Dick Powell
Biography
Dick Powell was an American actor and singer who began as a boyish musical-comedy crooner and later reinvented himself as a hardboiled leading man. Born in Mountain View, Arkansas, in 1904, he sang with the Charlie Davis Orchestra and recorded for Vocalion before becoming a master of ceremonies in Pittsburgh theaters. Warner Bros. offered him a film contract in 1932, and he appeared in the hit 42nd Street (1933). He showed a different side as Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, then took the role of private detective Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet (1944), the first screen portrayal of that character. That success led to more film noir, among them Cornered (1945). He starred in Pitfall (1948) as a bored insurance-company worker, and later appeared in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). His final film was Susan Slept Here (1954). Powell also directed and co-founded Four Star Television. He died in 1963.
58years old at death
- Born Mountain View
- Died West Los Angeles
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Also credited as Richard Ewing Powell
Movie Career
- Films
- 23
- Career span
- 21 years1933 to 1954
First and latest
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A role that slipped away
Powell lost the lead in Double Indemnity to Fred MacMurray after lobbying for the part when he felt too old for romantic roles.
First role
Warner Bros. was impressed enough by Powell's singing and stage presence to give him a film contract in 1932. That same year he played a singing bandleader in his first film, Blessed Event.
Behind the camera
During the 1950s, Powell helped found Four Star Television. Charles Boyer, David Niven, and Ida Lupino were the other founders.
Beyond film
Powell starred in the radio series Richard Diamond, Private Detective, where many episodes ended with him singing a little song to his date.
Dick Powell movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Lloyd Bacon directed four of these films, Edward Dmytryk two and Mervyn LeRoy two. Hugh Herbert 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
Hugh Herbert's page
Guy Kibbee's page
Joan Blondell's page
Frank McHugh's page
Ruby Keeler's page
Allen Jenkins's page
All films by Lloyd Bacon
Edward DmytrykDirector, 2 films, 1944 to 1945
All films by Edward Dmytryk
Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 2 films, 1933 to 1935
All films by Mervyn LeRoy
Also three films together3 more actors
- Berton ChurchillThe Singing Marine (1937), Page Miss Glory (1935) and Dames (1934)
- Glenda FarrellSusan Slept Here (1954), Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936) and Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
- Loretta AndrewsDames (1934), 42nd Street (1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Dick Powell's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$38.6 million
7 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 23 films: 7 worldwide figure; 16 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 16Figure not found
Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$25M64.7% of the total
- 2$3.4M8.7% of the total
- 3$3.2M8.3% of the total
- 4$2.4M6.3% of the total
- 5$2.3M5.9% of the total
- 6$1.8M4.5% of the total
- 7$620K1.6% of the total
Awards
Three awards and honors from 1963 to 1996.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 1996 | Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame (posthumous) | Won | |
| 1963 | Trustees Award | Won | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.