Acting · Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA · Born August 30, 1899
Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore) was an American film and television actor. He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Flying Corps during World War I. After the war, he went to the oilfields of Texas and Oklahoma and found work as a tool boy. He was thereafter a messenger and sporting editor of a newspaper before going to Los Angeles to act in films, but no producer wanted him. He was a delivery boy for a film laboratory when the motorcycle which he was riding landed him a broken leg outside the Paramount Pictures lot. A sympathetic film director gave him his start as an extra. He appeared at first in silent films before making the transition to talkies. His first important film role was in Vengeance of the Deep. He took time out from his Hollywood career to teach as a United States Army Air Forces flight instructor in World War II. Arlen is best known for his role as a pilot in the Academy Award-winning Wings with Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Gary Cooper, El Brendel, and his second wife, Jobyna Ralston, whom he married in 1927. He was among the more famous residents of the celebrity enclave, Toluca Lake, California. He married New York socialite, Margaret Kinsella, in 1946. In 1939, Universal teamed him with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies with heavy reliance on stock footage from larger-scale films. They are informally known as the "Aces of Action" series, which is how the stars were billed in the trailers. When Arlen left the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine teamed with a variety of other actors. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen was active in television, having guest starred in several anthology series, including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and in three episodes of the series about clergymen, Crossroads. In 1960, Arlen was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry. In 1968, he appeared on Petticoat Junction playing himself. The episode was called "Wings" and it was in direct reference to the 1927 silent movie Wings. Arlen appeared in westerns, such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, and in such drama/adventure programs as Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne.
MovieClara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess
2012
MovieThe Horror Show
1979
as (archive footage)
MovieA Whale of a Tale
1976
as Mr. Monahan
MovieWon Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976
as Silent Film Star 2
MovieThe Sky's the Limit
1975
as Grimes
MovieBuckskin
1968
as Townsman
MovieRogue's Gallery
1968
as Man in Club
MovieFort Utah
1967
as Sam Tyler
MovieHostile Guns
1967
as Sheriff Travis
MovieRed Tomahawk
1967
as Deadwood Telegrapher
MovieRoad to Nashville
1966
as Studio Boss
MovieWaco
1966
as Billy Kelly
MovieTo the Shores of Hell
1966
as Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate
MovieJohnny Reno
1966
as Ned Duggan
MovieApache Uprising
1965
as Captain Gannon
MovieThe Bounty Killer
1965
as Matthew Ridgeway
MovieTown Tamer
1965
as Doctor Kent
MovieBlack Spurs
1965
as Pete
MovieThe Human Duplicators
1965
as National Intelligence
TVBranded
1965
MovieYoung Fury
1964
as Sheriff Jenkins
MovieSex and the College Girl
1964
as Charles Devon
MovieLaw of the Lawless
1964
as Ben the Bartender
MovieThe Shepherd of the Hills
1964
as Old Matt
MovieThe Best Man
1964
as Sen. Oscar Anderson
TVPetticoat Junction
1963
as Self
MovieThe Crawling Hand
1963
as Lee Barrenger
MovieThe Young and the Brave
1963
as Col. Ralph Holbein
TVThe Lucy Show
1962
as Richard
TVThe New Breed
1961
as Willits
MovieThe Last Time I Saw Archie
1961
as Col. Edwin Martin
TVCoronado 9
1960
MovieRaymie
1960
as Chris Garber
TVLock-Up
1959
MovieWarlock
1959
as Bacon
TVBat Masterson
1958
as John Minor
TVYancy Derringer
1958
as General Hugh Morgan
TVWanted: Dead or Alive
1958
as Damon Ring, Sr.
MovieCavalry Command
1958
as Sgt. Jim Heisler
TVPerry Mason
1957
as Dr. Harrison
MovieChild of Trouble
1957
as Louis Contino
MovieThe Mountain
1956
as C. W. Rivial
MovieHidden Guns
1956
as Sheriff Ward Young
TVMatinee Theater
1955
TVThe 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
MovieBlonde Blackmailer
1955
as Tony Pelassier
MovieDevil's Point
1954
as John 'Captain' Martin
TVClimax!
1954
as Nevers
TVThe Whistler
1954
TVLetter to Loretta
1953
as Christopher Waring
MovieSabre Jet
1953
as Gen. Robert E 'Bob' Hale
MovieThe Blazing Forest
1952
as Joe Morgan
MovieHurricane Smith
1952
as Brundage
TVThis Is Your Life
1952
as Self
MovieFlaming Feather
1952
as Showdown Calhoun
MovieSilver City
1951
as Charles Storrs
MovieKansas Raiders
1950
as Union Captain
TVThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
TVYour Show of Shows
1950
MovieGrand Canyon
1949
as Mike Adams
MovieWhen My Baby Smiles at Me
1948
as Harvey Howell
MovieThe Return of Wildfire
1948
as Dobe Williams
MovieSpeed to Spare
1948
as Cliff Jordan
MovieBuffalo Bill Rides Again
1947
as Buffalo Bill
MovieAccomplice
1946
as Simon Lash
MovieThe French Key
1946
as Himself (uncredited)
MovieThe Phantom Speaks
1945
as Matt Fraser
MovieIdentity Unknown
1945
as Johnny March
MovieThe Big Bonanza
1944
as Capt. Jed Kilton
MovieStorm Over Lisbon
1944
as John Craig
MovieThat's My Baby!
1944
as Tim Jones
MovieThe Lady and the Monster
1944
as Dr. Patrick Cory
MovieTimber Queen
1944
as Russell Evans
MovieMinesweeper
1943
as Richard Houston
MovieSubmarine Alert
1943
as Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold
MovieAlaska Highway
1943
as Woody Ormsby
MovieAerial Gunner
1943
as Jon Davis
MovieWrecking Crew
1942
as Matt Carney
MovieA Letter From Bataan
1942
as Pvt. John W. Lewis
MovieWildcat
1942
as Johnny Maverick
Soaring Stars
1942
as Himself
MovieTorpedo Boat
1942
as Skinner Barnes
MovieFlying Blind
1941
as Jim Clark
MovieA Dangerous Game
1941
as Dick Williams
MovieRaiders of the Desert
1941
as Dick Manning
MovieForced Landing
1941
as Dan Kendall
MoviePower Dive
1941
as Brad Farrell
MovieMen of the Timberland
1941
as Dick O'Hara
MovieMutiny in the Arctic
1941
as Dick Barclay
MovieLucky Devils
1941
as Dick McManus
MovieThe Devil's Pipeline
1940
as Dick Talbot
MovieThe Leather Pushers
1940
as Dick 'Kid' Roberts
MovieBlack Diamonds
1940
as Walter Norton
Swing with Bing
1940
as Himself
MovieHot Steel
1940
as Frank Stewart
MovieDanger On Wheels
1940
as "Lucky" Larry Taylor
MovieThe Man from Montreal
1939
as Clark Manning
MovieLegion of Lost Flyers
1939
as Gene 'Loop' Gillan
MovieTropic Fury
1939
as Dan Burton
MovieMutiny on the Blackhawk
1939
as Capt. Robert Lawrence
MovieMissing Daughters
1939
as Wally King
MovieStraight, Place and Show
1938
as Denny Paine
MovieCall of The Yukon
1938
as Gaston Rogers
MovieNo Time to Marry
1938
as Perry Brown
MovieMurder in Greenwich Village
1937
as Steve Havens Jackson Jr.
MovieArtists & Models
1937
as Alan Townsend
MovieSecret Valley
1937
as Lee Rogers
MovieThe Great Barrier
1937
as Hickey
MovieThe Mine with the Iron Door
1936
as Bob Harvey
MovieThree Live Ghosts
1936
as William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster
MovieThe Calling of Dan Matthews
1935
as Dan Matthews
Hollywood Hobbies
1935
as Himself
MovieLet 'em Have It
1935
as Mal Stevens
MovieHelldorado
1935
as Art Ryan
MovieReady for Love
1934
as Julian Barrow
MovieShe Made Her Bed
1934
as Wild Bill Smith
MovieHollywood on Parade No. B-10
1934
as Self
MovieCome On, Marines!
1934
as Lucky Davis
MovieAlice in Wonderland
1933
as Cheshire Cat
Hell and High Water
1933
as Capt J.J. Jericho
MovieGolden Harvest
1933
as Walt Martin
MovieThree Cornered Moon
1933
as Dr. Alan Stevens
How to Break 90 #4: Downswing
1933
MovieCollege Humor
1933
as Mondrake
MovieSong of the Eagle
1933
as Bill Hoffman
MovieHollywood on Parade No. A-6
1933
as Self / Arlen the Great
MovieIsland of Lost Souls
1932
as Edward Parker
MovieThe All-American
1932
as Gary King
MovieTiger Shark
1932
as Pipes Boley
MovieGuilty as Hell
1932
as Frank C. Marsh
MovieSky Bride
1932
as Bert 'Speed' Condon
MovieHollywood on Parade No. A-4
1932
as Self (uncredited)
MovieWayward
1932
as David Frost
MovieTouchdown!
1931
as Dan Curtis
MovieCaught
1931
as Lt. Tom Colton
MovieThe Secret Call
1931
as Tom Blake
MovieThe Lawyer's Secret
1931
as Joe Hart
MovieGun Smoke
1931
as Brad Farley
MovieThe Conquering Horde
1931
as Dan McMasters
MovieOnly Saps Work
1930
as Larry Payne
MovieThe Santa Fe Trail
1930
as Stan Hollister
MovieThe Sea God
1930
as Phillip 'Pink' Barker
MovieThe Border Legion
1930
as Jim Cleve
MovieParamount on Parade
1930
as Hunter (Dream Girl)
MovieThe Light of Western Stars
1930
as Dick Bailey
MovieDangerous Paradise
1930
as Heyst
MovieBurning Up
1930
as Lou Larrigan
MovieThe Virginian
1929
as Steven 'Steve'
MovieDangerous Curves
1929
as Larry Lee
MovieThunderbolt
1929
as Bob Moran
MovieThe Four Feathers
1929
as Lt. Harry Faversham
MovieThe Man I Love
1929
as Joe "Dum-Dum" Brooks
MovieManhattan Cocktail
1928
as Fred Tilden
MovieBeggars of Life
1928
as The Boy (Jim)
MovieLadies of the Mob
1928
as Red
MovieFeel My Pulse
1928
as Her Problem
MovieUnder the Tonto Rim
1928
as Edd Denmeade
MovieShe's a Sheik
1927
as Capt. Colton
MovieFigures Don't Lie
1927
as Bob Blewe
MovieSally in Our Alley
1927
as Jimmie Adams
MovieWings
1927
as David Armstrong
MovieThe Blood Ship
1927
as John Shreve
MovieRolled Stockings
1927
as Ralph Treadway
MovieOld Ironsides
1926
as Seaman (uncredited)
MovieYou'd Be Surprised
1926
as Reporter (uncredited)
MoviePadlocked
1926
as 'Tubby' Clark
MovieBehind the Front
1926
as Percy Brown
MovieThe Enchanted Hill
1926
as Link Halliwell
MovieThe Coast of Folly
1925
as Bather
MovieIn the Name of Love
1925
as Dumas Dufrayne
MovieHollywood
1923
as Richard Arlen
MovieQuicksands
1923
