James Stephenson
James Stephenson | |
---|---|
in the trailer for The Letter (1940) | |
Born |
Selby, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom | 14 April 1889
Died |
29 July 1941 52) Pacific Palisades, California. U.S. | (aged
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1937–1941 |
Spouse(s) | Lorna Anderson Stephenson |
James Stephenson (14 April 1889 – 29 July 1941) was a British actor. The son of chemist and druggist John G. Stephenson and Emma Stephenson, James Albert Stephenson grew up in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Burnley, Lancashire, with his brothers, Alan and Norman. He became a bank clerk and later had a creer as a merchant. In the 1930s, he emigrated to the United States and took U.S. nationality in 1938.
Career
British stage actor James Stephenson made his film debut in 1937 at the age of 48 initially with parts in four films. Warner Brothers signed him the following year, and he began playing urbane villains and disgraced gentlemen.
Stephenson's big break came when director William Wyler cast him, in spite of studio resistance, in The Letter (1940) opposite Bette Davis. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for that role. Later that year he played the title role in Calling Philo Vance, and in 1941 he was first-billed in Shining Victory, in which he played the character of Dr. Paul Venner. Just as Stephenson's acting career was starting to rise he died due to a heart attack at the age of 52. His wife was Lorna Anderson Stephenson.
Partial filmography
- The Perfect Crime (1937)
- You Live and Learn (1937)
- Mr. Satan (1938)
- White Banners (1938)
- When Were You Born (1938)
- Nancy Drew – Detective (1938)
- King of the Underworld (1939)
- Devil's Island (1939)
- Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939)
- Sons of Liberty (1939)
- Beau Geste (1939)
- The Old Maid (1939)
- Secret Service of the Air (1939)
- Espionage Agent (1939)
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
- We Are Not Alone (1939)
- Calling Philo Vance (1940)
- The Sea Hawk (1940)
- A Dispatch from Reuter's (1940)
- South of Suez (1940)
- The Letter (1940)
- Shining Victory (1941)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Stephenson. |
- James Stephenson at the Internet Movie Database
- James Stephenson at AllRovi
- James Stephenson at Find a Grave
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