James Dunn

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

88

Gender

Male

Birthday

1901-11-02

Day of death

1967-09-03 (65 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

James Dunn

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)

Known For

  • The Fugitive

    The Fugitive

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • Robert Montgomery Presents

    Robert Montgomery Presents

  • Naked City

    Naked City

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive

    Wanted: Dead or Alive

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Matinee Theater

    Matinee Theater

  • Climax!

    Climax!

  • Climax!

    Climax!

  • Ben Casey

    Ben Casey

  • Route 66

    Route 66

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

  • The Great Adventure

    The Great Adventure

  • Branded

    Branded

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Mr. Broadway

    Mr. Broadway

  • The Oscar

    The Oscar

  • Bright Eyes

    Bright Eyes

  • Vacation Playhouse

    Vacation Playhouse

  • Screen Director's Playhouse

    Screen Director's Playhouse

  • Killer McCoy

    Killer McCoy

  • Going My Way

    Going My Way

  • Bad Boy

    Bad Boy

  • The Payoff

    The Payoff

  • The Investigators

    The Investigators

  • Sob Sister

    Sob Sister

  • Dance Team

    Dance Team

  • Mercy Plane

    Mercy Plane

  • Hello, Sister!

    Hello, Sister!

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man

    Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man

  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

  • Welcome Home

    Welcome Home

  • Hearts in Bondage

    Hearts in Bondage

  • Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

    Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

  • George White's 1935 Scandals

    George White's 1935 Scandals

  • Hollywood’s Children

    Hollywood’s Children

  • Living on Love

    Living on Love

  • Government Girl

    Government Girl

  • Shadows Over Shanghai

    Shadows Over Shanghai

  • Change of Heart

    Change of Heart

  • Bad Girl

    Bad Girl

  • Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

    Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

  • Take a Chance

    Take a Chance

  • Pride of the Navy

    Pride of the Navy

  • Shadow Over Elveron

    Shadow Over Elveron

  • It's a Great Life

    It's a Great Life

  • Take It or Leave It

    Take It or Leave It

  • Leave It to the Irish

    Leave It to the Irish

  • That Brennan Girl

    That Brennan Girl

  • Stand Up and Cheer!

    Stand Up and Cheer!

  • A Wonderful Life

    A Wonderful Life

  • Over the Hill

    Over the Hill

  • Have a Heart

    Have a Heart

  • The Girl in 419

    The Girl in 419

  • We Have Our Moments

    We Have Our Moments

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • The Living Ghost

    The Living Ghost

  • The Bramble Bush

    The Bramble Bush

  • Sailor's Luck

    Sailor's Luck

  • Society Girl

    Society Girl

  • Jimmy and Sally

    Jimmy and Sally

  • In the Nick of Time

    In the Nick of Time

  • The Ghost and the Guest

    The Ghost and the Guest

  • Venus Makes Trouble

    Venus Makes Trouble

  • Two-Fisted Gentleman

    Two-Fisted Gentleman

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Handle with Care

    Handle with Care

  • Baby Take a Bow

    Baby Take a Bow

  • The Caribbean Mystery

    The Caribbean Mystery

  • The Song Plugger

    The Song Plugger

  • The Daring Young Man

    The Daring Young Man

  • Arizona to Broadway

    Arizona to Broadway

  • Hold That Girl

    Hold That Girl

  • Hold That Woman!

    Hold That Woman!

  • Son of the Navy

    Son of the Navy

  • 365 Nights in Hollywood

    365 Nights in Hollywood

  • Mysterious Crossing

    Mysterious Crossing

  • The Ninth Day

    The Ninth Day

  • Hold Me Tight

    Hold Me Tight

  • Come Closer, Folks

    Come Closer, Folks

  • The Golden Gloves Story

    The Golden Gloves Story

  • Journey to the Day

    Journey to the Day

  • The Biggest Little Star of the 30's

    The Biggest Little Star of the 30's