Alan Ladd

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Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and producer known for his cool, understated screen presence and his defining roles in 1940s and 1950s film noir and Westerns. Standing 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), Ladd became famous for the contrast between his modest height and his commanding on‑screen persona, a combination studios often enhanced through camera techniques and staging. He was frequently paired with Veronica Lake, one of the few major actresses shorter than he was, and together they became one of Hollywood’s iconic noir duos. Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ladd moved to North Hollywood as a child and worked various jobs before entering the film industry. After years of small roles — including an uncredited appearance in Citizen Kane — he achieved stardom with This Gun for Hire (1942). His quiet intensity and stoic charm resonated strongly with wartime audiences, making him one of the decade’s top box‑office draws. Ladd went on to star in a series of successful films, including The Glass Key (1942), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Whispering Smith (1948), Shane (1953), and The Proud Rebel (1958). Though his popularity declined somewhat in the late 1950s, he continued to work steadily in both film and television and produced several of his later projects. Ladd died in 1964 at the age of 50 from cerebral edema caused by acute alcohol and barbiturate intoxication, which was ruled an accidental death. Despite his relatively short life, he remains a defining figure of classic Hollywood — a performer whose quiet strength, distinctive presence, and memorable roles continue to influence the Western and noir genres.

Filmography

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2022
Rat Pack
Movie Self (archive footage)
2004
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6
Movie Al - Baby Weems Storyboard Artist (archive footage) (uncredited)
1999
Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man
Movie Self (archive footage)
1985
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
Movie (archive footage)
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1982
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Movie (in "This Gun For Hire") (archive footage)
1968
The Movie Orgy
Movie Self (archive footage)
1964
The Carpetbaggers
Movie Nevada Smith
1962
13 West Street
Movie Walt Sherill
1961
Duel of Champions
Movie Horatius
1960
One Foot in Hell
Movie Mitch Barrett
1960
All the Young Men
Movie Sgt. Kincaid
1960
Guns of the Timberland
Movie Jim Hadley
1959
The Man in the Net
Movie John Hamilton
1958
The Badlanders
Movie Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)
1958
The Proud Rebel
Movie John Chandler