Charles Bickford

Biography

Charles Bickford was an American actor who built a career on supporting parts. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he began in burlesque, debuted in Oakland in 1911, and made his legitimate stage debut in Boston in 1912. After a decade with road companies, he drew rave reviews on Broadway in Outside Looking In in 1925. Cecil B. DeMille brought him to MGM for Dynamite, and he became a star as Greta Garbo's lover in Anna Christie (1930). He later moved into character parts, often father figures, stern businessmen, ship captains, or authority figures. Nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette (1943), The Farmer's Daughter (1947), and Johnny Belinda (1948), he appeared in A Star Is Born (1954), The Big Country (1958), and Days of Wine and Roses (1962). On television he hosted The Man Behind the Badge and played rancher John Grainger on The Virginian. He died in 1967.

76years old at death

Born January 1, 1891Cambridge
Died November 9, 1967Los Angeles
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Also credited as Charles Ambrose Bickford

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 36 years1930 to 1966

Genres

Drama57%, 16 films
Romance32%, 9 films
Western29%, 8 films
Crime18%, 5 films
Action14%, 4 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Bickford turned down a part in Herbert Brenon's 1926 movie of Beau Geste. He did not want to lose his new Broadway stardom, and he came to regret that choice.
First role
Bickford intended to study engineering at MIT, but while wandering the country he befriended a burlesque show manager who convinced him to take a role; he debuted in Oakland, California in 1911 and abandoned his MIT plans.
Own stunts
Bickford punched out his director during the production of Dynamite after a string of heated arguments, mostly about the interpretation of his character's role.
Big break
Bickford played the Sacco character in the Maxwell Anderson-Harold Hickerson drama Gods of the Lightning. Cecil B. DeMille then contacted him and offered a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract for Dynamite, DeMille's first talking picture.

Charles Bickford movies on Netflix

A Big Hand for the Little Lady1966IMDb rating 7.3as Benson Tropp
Days of Wine and Roses1962IMDb rating 7.8as Ellis Arnesen
The Unforgiven1960IMDb rating 6.5as Zeb Rawlins
The Big Country1958IMDb rating 7.9as Maj. Henry Terrill
Not as a Stranger1955IMDb rating 6.7as Dr. Dave W. Runkleman
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8as Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
A Star Is Born1954IMDb rating 7.5as Oliver Niles
The Last Posse1953IMDb rating 6.6as Sampson Drune
The Raging Tide1951IMDb rating 6.4as Hamil Linder
Branded1950IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Lavery
Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3as J.L. Higgins
Whirlpool1950IMDb rating 6.7as Lt. James Colton
Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3as Elmer Brockhurst
Four Faces West1948IMDb rating 7.0as Pat Garrett
Johnny Belinda1948IMDb rating 7.7as Black MacDonald
Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5as Gallagher
The Farmer's Daughter1947IMDb rating 7.2as Joseph Clancy
The Woman on the Beach1947IMDb rating 6.3as Tod Butler
Duel in the Sun1946IMDb rating 6.7as Sam Pierce
Fallen Angel1945IMDb rating 7.0as Mark Judd
Mr. Lucky1943IMDb rating 7.1as Hard Swede
The Song of Bernadette1943IMDb rating 7.6as Father Peyramale
Reap the Wild Wind1942IMDb rating 6.6as Mate of the 'Tyfib'
Tarzan's New York Adventure1942IMDb rating 6.5as Buck Rand
Of Mice and Men1939IMDb rating 7.8as Slim
The Plainsman1936IMDb rating 6.8as John Lattimer
Little Miss Marker1934IMDb rating 6.9as Big Steve Halloway
Anna Christie1930IMDb rating 6.5as Matt Burke

Best known for

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

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A Star Is Born1954 Drama, Music, Romanceas Oliver Niles
IMDb rating 7.521K votes
Days of Wine and Roses1962 Dramaas Ellis Arnesen
IMDb rating 7.815K votes
Brute Force1947as Gallagher
IMDb rating 7.513K votes
The Song of Bernadette1943as Father Peyramale
IMDb rating 7.68.5K votes
The Big Country1958as Maj. Henry Terrill
IMDb rating 7.925K votes
Johnny Belinda1948as Black MacDonald
IMDb rating 7.75.9K votes
The Unforgiven1960as Zeb Rawlins
IMDb rating 6.511K votes
Of Mice and Men1939as Slim
IMDb rating 7.87.6K votes

Most often with

Otto Preminger directed three of these films, H. C. Potter two and Cecil B. DeMille two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Gail Bonney

Roman Bohnen

Charles Dingle

Irving Bacon

Burt Lancaster

Gary Cooper

Otto PremingerDirector, 3 films H. C. PotterDirector, 2 films

Cecil B. DeMilleDirector, 2 films

Films together

Gail Bonney3 films together, 1950 to 1962
Gail Bonney's page
- Days of Wine and Roses1962IMDb rating 7.8Bickford as Ellis ArnesenBonney as Gladys
- Not as a Stranger1955IMDb rating 6.7Bickford as Dr. Dave W. RunklemanBonney as Mrs. Fields
- Whirlpool1950IMDb rating 6.7Bickford as Lt. James ColtonBonney as Minor Role
Roman Bohnen3 films together, 1939 to 1947
Roman Bohnen's page
- Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5Bickford as GallagherBohnen as Warden A.J. Barnes
- The Song of Bernadette1943IMDb rating 7.6Bickford as Father PeyramaleBohnen as François Soubirous
- Of Mice and Men1939IMDb rating 7.8Bickford as SlimBohnen as Candy
Charles Dingle3 films together, 1943 to 1955
Charles Dingle's page
- The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8Bickford as Gen. Jimmy GuthrieDingle as Senator Fullerton
- Duel in the Sun1946IMDb rating 6.7Bickford as Sam PierceDingle as Sheriff Hardy
- The Song of Bernadette1943IMDb rating 7.6Bickford as Father PeyramaleDingle as Jacomet
Irving Bacon2 films together, 1950 to 1954
Irving Bacon's page
- A Star Is Born1954IMDb rating 7.5Bickford as Oliver NilesBacon as Graves
- Riding High1950IMDb rating 6.3Bickford as J.L. HigginsBacon as Hamburger Man
Burt Lancaster2 films together, 1947 to 1960
Burt Lancaster's page
- The Unforgiven1960IMDb rating 6.5Bickford as Zeb RawlinsLancaster as Ben Zachary
- Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5Bickford as GallagherLancaster as Joe Collins
Gary Cooper2 films together, 1936 to 1955
Gary Cooper's page
- The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8Bickford as Gen. Jimmy GuthrieCooper as Col. Billy Mitchell
- The Plainsman1936IMDb rating 6.8Bickford as John LattimerCooper as Wild Bill Hickok
Otto PremingerDirector, 3 films, 1945 to 1955
All films by Otto Preminger
- The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8Bickford as Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
- Whirlpool1950IMDb rating 6.7Bickford as Lt. James Colton
- Fallen Angel1945IMDb rating 7.0Bickford as Mark Judd
H. C. PotterDirector, 2 films, 1943 to 1947
All films by H. C. Potter
- The Farmer's Daughter1947IMDb rating 7.2Bickford as Joseph Clancy
- Mr. Lucky1943IMDb rating 7.1Bickford as Hard Swede
Cecil B. DeMilleDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1942
All films by Cecil B. DeMille
- Reap the Wild Wind1942IMDb rating 6.6Bickford as Mate of the 'Tyfib'
- The Plainsman1936IMDb rating 6.8Bickford as John Lattimer
Also two films together29 more actors
- Lon Chaney Jr.Not as a Stranger (1955) and Of Mice and Men (1939)
- Gregory PeckThe Big Country (1958) and Duel in the Sun (1946)
- Burgess MeredithA Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) and Of Mice and Men (1939)
- Joseph CottenThe Farmer's Daughter (1947) and Duel in the Sun (1946)
- John McIntireThe Raging Tide (1951) and Command Decision (1948)
- Franklyn FarnumJohnny Belinda (1948) and Fallen Angel (1945)
- Monte BlueThe Last Posse (1953) and Johnny Belinda (1948)
- Paul HarveyRiding High (1950) and The Plainsman (1936)
- Broderick CrawfordNot as a Stranger (1955) and The Last Posse (1953)
- Harry DavenportRiding High (1950) and The Farmer's Daughter (1947)
- Richard ConteThe Raging Tide (1951) and Whirlpool (1950)
- Dorothy AdamsThe Big Country (1958) and Fallen Angel (1945)
- James BellThe Last Posse (1953) and Brute Force (1947)
- Joseph CalleiaBranded (1950) and Four Faces West (1948)
- Martin GarralagaBranded (1950) and Four Faces West (1948)
- Gladys CooperMr. Lucky (1943) and The Song of Bernadette (1943)
- Stephen McNallyThe Raging Tide (1951) and Johnny Belinda (1948)
- Tom PowersThe Last Posse (1953) and The Farmer's Daughter (1947)
- Lillian GishThe Unforgiven (1960) and Duel in the Sun (1946)
- Mae ClarkeA Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) and Not as a Stranger (1955)
- Warner AndersonThe Last Posse (1953) and Command Decision (1948)
- William HaadeFour Faces West (1948) and Fallen Angel (1945)
- Anne RevereFallen Angel (1945) and The Song of Bernadette (1943)
- Jennifer JonesDuel in the Sun (1946) and The Song of Bernadette (1943)
- Granville BatesOf Mice and Men (1939) and The Plainsman (1936)
- Davison ClarkFour Faces West (1948) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
- Frank McGlynn Sr.The Plainsman (1936) and Little Miss Marker (1934)
- Lynne OvermanReap the Wild Wind (1942) and Little Miss Marker (1934)
- Percy KilbrideRiding High (1950) and Fallen Angel (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Charles Bickford's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$41.4 million

6 of the 28 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
2US gross only
20Figure not found

Top grosser

Duel in the Sun1946Sam Pierce$20.4 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Duel in the Sun1946as Sam Pierce
$20M49.3% of the total
2
A Star Is Born1954as Oliver Niles
$12M29.0% of the total
3
The Big Country1958as Maj. Henry Terrill
$3.5M8.5% of the total
4
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955as Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
$3.0M7.2% of the total
5
Fallen Angel1945as Mark Judd
$1.5M3.6% of the total
6
Anna Christie1930as Matt Burke
$1.0M2.4% of the total