Acting · New York City, New York, USA · Born November 2, 1901
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)
MovieHollywood’s Children
1982
as Self (archive footage)
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
1976
as Self(archive footage)
MovieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
MovieShadow Over Elveron
1968
as Luke Travers
MovieThe Oscar
1966
as TV executive
TVBranded
1965
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
TVThe Great Adventure
1963
as Indian Agent McLean
TVThe Fugitive
1963
as Lou Bragan
Vacation Playhouse
1963
as P.J. Cunningham
TVGoing My Way
1962
TVThe Virginian
1962
as Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove
MovieHemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
1962
as Telegrapher
TVThe Investigators
1961
as Chief Reynolds
TVBen Casey
1961
TVRoute 66
1960
MovieJourney to the Day
1960
as Melville Cooper
MovieThe Bramble Bush
1960
as Stew Schaffer
TVBonanza
1959
as Danny Lynch
TVRawhide
1959
TVNaked City
1958
as Peter Wilkin
TVWanted: Dead or Alive
1958
as Gabe Henshaw
MovieMr. Broadway
1957
MovieThe Ninth Day
1957
The Last Stop
1956
as Yigal
TVMatinee Theater
1955
TVScreen Director's Playhouse
1955
as Sheriff Garrett
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as J. Henry Newman
TVClimax!
1954
as Eldon Abernathy
It's a Great Life
1954
as Earl Morgan
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Joey
A Wonderful Life
1950
as Henry Wood
MovieThe Golden Gloves Story
1950
as Joe Riley
TVRobert Montgomery Presents
1950
TVStudio One
1948
MovieTexas, Brooklyn & Heaven
1948
as Mike
MovieKiller McCoy
1947
as Brian McCoy
MovieThat Brennan Girl
1946
as Denny Reagan
MovieThe Caribbean Mystery
1945
as Mr. Smith
MovieA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
1945
as Johnny Nolan
MovieLeave It to the Irish
1944
as Terry Moran
MovieTake It or Leave It
1944
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieGovernment Girl
1943
as Sergeant Joe Blake
MovieThe Ghost and the Guest
1943
as Webster Frye
MovieThe Living Ghost
1942
as Nick Trayne
MovieHold That Woman!
1940
as Jimmy Parker
MovieSon of the Navy
1940
as Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
Mercy Plane
1939
as 'Speed' Leslie
Pride of the Navy
1939
as Speed Brennan
MovieShadows Over Shanghai
1938
as Johnny McGinty
MovieLiving on Love
1937
as Gary Martin
Venus Makes Trouble
1937
as Buzz Martin
MovieWe Have Our Moments
1937
as John Wade
MovieMysterious Crossing
1936
as Addison Francis Murphy
MovieCome Closer, Folks
1936
as Jim Keene
MovieTwo-Fisted Gentleman
1936
as Mickey
MovieHearts in Bondage
1936
as Lt. Kenneth Reynolds
Don’t Get Personal
1936
as Bob McDonald
MovieBad Boy
1935
as Eddie Nolan
MovieWelcome Home
1935
as Richard Foster
MovieThe Daring Young Man
1935
as Don McLane
MovieGeorge White's 1935 Scandals
1935
as Eddie
MovieThe Payoff
1935
as Joe McCoy
MovieBright Eyes
1934
as Loop Merritt
Movie365 Nights in Hollywood
1934
as James 'Jimmy' Dale
MovieHave a Heart
1934
as James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
MovieBaby Take a Bow
1934
as Eddie Ellison
MovieChange of Heart
1934
as Mark McGowan
MovieStand Up and Cheer!
1934
as Jimmy Dugan
MovieHold That Girl
1934
as Barney Sullivan
Take a Chance
1933
as Duke Stanley
MovieJimmy and Sally
1933
as Jimmy O'Connor
MovieArizona to Broadway
1933
as Smiley Wells
MovieThe Girl in 419
1933
as Dr. Daniel French
MovieHold Me Tight
1933
as Chuck Evans
MovieHello, Sister!
1933
as Jimmy
MovieSailor's Luck
1933
as Jimmy Fenimore Harrigan
MovieHandle with Care
1932
as Bill Gordon
MovieSociety Girl
1932
as Johnny Malone
MovieDance Team
1932
as Jimmy Mulligan
MovieOver the Hill
1931
as Johnny Shelby as an Adult
MovieSob Sister
1931
as Garry Webster
MovieBad Girl
1931
as Eddie Collins
MovieThe Song Plugger
1930
as Man in Record Shop
In the Nick of Time
1929
MovieDeliverance
1919
as Life Saver
