Charles Laughton
Biography
An English actor and director, Charles Laughton was born in Scarborough and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, making his professional stage debut in 1926. After London theater work, including Shakespeare at the Old Vic, he moved to Broadway and then Hollywood, where he became known for historical and costume roles as well as monsters and misfits. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor as the title character in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and was later Oscar-nominated for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). His other notable films included Ruggles of Red Gap (1935), Rembrandt (1936), Jamaica Inn (1939), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), The Big Clock (1948), Hobson's Choice (1954), Spartacus (1960) and Advise & Consent (1962). He directed The Night of the Hunter (1955), later staged The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and Don Juan in Hell, and died in 1962.
63years old at death
- Born Scarborough
- Died Hollywood
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 33
- Career span
- 85 years1929 to 2014
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A first
In 1936 Laughton became the first English actor to appear at the Comédie-Française, performing Sganarelle in Molière's Le Médecin malgré lui in French and receiving an ovation.
A role that slipped away
Laughton signed to play Micawber in David Copperfield but asked to be released after a few days of shooting and was replaced by W. C. Fields.
First role
Laughton played Osip in the comedy The Government Inspector at the Barnes Theatre on 28 April 1926, his first professional appearance. He took the same part at London's Gaiety Theatre that May.
Getting ready for a role
For his role as a Southern US Senator in Advise & Consent, Laughton studied recordings of Mississippi Senator John C. Stennis to get the accent.
Charles Laughton movies on Netflix
Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Filmas Dr. Moreau
Advise & Consentas Senator Seabright Cooley
Spartacusas Sempronius Gracchus
Witness for the Prosecutionas Sir Wilfrid Roberts
Hobson's Choiceas Henry Horatio Hobson
Salomeas King Herod
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kiddas Capt. William Kidd
O. Henry's Full Houseas Soapy (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")
The Strange Dooras Sire Alain de Maletroit
The Bribeas J.J. Bealer
The Man on the Eiffel Toweras Inspector Jules Maigret
Arch of Triumphas Ivon Haake
The Big Clockas Earl Janoth
The Paradine Caseas Judge Lord Thomas Horfield
Captain Kiddas Captain Kidd
The Suspectas Philip Marshall
This Land Is Mineas Albert Lory
Tales of Manhattanas Charles Smith
The Tuttles of Tahitias Jonas
It Started with Eveas Jonathan Reynolds
Jamaica Innas Sir Humphrey Pengallan
The Hunchback of Notre Dameas The Hunchback Quasimodo
St. Martin's Laneas Charles Staggers
Rembrandtas Rembrandt van Rijn
Les Misérablesas Inspector Emile Javert
Mutiny on the Bountyas Bligh
Ruggles of Red Gapas Ruggles
The Private Life of Henry VIIIas Henry VIII
If I Had a Millionas Phineas V. Lambert
Island of Lost Soulsas Dr. Moreau
The Old Dark Houseas Sir William Porterhouse
The Sign of the Crossas Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar
Piccadillyas A Continental Visitor
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Witness for the Prosecution1957 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Sir Wilfrid Roberts
IMDb rating 8.4164K votes
Most often with
Alfred Hitchcock directed two of these films, William Dieterle two and Alexander Korda two. Elsa Lanchester appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.








Films together
Elsa Lanchester6 films together, 1933 to 2014
Elsa Lanchester's page Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7Laughton as Dr. MoreauLanchester as Mary Shelley / The Monster's Mate
Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Laughton as Sir Wilfrid RobertsLanchester as Miss Plimsoll
The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Laughton as Earl JanothLanchester as Louise Patterson
Tales of Manhattan1942IMDb rating 7.3Laughton as Charles SmithLanchester as Mrs. Smith
Rembrandt1936IMDb rating 7.0Laughton as Rembrandt van RijnLanchester as Hendrickje Stoffels
The Private Life of Henry VIII1933IMDb rating 7.0Laughton as Henry VIIILanchester as Anne of Cleves
Irving Bacon3 films together, 1932 to 1952
Irving Bacon's page O. Henry's Full House1952IMDb rating 7.2Laughton as Soapy (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")Bacon as Ebeneezer Dorset (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief")
It Started with Eve1941IMDb rating 7.6Laughton as Jonathan ReynoldsBacon as Raven
If I Had a Million1932IMDb rating 6.9Laughton as Phineas V. LambertBacon as China Shop Salesman
Boris Karloff3 films together, 1932 to 2014
Boris Karloff's page Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7Laughton as Dr. MoreauKarloff as Various roles
The Strange Door1951IMDb rating 6.3Laughton as Sire Alain de MaletroitKarloff as Voltan
The Old Dark House1932IMDb rating 7.0Laughton as Sir William PorterhouseKarloff as Morgan
Cedric Hardwicke3 films together, 1935 to 1953
Cedric Hardwicke's page Salome1953IMDb rating 5.8Laughton as King HerodHardwicke as Tiberius Caesar
The Hunchback of Notre Dame1939IMDb rating 7.8Laughton as The Hunchback QuasimodoHardwicke as Frollo
Les Misérables1935IMDb rating 7.6Laughton as Inspector Emile JavertHardwicke as Bishop Bienvenue
Fredric March3 films together, 1932 to 2014
Fredric March's page Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film2014IMDb rating 6.7Laughton as Dr. MoreauMarch as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Les Misérables1935IMDb rating 7.6Laughton as Inspector Emile JavertMarch as Jean Valjean / Champmathieu
The Sign of the Cross1932IMDb rating 6.8Laughton as Emperor Nero Claudius CaesarMarch as Marcus Superbus - Prefect of Rome
Henry Daniell3 films together, 1945 to 1957
Henry Daniell's page Witness for the Prosecution1957IMDb rating 8.4Laughton as Sir Wilfrid RobertsDaniell as Mayhew
Captain Kidd1945IMDb rating 6.3Laughton as Captain KiddDaniell as King William III
The Suspect1945IMDb rating 7.3Laughton as Philip MarshallDaniell as Mr. Simmons
Alfred HitchcockDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1947
All films by Alfred Hitchcock The Paradine Case1947IMDb rating 6.5Laughton as Judge Lord Thomas Horfield
Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3Laughton as Sir Humphrey Pengallan
William DieterleDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1953
All films by William Dieterle Salome1953IMDb rating 5.8Laughton as King Herod
The Hunchback of Notre Dame1939IMDb rating 7.8Laughton as The Hunchback Quasimodo
Alexander KordaDirector, 2 films, 1933 to 1936
All films by Alexander Korda Rembrandt1936IMDb rating 7.0Laughton as Rembrandt van Rijn
The Private Life of Henry VIII1933IMDb rating 7.0Laughton as Henry VIII
Also three films together3 more actors
- Maureen O'HaraThis Land Is Mine (1943), Jamaica Inn (1939) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
- Arthur HohlThe Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Island of Lost Souls (1932) and The Sign of the Cross (1932)
- Franchot ToneAdvise & Consent (1962), The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
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 Laughton's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$88.4 million
9 of the 33 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 33 films: 9 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 23 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 23Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$60M67.9% of the total
- 2$9.0M10.2% of the total
- 3$6.9M7.8% of the total
- 4$4.5M5.0% of the total
- 5$2.7M3.1% of the total
- 6$2.1M2.4% of the total
- 7$2.0M2.3% of the total
- 8$1.0M1.1% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors from 1934 to 1962, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1934 | Best Actor | The Private Life of Henry VIII | Won |
| Grammy Awards | |||
| 1962 | Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.













