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Joseph Cotten

What's After the Movie

Joseph Cotten

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.

82 movies

Biography, Career & Filmography

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

Movies Featuring Joseph Cotten

Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate

The Third Man

The Third Man

The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons

Airport '77

Airport '77

Soylent Green

Soylent Green

Gaslight

Gaslight

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Under Capricorn

Under Capricorn

Niagara

Niagara

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane

Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt

Too Much Johnson

Too Much Johnson

Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock’s Favorite Film

Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock’s Favorite Film

Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

The Hearse

The Hearse

The Survivor

The Survivor

Delusion

Delusion

AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special

AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special

Delusion

Delusion

Journey into Fear

Journey into Fear

Guyana: Crime of the Century

Guyana: Crime of the Century

White Comanche

White Comanche

I’ll Be Seeing You

I’ll Be Seeing You

Mysteries of the Gods

Mysteries of the Gods

Hollywood and the Stars

Hollywood and the Stars

Lady Frankenstein

Lady Frankenstein

Lydia

Lydia

The Grasshopper

The Grasshopper

Half Angel

Half Angel

Latitude Zero

Latitude Zero

The Tramplers

The Tramplers

Brighty of the Grand Canyon

Brighty of the Grand Canyon

Assault on the Wayne

Assault on the Wayne

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Petulia

Petulia

Caravans

Caravans

September Affair

September Affair

The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

Since You Went Away

Since You Went Away

Monsters We’ve Known and Loved

Monsters We’ve Known and Loved

The Last Sunset

The Last Sunset

Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte

A Delicate Balance

A Delicate Balance

Two Flags West

Two Flags West

Portrait of Jennie

Portrait of Jennie

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

The Bottom of the Bottle

The Bottom of the Bottle

A Whisper in the Dark

A Whisper in the Dark

Hers to Hold

Hers to Hold

Othello

Othello

The Perfect Crime

The Perfect Crime

Walk Softly, Stranger

Walk Softly, Stranger

Alexander The Great

Alexander The Great

“General Electric Theater” High Green Wall

“General Electric Theater” High Green Wall

The Halliday Brand

The Halliday Brand

The Farmer’s Daughter

The Farmer’s Daughter

The Devil’s Daughter

The Devil’s Daughter

From the Earth to the Moon

From the Earth to the Moon

The Great Sioux Massacre

The Great Sioux Massacre

Peking Express

Peking Express

Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y.

Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y.

Twilight’s Last Gleaming

Twilight’s Last Gleaming

Baron Blood

Baron Blood

Untamed Frontier

Untamed Frontier

Concorde Affair

Concorde Affair

The Man with a Cloak

The Man with a Cloak

Return to Fantasy Island

Return to Fantasy Island

The Scopone Game

The Scopone Game

The Steel Trap

The Steel Trap

A Blueprint for Murder

A Blueprint for Murder

Love Letters

Love Letters

The Angel Wore Red

The Angel Wore Red

Beyond the Forest

Beyond the Forest

Syndicate Sadists

Syndicate Sadists

The Screaming Woman

The Screaming Woman

Gangsters ’70

Gangsters ’70

Last In, First Out

Last In, First Out

The Money Trap

The Money Trap

The Killer Is Loose

The Killer Is Loose

Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun

The Oscar

The Oscar

Career Timeline

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.


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