What's After the Movie
Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio, and television actor. He first garnered attention on Broadway, captivating audiences in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story (1939) and Sabrina Fair (1953). Cotten soon made his mark in Hollywood, partnering with Orson Welles to bring to life notable films like Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), and Journey into Fear (1943) where Cotten moved beyond acting to also contribute to the screenplay. He continued his cinematic success into the 1940s with films like Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Gaslight (1944), and Love Letters (1945), among others. His role in Portrait of Jennie (1948) earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Towards the end of his career, he played in Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate (1980). Despite his illustrious career, he remains one of the exceptional actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.
Cotten was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on May 15, 1905, the eldest of three sons to Joseph Cheshire Cotten Sr., an assistant postmaster, and Sally Willson Cotten. His early life was marked by a deep appreciation for drama and storytelling. He attended private lessons at the Hickman School of Expression in Washington, D.C., and later served in the First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He played professional football and worked as a lifeguard, an advertising salesman, and performed at the Miami Civic Theatre, all contributing to the resilience and diversity that characterized his acting career. Cotten passed away from pneumonia on February 6, 1994 less than a decade after suffering a heart attack and stroke in 1981 and later having his larynx removed due to cancer in 1990.
Learn more about Joseph Cotten, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Joseph Cotten rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr.
Born: Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
Citizenship: American
Birthday: May 15, 1905
Occupations: Film actor, Stage actor, Radio actor, Television actor
Years Active: 1930-1981
Children: 1
Spouses: Lenore Kipp, Patricia Medina
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Heaven's Gate
The Third Man
The Magnificent Ambersons
Airport '77
Soylent Green
Gaslight
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Under Capricorn
Niagara
Citizen Kane
Shadow of a Doubt
Too Much Johnson
Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock’s Favorite Film
Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
The Hearse
The Survivor
Delusion
AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special
Delusion
Journey into Fear
Guyana: Crime of the Century
White Comanche
I’ll Be Seeing You
Mysteries of the Gods
Hollywood and the Stars
Lady Frankenstein
Lydia
The Grasshopper
Half Angel
Latitude Zero
The Tramplers
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Assault on the Wayne
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Petulia
Caravans
September Affair
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case
Since You Went Away
Monsters We’ve Known and Loved
The Last Sunset
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte
A Delicate Balance
Two Flags West
Portrait of Jennie
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
The Bottom of the Bottle
A Whisper in the Dark
Hers to Hold
Othello
The Perfect Crime
Walk Softly, Stranger
Alexander The Great
“General Electric Theater” High Green Wall
The Halliday Brand
The Farmer’s Daughter
The Devil’s Daughter
From the Earth to the Moon
The Great Sioux Massacre
Peking Express
Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y.
Twilight’s Last Gleaming
Baron Blood
Untamed Frontier
Concorde Affair
The Man with a Cloak
Return to Fantasy Island
The Scopone Game
The Steel Trap
A Blueprint for Murder
Love Letters
The Angel Wore Red
Beyond the Forest
Syndicate Sadists
The Screaming Woman
Gangsters ’70
Last In, First Out
The Money Trap
The Killer Is Loose
Duel in the Sun
The Oscar
Track the complete movie timeline of Joseph Cotten, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
1978
Caravans
Crandall
The Perfect Crime
Sir Arthur Dundee
Return to Fantasy Island
Simon Grant
Last In, First Out
Foster Johnson
1976
Mysteries of the Gods
Narrator
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case
Dr. Joseph Francis Condon
A Whisper in the Dark
The Professor
1972
Baron Blood
Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred Becker
The Scopone Game
George
The Screaming Woman
George Tresvant
1971
Lady Frankenstein
Baron Frankenstein
Assault on the Wayne
Admiral
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Dr. Vesalius
1968
White Comanche
Sheriff Logan
Petulia
Mr. Danner
Alexander The Great
Antigonus
Gangsters ’70
Destil
1965
The Tramplers
Temple Cordeen
The Great Sioux Massacre
Major Marcus A. Reno
The Money Trap
Dr. Horace Van Tilden
1951
Half Angel
John Raymond Jr.
Othello
Senator (uncredited)
Peking Express
Michael Bachlin
The Man with a Cloak
Dupin
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