Joseph Cotten

Actor

About

Also Known As

Joseph Cheshire Cotten

Birth Place

Petersburg, Virginia, USA

Born

May 15, 1905

Died

February 06, 1994

Cause of Death

Pneumonia

Biography

Filmography

Rambo Sfida la Citta (1982)

The Survivor (1981)

Casino (1980)

Heaven's Gate (1980)

The House Where Death Lives (1980)

The Hearse (1980)

Photos & Videos

View All

Blueprint For Murder, A (1953) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Touch My Feet!

Blueprint For Murder, A (1953) -- (Movie Clip) It All Adds Up

Family & Companions

Lenore Kipp

Wife

Fashion editor. Married in 1931; died in 1960 of leukemia.

Deanna Durbin

Companion

Actor, singer. Reportedly had brief relationship in 1943 during filming of "Hers to Hold".

Patricia Medina

Wife

Actor. Married in 1960; formerly married to actor Richard Greene; survived him.

Bibliography

"Vanity Will Get You Nowhere"

Joseph Cotten (1988)

"Joseph Cotten: An Autobiography"

Joseph Cotten, Mercury House (1987)

Biography

Quietly intense, highly talented member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, a former drama critic who went to Hollywood with the director to act (as a drama critic) in "Citizen Kane" (1941) and stayed to enjoy success on screen, TV and stage alike over the next four decades. Tall, wavy-haired and gentlemanly, with a trace of a Southern drawl and attractive if unconventional features, Cotten developed great versatility during his 1930s stage work which would serve him well in one of the most impressive strings of performances any Hollywood actor achieved in the 40s.

Older than the conventional new find at age 36, Cotten combined a mature and sometimes cynical pragmatism with an inner idealism either challenged by emotional pressures and social circumstances, or else shown to give way to scheming menace or dangerous rage. Delicate work came in his wonderful performance as a rejected inventor in Welles' brilliant follow-up to "Kane," the study of family decay "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942), and his chillingly ambiguous portrait of a kindly uncle who may be a murderer in Alfred Hitchcock's subtly unnerving "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943). A sensitive lead well-suited to romance, Cotten played a shell-shocked soldier on leave tentatively courting prisoner-on-leave Ginger Rogers in "I'll Be Seeing You" (1944) and his moody poet embraced the amnesiac Jennifer Jones in "Love Letters" (1945). One of his best performances came opposite Jones in William Dieterle's "Portrait of Jennie" (1948), as a painter involved with a mysterious waif from long ago. For his work in this poignant whimsy, Cotten, the kind of effortless performer who never wins awards, was named Best Actor by the Venice Film Festival.

Characterizations calling for sturdiness found Cotten loving Merle Oberon unrequitedly in "Lydia" (1941), helping Claudette Colbert through wartime misery in "Since You Went Away" (1944) and rescuing a victimized Ingrid Bergman in "Gaslight" (1944). The light touch Cotten displayed opposite Katharine Hepburn in Broadway's "The Philadelphia Story" (1939) returned in his work as a charming politician who supports maid-turned-Senator Loretta Young in "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947) and the determined romancer of Margaret Sullavan onstage in "Sabrina Fair" in the early 50s. He was also an effective hero in the wartime thriller "Journey Into Fear" (1943), set up by and co-starring Welles.

Working with Welles even as co-star seemed to bring out the best in Cotten, as in Carol Reed's masterful thriller of postwar black marketeering, "The Third Man" (1949), as the ingenuously American Cotten became disillusioned while skulking through the ruins of Vienna in search of an old buddy. Cotten himself may have been disillusioned during the 50s as his roles gradually declined. He still played leads, but the films were less important, the productions generally mediocre. The bizarre "Beyond the Forest" (1949) used him only as a glum sounding board for the explosive antics of Bette Davis. "September Affair" (1951) was a decent romance reuniting him with Dieterle, but "Under Capricorn" (1949) was one of Hitchcock's biggest misfires, "Half Angel" (1951) a cutesy reteaming with Young, and "Peking Express" (1951) a half-baked attempt to recreate 1932's "Shanghai Express." "The Killer Is Loose" (1955) was a solid, if minor Budd Boetticher thriller, and supporting Van Johnson in "The Bottom of the Bottle" (1956) provided one of his richer parts of that time. Cotten's best 50s part, though, came in "Niagara" (1953), Henry Hathaway's lurid but stunningly directed thriller, as the unstable husband driven crazy by the unfaithful schemings of Marilyn Monroe, in the role that clinched her stardom.

Cotten returned to the stage occasionally as the 50s progressed, and he lent his solid presence to TV's courtroom anthology "On Trial" (1956-57). His cameo as a drunken coroner was but one of many highlights of Welles's dazzling "Touch of Evil" (1958) and Robert Aldrich gave Cotten a classy if hammy villain role in "Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte" (1964). Cotten was extremely prolific during the twilight years of his career, alternating shlocky U.S. and Italian-made melodramas and horror films ("Baron Blood" 1972, not one of Mario Bava's greatest; "The Hearse" 1980) with routine TV-movies ("Cutter's Trail" 1970), bland all-star Hollywood features ("Airport '77" 1977) and occasional worthy, offbeat films ("Petulia" 1968, "A Delicate Balance" 1973). Throughout he demonstrated solid if not always exciting professionalism regardless of the material, his slightly grim, firmly set yet still delicate visage always a welcome reminder of his halcyon days of yore.

Filmography

Life Events

1930

Became assistant stage manager for David Belasco and understudied two productions: "Dancing Partner" and "Tonight or Never" in NY

1931

Acted in stock with the Copley Theater, Boston

1932

Broadway debut, "Absent Father"

1936

First collaboration with Orson Welles: the Federal Theater Project production of "Horse Eats Hat"

1938

First short film as actor, "Too Much Johnson"

1939

Left the Mercury Theatre to appear on Broadway in "The Philadelphia Story"

1941

Made feature film acting debut in "Citizen Kane"

1942

Signed to seven-year contract by David O. Selnick

1948

Directed "Peter Hunter, Private Eye", the earliest known syndicated pilot, starring Frank Albertson in the title role

1954

TV debut in General Electric Theater production "The High Green Wall"

1960

Went to Italy to film the Italian-American co-production "The Angel Wore Red/La Sposa Bella" toplining Ava Gardner and Dirk Bogarde

1961

Starred in an NBC-TV one-hour remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious"

1966

Began making films regularly in Italy with "I Crudeli/The Hellbenders" and "Gli Uomini del Passo Pesanti/The Tramplers"

1980

Last American-made films: "The Hearse", "The House Where Death Lives", "Heaven's Gate"

1981

Lost his voice after a stroke; regained it after undergoing therapy

1982

Played last feature acting role in the Italian-made "Rambo Sfida la Citta/Syndicate Sadists"

1985

Appeared as himself in the Italian-made feature documentary, "Hitchcock--Il Brivido del Genio/The Thrill of Genius"

Photo Collections

The Magnificent Ambersons - Norman Rockwell Art

RKO hired noted illustrator Norman Rockwell to paint portraits for the main ad art for The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). Here in black-and-white are some of those portraits and the poster art compiled using them.

The Killer is Loose - Lobby Card Set

Journey into Fear - Lobby Cards

Here are a few Lobby Cards from Journey into Fear (1942). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

The Third Man - Pressbook

Here is the campaign book (pressbook) for The Third Man (1949). Pressbooks were sent to exhibitors and theater owners to aid them in publicizing the film's run in their theater.

I'll Be Seeing You - Publicity Stills

Soylent Green - Publicity Stills

Here are a few Publicity Stills from Soylent Green (1973). Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Shadow of a Doubt - Lobby Cards

Here are a few Lobby Cards from Shadow of a Doubt (1943), directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Portrait of Jennie - Lobby Card Set

Here is a set of Lobby Cards from Portrait of Jennie (1949). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. Also included is a card from the 1950 release of the film, as Tidal Wave.

Since You Went Away - Movie Poster

Here is an "advance" One-sheet movie poster for Since You Went Away (1944). The poster copy touts the previous successes of producer David O. Selznick.

The Third Man - Lobby Card Set

Here is a set of Lobby Cards from The Third Man (1949). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Jack of Diamonds - Color Scene Stills

Here are some color scene stills from MGM's Jack of Diamonds (1967), starring George Hamilton and Joseph Cotten.

Love Letters - Lobby Cards

Here are a few lobby cards from Love Letters (1945), starring Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

The Farmer's Daughter - Lobby Cards

Here are a number of Lobby Cards from The Farmer's Daughter (1947), starring Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, and Ethel Barrymore. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

The Magnificent Ambersons - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are a number of photos taken behind-the-scenes during pre-production and shooting of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons (1942).

The Angel Wore Red - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for The Angel Wore Red (1960), starring Ava Gardner and Dirk Bogarde. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

The Man with a Cloak - Lobby Cards

Here are several Lobby Cards from MGM's The Man with a Cloak (1951), starring Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, and Leslie Caron. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Gaslight - Movie Posters

Here is a group of American movie Posters from Gaslight (1944), starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Joseph Cotten.

Soylent Green - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for Soylent Green (1973). One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

Gaslight - Lobby Card

Here is a Lobby Card from Gaslight (1944). Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Journey into Fear - Publicity Stills

Here are some Publicity Stills from Journey into Fear (1943). Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.