James Dunn
Born
November 2, 1901
Died
September 3, 1967 (65 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
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)
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
1982
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Self(archive footage)
1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Shadow Over Elveron
Luke Travers
1968
The Oscar
TV executive
1966
Branded
(1 episode)
1965
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
(1 episode)
1963
The Great Adventure
Indian Agent McLean · (2 episodes)
1963
The Fugitive
Lou Bragan · (1 episode)
1963
Vacation Playhouse
P.J. Cunningham · (1 episode)
1963
Going My Way
(1 episode)
1962
The Virginian
Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove · (1 episode)
1962
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Telegrapher
1962
The Investigators
Chief Reynolds · (1 episode)
1961
Ben Casey
(2 episodes)
1961
Route 66
(2 episodes)
1960
The Bramble Bush
Stew Schaffer
1960
Bonanza
Danny Lynch · (1 episode)
1959
Rawhide
(0 episode)
1959
Rawhide
Dr. Soloman Flood · (1 episode)
1959
Naked City
Peter Wilkin · (1 episode)
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Gabe Henshaw · (1 episode)
1958
Mr. Broadway
1957
The Ninth Day
1957
Matinee Theater
(2 episodes)
1955
Screen Director's Playhouse
Sheriff Garrett · (1 episode)
1955
The Wonderful World of Disney
J. Henry Newman · (1 episode)
1954
Climax!
Eldon Abernathy · (1 episode)
1954
Climax!
Warren · (1 episode)
1954
It's a Great Life
Earl Morgan · (78 episodes)
1954
General Electric Theater
(1 episode)
1953
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
(2 episodes)
1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dan McLain · (1 episode)
1951
Lux Video Theatre
Joey · (1 episode)
1950
A Wonderful Life
Henry Wood
1950
The Golden Gloves Story
Joe Riley
1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
(3 episodes)
1950
Studio One
(3 episodes)
1948
Studio One
Frank Gabriel · (1 episode)
1948
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Mike
1948
Killer McCoy
Brian McCoy
1947
That Brennan Girl
Denny Reagan
1946
The Caribbean Mystery
Mr. Smith
1945
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Johnny Nolan
1945
Leave It to the Irish
Terry Moran
1944
Take It or Leave It
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1944
Government Girl
Sergeant Joe Blake
1943
The Ghost and the Guest
Webster Frye
1943
The Living Ghost
Nick Trayne
1942
Hold That Woman!
Jimmy Parker
1940
Son of the Navy
Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
1940
Mercy Plane
'Speed' Leslie
1939
Pride of the Navy
Speed Brennan
1939
Shadows Over Shanghai
Johnny McGinty
1938
Living on Love
Gary Martin
1937
Venus Makes Trouble
Buzz Martin
1937
We Have Our Moments
John Wade
1937
Mysterious Crossing
Addison Francis Murphy
1936
Come Closer, Folks
Jim Keene
1936
Two-Fisted Gentleman
Mickey
1936
Hearts in Bondage
Lt. Kenneth Reynolds
1936
Bad Boy
Eddie Nolan
1935
Welcome Home
Richard Foster
1935
The Daring Young Man
Don McLane
1935
George White's 1935 Scandals
Eddie
1935
The Payoff
Joe McCoy
1935
Bright Eyes
Loop Merritt
1934
365 Nights in Hollywood
James 'Jimmy' Dale
1934
Have a Heart
James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
1934
Baby Take a Bow
Eddie Ellison
1934
Change of Heart
Mark McGowan
1934
Stand Up and Cheer!
Jimmy Dugan
1934
Hold That Girl
Barney Sullivan
1934
Take a Chance
Duke Stanley
1933
Jimmy and Sally
Jimmy O'Connor
1933
Arizona to Broadway
Smiley Wells
1933
The Girl in 419
Dr. Daniel French
1933
Hold Me Tight
Chuck Evans
1933
Hello, Sister!
Jimmy
1933
Sailor's Luck
Jimmy Fenimore Harrigan
1933
Handle with Care
Bill Gordon
1932
Society Girl
Johnny Malone
1932
Dance Team
Jimmy Mulligan
1932
Over the Hill
Johnny Shelby as an Adult
1931
Sob Sister
Garry Webster
1931
Bad Girl
Eddie Collins
1931
The Song Plugger
Man in Record Shop
1930
In the Nick of Time
1929