Movie · as Red
Manhattan Cocktail
Movie · as Fred Tilden
Under the Tonto Rim
Movie · as Edd Denmeade
Wings
Movie · as David Armstrong
Rolled Stockings
Movie · as Ralph Treadway
She's a Sheik
Movie · as Capt. Colton
Sally in Our Alley
Movie · as Jimmie Adams
The Blood Ship
Movie · as John Shreve
Figures Don't Lie
Movie · as Bob Blewe
Behind the Front
Movie · as Percy Brown
Old Ironsides
Movie · as Seaman (uncredited)
You'd Be Surprised
Movie · as Reporter (uncredited)
The Enchanted Hill
Movie · as Link Halliwell
Padlocked
Movie · as 'Tubby' Clark
The Coast of Folly
Movie · as Bather
In the Name of Love
Movie · as Dumas Dufrayne
Hollywood
Movie · as Richard Arlen
Quicksands
Movie