Arthur Shields

Biography

Arthur Shields was an Irish actor whose work spanned stage, film and television. Born in Dublin, he began acting at the Abbey Theatre at seventeen. He worked there from 1914 to 1939 as an actor, director and stage manager, and took on more than 300 parts in about 350 plays. He also took the Abbey Company to America on three occasions. John Ford brought him to America in 1936 for an adaptation of The Plough and the Stars (1936). Shields became known for roles in Ford films, playing the Reverend Playfair in The Quiet Man (1952) and Dr. Laughlin in Ford's She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). His other screen credits included The Long Voyage Home (1940), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), National Velvet (1944), The River (1951), The Fabulous Dorseys (1947) and Apache Drums (1951). On television he appeared in a 1958 Perry Mason episode as Dr. George Barnes and in a 1960 episode of Maverick.

74years old at death

Born February 15, 1896Dublin
Died April 27, 1970Santa Barbara
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18

Movie Career

Films: 25
Career span: 21 years1936 to 1957

Genres

Drama68%, 17 films
Romance24%, 6 films
Crime16%, 4 films
Thriller16%, 4 films
Adventure12%, 3 films

First and latest

Arthur Shields movies on Netflix

Daughter of Dr. Jekyll1957IMDb rating 5.4as Dr. Lomas
The King and Four Queens1956IMDb rating 6.1as Padre
Lady Godiva of Coventry1955IMDb rating 5.5as Innkeeper
World for Ransom1954IMDb rating 5.8as Sean O'Connor
South Sea Woman1953IMDb rating 6.2as 'Jimmy-legs' Donovan
The Quiet Man1952IMDb rating 7.7as Reverend Cyril Playfair
Apache Drums1951IMDb rating 6.5as Reverend Griffin
The People Against O'Hara1951IMDb rating 6.8as Mr. O'Hara
The River1951IMDb rating 7.4as Mr. John
Red Light1949IMDb rating 6.4as Father Redmond
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. O'Laughlin
The Fabulous Dorseys1947IMDb rating 5.6as Mr. Dorsey
The Verdict1946IMDb rating 7.2as Rev. Holbrook
Three Strangers1946IMDb rating 6.9as Prosecutor
The Corn Is Green1945IMDb rating 7.3as Glyn Thomas
National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3as Mr. Hallam
Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1as Andrew
Gentleman Jim1942IMDb rating 7.5as Father Burke
This Above All1942IMDb rating 6.6as Hospital Chaplain
How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7as Mr. Parry
Lady Scarface1941IMDb rating 5.7as Matt Willis
The Gay Falcon1941IMDb rating 6.5as Inspector Mike Waldeck
The Long Voyage Home1940IMDb rating 6.9as Donkeyman
Drums Along the Mohawk1939IMDb rating 7.0as Reverend Rosenkrantz
The Plough and the Stars1936IMDb rating 5.6as Padraic Pearse

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The River1951 Drama, Romanceas Mr. John
IMDb rating 7.47.5K votes
The Quiet Man1952 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Reverend Cyril Playfair
IMDb rating 7.746K votes
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949as Dr. O'Laughlin
IMDb rating 7.221K votes
How Green Was My Valley1941as Mr. Parry
IMDb rating 7.730K votes
Drums Along the Mohawk1939as Reverend Rosenkrantz
IMDb rating 7.07.5K votes
The Corn Is Green1945as Glyn Thomas
IMDb rating 7.33.5K votes
The Verdict1946as Rev. Holbrook
IMDb rating 7.23.4K votes
The Long Voyage Home1940as Donkeyman
IMDb rating 6.95.6K votes

Most often with

John Ford directed six of these films, Raoul Walsh two and Arthur Lubin two. Three 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.

Top

Ward Bond

Nigel Bruce

Barry Fitzgerald

John Wayne

Donald Crisp

Rhys Williams

John FordDirector, 6 films

Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films

Arthur LubinDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ward Bond4 films together, 1939 to 1952
Ward Bond's page
- The Quiet Man1952IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Reverend Cyril PlayfairBond as Father Peter Lonergan
- Gentleman Jim1942IMDb rating 7.5Shields as Father BurkeBond as John L. Sullivan
- The Long Voyage Home1940IMDb rating 6.9Shields as DonkeymanBond as Yank
- Drums Along the Mohawk1939IMDb rating 7.0Shields as Reverend RosenkrantzBond as Adam Hartman
Nigel Bruce4 films together, 1942 to 1954
Nigel Bruce's page
- World for Ransom1954IMDb rating 5.8Shields as Sean O'ConnorBruce as Governor Sir Charles Coutts
- The Corn Is Green1945IMDb rating 7.3Shields as Glyn ThomasBruce as The Squire
- Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1Shields as AndrewBruce as Duke of Rudling
- This Above All1942IMDb rating 6.6Shields as Hospital ChaplainBruce as Ramsbottom
Barry Fitzgerald4 films together, 1936 to 1952
Barry Fitzgerald's page
- The Quiet Man1952IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Reverend Cyril PlayfairFitzgerald as Michaleen Oge Flynn
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Mr. ParryFitzgerald as Cyfartha
- The Long Voyage Home1940IMDb rating 6.9Shields as DonkeymanFitzgerald as Cocky
- The Plough and the Stars1936IMDb rating 5.6Shields as Padraic PearseFitzgerald as Fluther Good
John Wayne3 films together, 1940 to 1952
John Wayne's page
- The Quiet Man1952IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Reverend Cyril PlayfairWayne as Sean Thornton
- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949IMDb rating 7.2Shields as Dr. O'LaughlinWayne as Capt. Nathan Cutting Brittles
- The Long Voyage Home1940IMDb rating 6.9Shields as DonkeymanWayne as Ole Olsen
Donald Crisp3 films together, 1941 to 1944
Donald Crisp's page
- National Velvet1944IMDb rating 7.3Shields as Mr. HallamCrisp as Mr. Brown
- Lassie Come Home1943IMDb rating 7.1Shields as AndrewCrisp as Sam Carraclough
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Mr. ParryCrisp as Mr. Morgan
Rhys Williams3 films together, 1941 to 1945
Rhys Williams's page
- The Corn Is Green1945IMDb rating 7.3Shields as Glyn ThomasWilliams as Mr. Jones
- Gentleman Jim1942IMDb rating 7.5Shields as Father BurkeWilliams as Harry Watson
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Mr. ParryWilliams as Dai Bando
John FordDirector, 6 films, 1936 to 1952
All films by John Ford
- The Quiet Man1952IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Reverend Cyril Playfair
- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949IMDb rating 7.2Shields as Dr. O'Laughlin
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Shields as Mr. Parry
- The Long Voyage Home1940IMDb rating 6.9Shields as Donkeyman
- Drums Along the Mohawk1939IMDb rating 7.0Shields as Reverend Rosenkrantz
- The Plough and the Stars1936IMDb rating 5.6Shields as Padraic Pearse
Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1956
All films by Raoul Walsh
- The King and Four Queens1956IMDb rating 6.1Shields as Padre
- Gentleman Jim1942IMDb rating 7.5Shields as Father Burke
Arthur LubinDirector, 2 films, 1953 to 1955
All films by Arthur Lubin
- Lady Godiva of Coventry1955IMDb rating 5.5Shields as Innkeeper
- South Sea Woman1953IMDb rating 6.2Shields as 'Jimmy-legs' Donovan
Also three films together8 more actors
- Maureen O'HaraLady Godiva of Coventry (1955), The Quiet Man (1952) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Francis FordThe Quiet Man (1952), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)
- Sara AllgoodThe Fabulous Dorseys (1947), This Above All (1942) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Mildred NatwickThe Quiet Man (1952), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and The Long Voyage Home (1940)
- Alec CraigThree Strangers (1946), National Velvet (1944) and Lassie Come Home (1943)
- Victor McLaglenLady Godiva of Coventry (1955), The Quiet Man (1952) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
- Rosalind IvanThe Verdict (1946), Three Strangers (1946) and The Corn Is Green (1945)
- Joan LorringThe Verdict (1946), Three Strangers (1946) and The Corn Is Green (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.