Alan Ladd
Biography
Alan Ladd was an American actor and film producer who found stardom in the 1940s and early 1950s, chiefly in film noir and Westerns. Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, he entered pictures after a talent scout spotted him in a high school production, and after years of small parts and radio work he broke through as the hit man Raven in This Gun for Hire (1942). He was paired with Veronica Lake in The Glass Key (1942) and The Blue Dahlia (1946), and Whispering Smith (1948) was his first Western and his first color film. Other credits include The Great Gatsby (1949), Shane (1953), for which he won a Photoplay Gold Medal, Boy on a Dolphin (1957), The Proud Rebel (1958), The Badlanders (1958) and One Foot in Hell (1960). He also produced films and starred in the radio series Box 13. The Carpetbaggers (1964) was released after his death in 1964.
50years old at death
- Born Hot Springs
- Died Palm Springs
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Alan Walbridge Ladd (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 25
- Career span
- 42 years1940 to 1982
Photos
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A role that slipped away
George Stevens wanted Ladd for Jett Rink in Giant, but Ladd said no because the part was not the lead. James Dean got the role instead, and the movie was one of the decade's big hits.
First role
Universal Pictures signed Ladd in August 1933 as one of a group of young "discoveries" on a long-term contract. The studio found him too blond and too short, so it let him go six months later.
Behind the camera
Ladd revealed in May 1951 that he had started his own production company, Ladd Enterprises, for making films, radio and TV once his Paramount deal finished in November 1952. He also optioned Les Savage's novel Shadow Riders of the Yellowstone.
Behind the camera
Ladd starred and produced Box 13, a weekly radio series for syndication that ran for 52 episodes starting in 1948.
Alan Ladd movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
John Farrow directed three of these films, George Marshall two and Delmer Daves two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
George J. Lewis's page
Veronica Lake's page
Elisha Cook Jr.'s page
Anthony Caruso's page
William Bendix's page
Bess Flowers's page
John FarrowDirector, 3 films, 1946 to 1952
All films by John Farrow
All films by George Marshall
Delmer DavesDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1958
All films by Delmer Daves
Also two films together21 more actors
- Barbara StanwyckDead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) and Variety Girl (1947)
- Shelley WintersSaskatchewan (1954) and The Great Gatsby (1949)
- Ray MillandDead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) and Variety Girl (1947)
- J. Farrell MacDonaldWhispering Smith (1948) and Light of Western Stars (1940)
- Frank FergusonVariety Girl (1947) and This Gun for Hire (1942)
- Frank FaylenWhispering Smith (1948) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- Henry HullThe Proud Rebel (1958) and The Great Gatsby (1949)
- Walter SandeRed Mountain (1951) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- Charles ArntThis Gun for Hire (1942) and Great Guns (1941)
- Will WrightWhispering Smith (1948) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- William 'Billy' BenedictThe Glass Key (1942) and Great Guns (1941)
- Joseph CalleiaBranded (1950) and The Glass Key (1942)
- Robert PrestonWhispering Smith (1948) and This Gun for Hire (1942)
- Tom TullyThe Carpetbaggers (1964) and Branded (1950)
- Howard Da SilvaThe Great Gatsby (1949) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- Robert KeithDrum Beat (1954) and Branded (1950)
- Dan WhiteThe Proud Rebel (1958) and Red Mountain (1951)
- John EldredgeWhispering Smith (1948) and The Black Cat (1941)
- Lowell GilmoreSaskatchewan (1954) and Calcutta (1946)
- Jay SilverheelsSaskatchewan (1954) and Red Mountain (1951)
- Frances GiffordThe Glass Key (1942) and The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Alan Ladd's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$85.5 million
7 of the 25 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 25 films: 7 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 14 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 14Figure not found
Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$40M46.8% of the total
- 2$20M23.4% of the total
- 3$18M21.3% of the total
- 4$2.8M3.2% of the total
- 5$2.0M2.4% of the total
- 6$1.5M1.8% of the total
- 7$1.0M1.2% of the total
Awards
Three awards and honors from 1995 to 1996.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 1996 | Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame (posthumous) | Won | |
| 1995 | Star on Palm Springs Walk of Stars (posthumous) | Won | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.