James Dunn
Born November 02, 1901 (Age: 124)
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New York City, New York, USA
Biography
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)
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)
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Filmography
Hollywood’s Children
1982
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as Self (archive footage)
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Age: 80
No Image
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
1976
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as Self(archive footage)
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Age: 74
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
1962
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as Telegrapher
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Age: 60
Journey to the Day
1960
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as Melville Cooper
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Age: 58
The Bramble Bush
1960
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as Stew Schaffer
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Age: 58
No Image
The Last Stop
1956
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as Yigal
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Age: 54
No Image
A Wonderful Life
1950
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as Henry Wood
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Age: 48
The Golden Gloves Story
1950
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as Joe Riley
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Age: 48
The Caribbean Mystery
1945
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as Mr. Smith
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Age: 43
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
1945
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as Johnny Nolan
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Age: 43
The Living Ghost
1942
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as Nick Trayne
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Age: 40
Handle with Care
1932
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as Bill Gordon
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Age: 31
Society Girl
1932
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as Johnny Malone
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Age: 30
Dance Team
1932
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as Jimmy Mulligan
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Age: 30
Over the Hill
1931
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as Johnny Shelby as an Adult
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Age: 30
Sob Sister
1931
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as Garry Webster
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Age: 29
Bad Girl
1931
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as Eddie Collins
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Age: 29
The Song Plugger
1930
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as Man in Record Shop
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Age: 28