James Dunn
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Fugitive
Lou Bragan
1963
Series
Bonanza
Danny Lynch
1959
Series
Matinee Theater
1955
Series
The Virginian
Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove
1962
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Series
Rawhide
1959
Series
Rawhide
Dr. Soloman Flood
1959
Series
Naked City
Peter Wilkin
1958
Series
Studio One
1948
Series
Studio One
Frank Gabriel
1948
Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Gabe Henshaw
1958
Series
Route 66
1960
Series
Climax!
Eldon Abernathy
1954
Series
Climax!
Warren
1954
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
Branded
1965
Series
The Great Adventure
Indian Agent McLean
1963
Lux Video Theatre
Joey
1950
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
J. Henry Newman
1954
Series
Screen Director's Playhouse
Sheriff Garrett
1955
Series
Going My Way
1962
Series
The Investigators
Chief Reynolds
1961
Vacation Playhouse
P.J. Cunningham
1963
Film
The Oscar
TV executive
1966
It's a Great Life
Earl Morgan
1954
Film
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Johnny Nolan
1945
Film
Hello, Sister!
Jimmy
1933
Film
Stand Up and Cheer!
Jimmy Dugan
1934
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dan McLain
1951
Series
General Electric Theater
1953
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
Bad Girl
Eddie Collins
1931
Film
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Telegrapher
1962
Film
Bright Eyes
Loop Merritt
1934
Mercy Plane
'Speed' Leslie
1939
Film
Society Girl
Johnny Malone
1932
Film
Sob Sister
Garry Webster
1931
Film
Deliverance
Life Saver
1919
Film
Government Girl
Sergeant Joe Blake
1943
Film
That Brennan Girl
Denny Reagan
1946
Film
Handle with Care
Bill Gordon
1932
Film
The Ninth Day
1957
Film
Baby Take a Bow
Eddie Ellison
1934
Film
Arizona to Broadway
Smiley Wells
1933
Film
Take It or Leave It
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1944
Film
We Have Our Moments
John Wade
1937
Film
The Girl in 419
Dr. Daniel French
1933
Film
Bad Boy
Eddie Nolan
1935
Film
The Bramble Bush
Stew Schaffer
1960
Film
Killer McCoy
Brian McCoy
1947
Film
Over the Hill
Johnny Shelby as an Adult
1931
Film
The Song Plugger
Man in Record Shop
1930
Film
Son of the Navy
Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
1940
Film
Leave It to the Irish
Terry Moran
1944
Film
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
1982
Film
Shadow Over Elveron
Luke Travers
1968
Film
Living on Love
Gary Martin
1937
Film
George White's 1935 Scandals
Eddie
1935
Film
The Payoff
Joe McCoy
1935
Film
Change of Heart
Mark McGowan
1934
Film
The Daring Young Man
Don McLane
1935
Film
Sailor's Luck
Jimmy Fenimore Harrigan
1933
In the Nick of Time
1929
Film
Shadows Over Shanghai
Johnny McGinty
1938
Film
Dance Team
Jimmy Mulligan
1932
Film
The Ghost and the Guest
Webster Frye
1943
Film
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Mike
1948
Film
Hold That Woman!
Jimmy Parker
1940
Film
Jimmy and Sally
Jimmy O'Connor
1933
Film
Hearts in Bondage
Lt. Kenneth Reynolds
1936
A Wonderful Life
Henry Wood
1950
Film
The Living Ghost
Nick Trayne
1942
Film
Have a Heart
James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
1934
The Last Stop
Yigal
1956
Film
365 Nights in Hollywood
James 'Jimmy' Dale
1934
Take a Chance
Duke Stanley
1933
Film
Hold That Girl
Barney Sullivan
1934
Film
Welcome Home
Richard Foster
1935
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Self(archive footage)
1976
Film
Journey to the Day
Melville Cooper
1960
Don’t Get Personal
Bob McDonald
1936
Film
Mr. Broadway
1957
Film
Two-Fisted Gentleman
Mickey
1936
Pride of the Navy
Speed Brennan
1939
Film
The Caribbean Mystery
Mr. Smith
1945
Film
Mysterious Crossing
Addison Francis Murphy
1936
Film
The Golden Gloves Story
Joe Riley
1950
Film
Come Closer, Folks
Jim Keene
1936
Venus Makes Trouble
Buzz Martin
1937
Film
Hold Me Tight
Chuck Evans
1933