Clifton Webb

Biography

Clifton Webb was an American actor, singer and dancer who trained as a ballroom dancer before becoming a Broadway star in musicals and revues. Born in Indianapolis, he appeared in plays by Noël Coward, among them Blithe Spirit, and in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. His film breakthrough came at 55 when Otto Preminger cast him in Laura (1944), which brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He earned further Oscar nominations for The Razor's Edge (1946) and Sitting Pretty (1948), and won a Golden Globe for The Razor's Edge, with another nomination for Stars and Stripes Forever (1952). Signed to a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox, he appeared in The Dark Corner (1946), Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), Titanic (1953), Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Woman's World (1954), The Man Who Never Was (1956) and Boy on a Dolphin (1957).

76years old at death

Born November 19, 1889Indianapolis
Died October 13, 1966Beverly Hills
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck (birth name)Also credited as Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck and Webb Raum

Movie Career

Films: 11
Career span: 13 years1944 to 1957

Genres

Drama82%, 9 films
Romance45%, 5 films
Comedy27%, 3 films
Adventure9%, 1 film
Crime9%, 1 film

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
Clifton Webb was in his mid-fifties when Otto Preminger cast him over Darryl F. Zanuck's objections as Waldo Lydecker in Laura, the role that made his film career take off.
First role
Webb's Broadway debut came in The Purple Road, which opened at the Liberty Theatre on April 7, 1913, and ran 136 performances before closing in August.
Beyond film
In 1928, Webb sang the George and Ira Gershwin song "I've Got a Crush on You" in Treasure Girl. He also performed Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade" in the hit revue As Thousands Cheer.
A first
In the animated series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, the Mr. Peabody character in the "Peabody's Improbable History" segment was modeled on Webb's portrayal of Lynn Belvedere.
About the name
In 1909, at 19, Webb became a professional ballroom dancer under his new stage name, often partnering with star dancer Bonnie Glass.

Clifton Webb movies on Netflix

Boy on a Dolphin1957IMDb rating 6.2as Victor Parmalee
The Man Who Never Was1956IMDb rating 7.4as Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu
Three Coins in the Fountain1954IMDb rating 6.3as John Frederick Shadwell
Woman's World1954IMDb rating 6.9as Ernest Gifford
Mister Scoutmaster1953IMDb rating 6.9as Robert Jordan
Titanic1953IMDb rating 7.0as Richard Ward Sturges
Cheaper by the Dozen1950IMDb rating 7.0as Frank Gilbreth
Sitting Pretty1948IMDb rating 7.4as Lynn Belvedere
The Dark Corner1946IMDb rating 7.1as Hardy Cathcart
The Razor's Edge1946IMDb rating 7.3as Elliott Templeton
Laura1944IMDb rating 7.9as Waldo Lydecker

Best known for

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

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Laura1944 Drama, Mysteryas Waldo Lydecker
IMDb rating 7.957K votes
Titanic1953 Drama, Romanceas Richard Ward Sturges
IMDb rating 7.08.3K votes
The Man Who Never Was1956as Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu
IMDb rating 7.46.4K votes
Cheaper by the Dozen1950as Frank Gilbreth
IMDb rating 7.06.1K votes
The Dark Corner1946as Hardy Cathcart
IMDb rating 7.15.8K votes
Three Coins in the Fountain1954as John Frederick Shadwell
IMDb rating 6.34.2K votes
The Razor's Edge1946as Elliott Templeton
IMDb rating 7.37.5K votes
Sitting Pretty1948as Lynn Belvedere
IMDb rating 7.43.1K votes

Most often with

Jean Negulesco directed four of these films, Walter Lang two. Four actors appear in two 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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Laurence Naismith

Gene Tierney

Ralph Dunn

Betty LynnJean NegulescoDirector, 4 films Walter LangDirector, 2 films

Films together

Laurence Naismith2 films together, 1956 to 1957
Laurence Naismith's page
- Boy on a Dolphin1957IMDb rating 6.2Webb as Victor ParmaleeNaismith as Dr. Hawkins
- The Man Who Never Was1956IMDb rating 7.4Webb as Lt. Cmdr. Ewen MontaguNaismith as Adm. Cross
Gene Tierney2 films together, 1944 to 1946
Gene Tierney's page
- The Razor's Edge1946IMDb rating 7.3Webb as Elliott TempletonTierney as Isabel Bradley
- Laura1944IMDb rating 7.9Webb as Waldo LydeckerTierney as Laura Hunt
Ralph Dunn2 films together, 1944 to 1946
Ralph Dunn's page
- The Dark Corner1946IMDb rating 7.1Webb as Hardy CathcartDunn as Policeman at Gallery
- Laura1944IMDb rating 7.9Webb as Waldo LydeckerDunn as Fred Callahan
Betty Lynn2 films together, 1948 to 1950
Betty Lynn's page
- Cheaper by the Dozen1950IMDb rating 7.0Webb as Frank GilbrethLynn as Deborah Lancaster
- Sitting Pretty1948IMDb rating 7.4Webb as Lynn BelvedereLynn as Ginger
Jean NegulescoDirector, 4 films, 1953 to 1957
All films by Jean Negulesco
- Boy on a Dolphin1957IMDb rating 6.2Webb as Victor Parmalee
- Three Coins in the Fountain1954IMDb rating 6.3Webb as John Frederick Shadwell
- Woman's World1954IMDb rating 6.9Webb as Ernest Gifford
- Titanic1953IMDb rating 7.0Webb as Richard Ward Sturges
Walter LangDirector, 2 films, 1948 to 1950
All films by Walter Lang
- Cheaper by the Dozen1950IMDb rating 7.0Webb as Frank Gilbreth
- Sitting Pretty1948IMDb rating 7.4Webb as Lynn Belvedere

Awards

Two awards and honors, one of them major.

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Clifton Webb's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Golden Globes
1947	Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture	The Razor's Edge	Won
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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