Joseph Cotten
Acting Born May 15, 1905 Died Feb 6, 1994 Petersburg, Virginia, USA 168 credits
Biography
Joseph Cheshire Cotten was an American stage and film actor born on May 15, 1905, in Petersburg, Virginia, and he died on February 6, 1994, at the age of 88. He achieved prominence on Broadway by starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair. Cotten is closely associated with Orson Welles, which led to film appearances in Citizen Kane in 1941, The Magnificent Ambersons in 1942, Journey into Fear in 1943, where he was also credited with the screenplay, and The Third Man in 1949. As a star in his own right, his film credits also include Shadow of a Doubt in 1943, Love Letters in 1945, and Portrait of Jennie in 1948.
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Career overview
Joseph Cheshire Cotten was an American actor of stage and film who was born on May 15, 1905, and died on February 6, 1994. He achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair.
Cotten is associated with Orson Welles, leading to appearances in Citizen Kane in 1941, The Magnificent Ambersons in 1942, Journey into Fear in 1943, and The Third Man in 1949. For Journey into Fear, Cotten was also credited with the screenplay.
He established himself as a star in his own right with films such as Shadow of a Doubt in 1943, Love Letters in 1945, Portrait of Jennie in 1948, and The Third Man in 1949. His extensive career included 146 known acting credits.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
They'll Love Me When I'm DeadThe Green Fog
Too Much Johnson
Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Frankenstein: A Cinematic ScrapbookThe Complete 'Citizen Kane'
Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
DelusionThe Survivor
Heaven's GateThe HearseCasino
Tales of the UnexpectedTales of the UnexpectedIsland of the FishmenConcorde AffairGuyana: Crime of the Century
CaravansThe Perfect CrimeReturn to Fantasy IslandLast In, First Out
The Love BoatThe Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesAirport '77Twilight's Last GleamingAspen
Origins of the MafiaThe Lindbergh Kidnapping CaseMysteries of the GodsA Whisper in the DarkExpedition to Ararat
Syndicate SadistsTimber Tramps
The Rockford Files
The American Film Institute Salute to ...Soylent GreenF for FakeThe Devil's DaughterA Delicate Balance
The Streets of San FranciscoBaron BloodThe Scopone GameThe Screaming WomanDoomsday Voyage
V.I.P. SchaukelThe Abominable Dr. PhibesLady FrankensteinCity Beneath the SeaAssault on the Wayne
Tora! Tora! Tora!The GrasshopperCutter's Trail
Latitude ZeroThe Lonely Profession
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InThe Name of the GameIt Takes a ThiefIt Takes a ThiefWhite Comanche
IronsideCimarron StripLionpower from MGMThe HellbendersJack of Diamonds
The OscarBrighty of the Grand Canyon
The Money TrapThe Great Sioux MassacreThe Tramplers
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
The Great AdventureHollywood and the Stars
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe VirginianThe Virginian
Dr. KildareBus StopThe Last SunsetHollywood: The Selznick Years
CheckmateThe Barbara Stanwyck ShowThe Angel Wore Red
The DuPont Show with June AllysonThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
Kraft Music Hall77 Sunset StripWestinghouse Desilu PlayhouseTouch of EvilFrom the Earth to the Moon
Full Filmography
168 titles- They'll Love Me When I'm Dead (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- The Green Fog (2018)
- Too Much Johnson (2013) as Augustus Billings
- Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film (2000) as Self
- The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991) as Baron Frankenstein (archive footage)
- The Complete 'Citizen Kane' (1991)
- Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths (1990) as (archive footage)
- Delusion (1981) as Ivar Langrock
- The Survivor (1981) as Priest
- Heaven's Gate (1980) as The Reverend Doctor
- The Hearse (1980) as Walter Prichard
- Casino (1980) as Ed Booker
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Lionel
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Edward
- Island of the Fishmen (1979) as Prof. Ernest Marvin
- Concorde Affair (1979) as Milland
- Guyana: Crime of the Century (1979) as Richard Gable
- All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman (1979) as Self
- Churchill and the Generals (1979) as Gen. George C. Marshall
- Caravans (1978) as Crandall
- The Perfect Crime (1978) as Sir Arthur Dundee
- Return to Fantasy Island (1978) as Simon Grant
- Last In, First Out (1978) as Foster Johnson
- The Love Boat (1977) as Colonel Van Ryker
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977) as Weldon Rathbone
- Airport '77 (1977) as Nicholas St. Downs III
- Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977) as Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of State
- Aspen (1977) as Horton Paine
- Origins of the Mafia (1976) as The Envoy
- The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976) as Dr. Joseph Francis Condon
- Mysteries of the Gods (1976) as Narrator
- A Whisper in the Dark (1976) as The Professor
- Expedition to Ararat (1976) as Self - Host - Narrator
- Syndicate Sadists (1975) as Paternò
- Timber Tramps (1975) as Greedy sawmill mogul
- The Rockford Files (1974) as Warner Jameson
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Soylent Green (1973) as William R. Simonson
- F for Fake (1973) as Self
- The Devil's Daughter (1973) as Judge Weatherby
- A Delicate Balance (1973) as Harry
- Police Dog (1973) as Narrator
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972) as John R. James
- Baron Blood (1972) as Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker
- The Scopone Game (1972) as George
- The Screaming Woman (1972) as George Tresvant
- Doomsday Voyage (1972) as Captain Jason
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
- The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) as Dr. Vesalius
- Lady Frankenstein (1971) as Baron Frankenstein
- City Beneath the Sea (1971) as Dr. Ziegler
- Assault on the Wayne (1971) as Admiral
- Journey to Murder (1971) as Jeff Wheeler
- Do You Take This Stranger? (1971) as Dr. Robert Carson
- Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) as Henry L. Stimson
- The Grasshopper (1970) as Richard Morgan
- Cutter's Trail (1970) as General Spalding
- Latitude Zero (1969) as Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzie
- The Lonely Profession (1969) as Martin Bannister
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Henry 'Harry' Worthington Rayner
- It Takes a Thief (1968) as Col. Heinrich
- It Takes a Thief (1968) as Mr. Jack
- White Comanche (1968) as Sheriff Logan
- Petulia (1968) as Mr. Danner
- Journey to the Unknown (1968) as Jeff Wheeler
- Petulia: The Uncommon Movie (1968) as Himself
- Gangsters '70 (1968) as Destil
- Alexander The Great (1968) as Antigonus
- Split Second to an Epitaph (1968) as Dr. Ben Stern
- Ironside (1967) as Dr. Benjamin Stern
- Cimarron Strip (1967) as Nathan Tio
- Lionpower from MGM (1967) as Self - Ace of Diamonds (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Hellbenders (1967) as Colonel Jonas
- Jack of Diamonds (1967) as Ace
- Some May Live (1967) as Colonel Woodward
- The Oscar (1966) as Kenneth Regan
- Brighty of the Grand Canyon (1966) as Jim
- The Money Trap (1965) as Dr. Horace Van Tilden
- The Great Sioux Massacre (1965) as Major Marcus A. Reno
- The Tramplers (1965) as Temple Cordeen
- Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) as Drew Bayliss
- The Great Adventure (1963) as Captain Meehan
- Hollywood and the Stars (1963) as Narrator
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Virginian (1962) as Judge Will McMasters
- The Virginian (1962) as Judge Hobbs
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Charles Ladovan
- Bus Stop (1961) as Professor Wheelwright
- The Last Sunset (1961) as John Breckenridge
- Hollywood: The Selznick Years (1961) as Self (uncredited)
- Checkmate (1960) as Dr. George Mallinson
- The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1960) as Mac McClay
- The Angel Wore Red (1960) as Hawthorne
- The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959) as Dick Burlingame
- The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959) as Charles Lawrence
- Kraft Music Hall (1958) as Self
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Arnold Buhler
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958) as Black McSween
- Touch of Evil (1958) as Coroner (uncredited)
- From the Earth to the Moon (1958) as Victor Barbicane
- Wagon Train (1957) as Captain Dan Brady
- Wagon Train (1957) as John Augustus
- Suspicion (1957) as Gregg Carey
- The Halliday Brand (1957) as Daniel Halliday
- The Edge of Innocence (1957) as Robert Rainey
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Ben Harper
- Telephone Time (1956)
- On Trial (1956) as Edward Pritchard
- On Trial (1956) as Mr. Patterson
- On Trial (1956) as Robert Westwood
- On Trial (1956) as Senator George Graham Vest
- On Trial (1956) as Sanders
- On Trial (1956) as Joseph Downey
- On Trial (1956) as Gregg Bolton
- On Trial (1956) as William Seward
- On Trial (1956) as Ray Barnes
- On Trial (1956) as Clint Anderson
- On Trial (1956) as Reed Murrow
- On Trial (1956) as Reed
- On Trial (1956) as Frank Parsons
- The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956) as Self
- The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) as Pat 'P.M.' Martin
- The Killer Is Loose (1956) as Detective Sam Wagner
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as William Callew
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Tony Gould
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Courtney Masterson
- The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955) as Self - Host
- Special Delivery (1955) as John Adams
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Self - Guest Host
- Niagara (1953) as George Loomis
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Paul Henty
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Captain
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Private Harris
- A Blueprint for Murder (1953) as Whitney 'Cam' Cameron
- Egypt by Three (1953) as Narrator
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) as John Ashburn
- Untamed Frontier (1952) as Kirk Denbow
- The Steel Trap (1952) as Jim Osborne
- Half Angel (1951) as John Raymond Jr.
- Othello (1951) as Senator (uncredited)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
- The Man with a Cloak (1951) as Dupin
- Peking Express (1951) as Michael Bachlin
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self - Mystery Guest
- Two Flags West (1950) as Clay Tucker
- September Affair (1950) as David Lawrence
- Walk Softly, Stranger (1950) as Chris Hale/Steve
- The Third Man (1949) as Holly Martins
- Under Capricorn (1949) as Sam Flusky
- Beyond the Forest (1949) as Doctor Louis Moline
- Portrait of Jennie (1948) as Eben Adams
- The Farmer's Daughter (1947) as Glenn Morley
- Our American Heritage (1947) as Narrator
- Duel in the Sun (1946) as Jesse McCanles
- Love Letters (1945) as Allen Quinton
- Gaslight (1944) as Brian Cameron
- I'll Be Seeing You (1944) as Zachary Morgan
- Since You Went Away (1944) as Tony Willett
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943) as Uncle Charlie
- Hers to Hold (1943) as Bill Morley
- Journey into Fear (1943) as Howard Graham
- Journey into Fear (1943) Screenplay
- The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) as Eugene Morgan
- Citizen Kane (1941) as Jedediah Leland
- Lydia (1941) as Michael Fitzpatrick
- Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y. (1937)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Joseph Cotten best known for?
Joseph Cotten is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Heaven's Gate (1980), The Hearse (1980), Tales of the Unexpected (1979), Tales of the Unexpected (1979).
When and where was Joseph Cotten born?
Joseph Cotten was born on May 15, 1905 in Petersburg, Virginia, USA. They passed away on February 6, 1994.
How many credits does Joseph Cotten have?
Joseph Cotten has accumulated over 168 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1937 to 2018.
What is Joseph Cotten's background in cinema and television?
Joseph Cheshire Cotten was an American stage and film actor born on May 15, 1905, in Petersburg, Virginia, and he died on February 6, 1994, at the age of 88. He achieved prominence on Broadway by starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair. Cotten is closely associated with Orson Wel...
Joseph Cotten by the numbers
168credits
107films
61TV series
1937–2018active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self — aged about 66
- Citizen Kane (1941) as Jedediah Leland — aged about 36
- The Third Man (1949) as Holly Martins — aged about 44
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as William Callew — aged about 50
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Tony Gould — aged about 50
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Courtney Masterson — aged about 50
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