Ronald Colman

Person

Ronald Colman

Acting February 8, 1891

Richmond, Surrey, England, UK

British leading man of primarily American films, one of the great stars of the Golden Age. Raised in Ealing, the son of a successful silk merchant, he attended boarding school in…

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Known for

Popular titles

Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days

6.7 1956 Movie
Four Star Playhouse

Four Star Playhouse

6.8 1952 TV Show
The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

6.8 1948 TV Show
Lost Horizon

Lost Horizon

6.9 1937 Movie
The Jack Benny Program

The Jack Benny Program

7.8 1950 TV Show
The Talk of the Town

The Talk of the Town

7.3 1942 Movie
Random Harvest

Random Harvest

7.3 1942 Movie
A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

6.8 1935 Movie
A Double Life

A Double Life

6.4 1947 Movie
The Prisoner of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda

7.5 1937 Movie
That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

7.0 1976 Movie
Lady Windermere's Fan

Lady Windermere's Fan

6.9 1925 Movie

Photos

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Biography

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British leading man of primarily American films, one of the great stars of the Golden Age. Raised in Ealing, the son of a successful silk merchant, he attended boarding school in Sussex, where he first discovered amateur theatre. He intended to attend Cambridge and become an engineer, but his father's death cost him the financial support necessary. He joined the London Scottish Regionals and at the outbreak of World War I was sent to France. Seriously wounded at the battle of Messines--he was gassed--he was invalided out of service scarcely two months after shipping out for France. Upon his recovery he tried to enter the consular service, but a chance encounter got him a small role in a London play. He dropped other plans and concentrated on the theatre, and was rewarded with a succession of increasingly prominent parts. He made extra money appearing in a few minor films, and in 1920 set out for New York in hopes of finding greater fortune there than in war-depressed England. After two years of impoverishment he was cast in a Broadway hit, "La Tendresse". Director Henry King spotted him in the show and cast him as Lillian Gish's leading man in The White Sister (1923). His success in the film led to a contract with Samuel Goldwyn, and his career as a Hollywood leading man was underway. He became a vastly popular star of silent films, in romances as well as adventure films. The coming of sound made his extraordinarily beautiful speaking voice even more important to the film industry. He played sophisticated, thoughtful characters of integrity with enormous aplomb, and swashbuckled expertly when called to do so in films like The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). A decade later he received an Academy Award for his splendid portrayal of a tormented actor in A Double Life (1947). Much of his later career was devoted to "The Halls of Ivy", a radio show that later was transferred to television "The Halls of Ivy" (1954). He continued to work until nearly the end of his life, which came in 1958 after a brief lung illness. He was survived by his second wife, actress Benita Hume, and their daughter Juliet Benita Colman.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2001
    Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  2. 1988
    The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  3. 1976
    That's Entertainment, Part II

    Movie (archive footage)

  4. 1957
    The Story of Mankind

    Movie The Spirit of Man

  5. 1956
    Around the World in 80 Days

    Movie Railway Official

  6. 1954
    The Halls of Ivy

    TV show

  7. 1953
    General Electric Theater

    TV show Graham

  8. 1952
    Four Star Playhouse

    TV show Caller

  9. 1950
    The Jack Benny Program

    TV show Ronald Colman

  10. 1950
    Champagne for Caesar

    Movie Beauregard Bottomley

  11. 1949
    The Art Director

    Movie Self - from 'Late George Apley' (archive footage) (uncredited)

  12. 1948
    The Ed Sullivan Show

    TV show Self

  13. 1947
    A Double Life

    Movie Anthony John

  14. 1947
    The Late George Apley

    Movie George Apley

  15. 1944
    Kismet

    Movie Hafiz

  16. 1942
    Random Harvest

    Movie Charles Rainier

More credits
  1. 1942
    The Talk of the Town

    Movie Michael Lightcap

  2. 1941
    My Life with Caroline

    Movie Anthony Mason

  3. 1940
    Lucky Partners

    Movie David Grant

  4. 1939
    The Light That Failed

    Movie Dick Heldar

  5. 1938
    If I Were King

    Movie François Villon

  6. 1937
    The Prisoner of Zenda

    Movie Major Rudolf Rassendyll / The Prisoner of Zenda

  7. 1937
    Lost Horizon

    Movie Robert " Bob " Conway

  8. 1936
    Under Two Flags

    Movie Sgt. Victor

  9. 1935
    A Tale of Two Cities

    Movie Sydney Carton

  10. 1935
    The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo

    Movie Paul Gaillard

  11. 1935
    Clive of India

    Movie Robert Clive

  12. 1934
    Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back

    Movie Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond

  13. 1933
    The Masquerader

    Movie Sir John Chilcote / John Loder

  14. 1932
    Cynara

    Movie James Warlock

  15. 1931
    Arrowsmith

    Movie Dr. Martin Arrowsmith

  16. 1931
    The Unholy Garden

    Movie Barrington Hunt

  17. 1930
    Governor C.C. Young Hails Greater Talkie Season

    Movie

  18. 1930
    The Devil to Pay!

    Movie Willie Hale

  19. 1930
    Terra Melophon Magazin Nr. 1

    Movie

  20. 1930
    Raffles

    Movie A.J. Raffles

  21. 1929
    Condemned!

    Movie Michel

  22. 1929
    Bulldog Drummond

    Movie Captain Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond

  23. 1929
    The Rescue

    Movie Tom Lingard

  24. 1928
    Two Lovers

    Movie Mark van Rycke