Person
James Dunn
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…
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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)
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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1982
Hollywood’s Children
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1976
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Movie Self(archive footage)
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1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1968
Shadow Over Elveron
Movie Luke Travers
-
1966
The Oscar
Movie TV executive
-
1965
Branded
TV show
- 1963
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1963
The Great Adventure
TV show Indian Agent McLean
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1963
The Fugitive
TV show Lou Bragan
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1963
Vacation Playhouse
TV show P.J. Cunningham
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1962
Going My Way
TV show
-
1962
The Virginian
TV show Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove
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1962
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Movie Telegrapher
-
1961
The Investigators
TV show Chief Reynolds
-
1961
Ben Casey
TV show
-
1960
Route 66
TV show
More credits
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1960
Journey to the Day
Movie Melville Cooper
-
1960
The Bramble Bush
Movie Stew Schaffer
-
1959
Bonanza
TV show Danny Lynch
-
1959
Rawhide
TV show
-
1958
Naked City
TV show Peter Wilkin
-
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV show Gabe Henshaw
-
1957
Mr. Broadway
Movie
-
1957
The Ninth Day
Movie
-
1956
The Last Stop
Movie Yigal
-
1955
Matinee Theater
TV show
-
1955
Screen Director's Playhouse
TV show Sheriff Garrett
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1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV show J. Henry Newman
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1954
Climax!
TV show Eldon Abernathy
-
1954
It's a Great Life
TV show Earl Morgan
-
1953
General Electric Theater
TV show
-
1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV show
-
1950
Lux Video Theatre
TV show Joey
-
1950
A Wonderful Life
Movie Henry Wood
-
1950
The Golden Gloves Story
Movie Joe Riley
-
1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
TV show
-
1948
Studio One
TV show
-
1948
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Movie Mike
-
1947
Killer McCoy
Movie Brian McCoy
-
1946
That Brennan Girl
Movie Denny Reagan
