Edward Arnold

Biography

Edward Arnold was an American stage and screen actor. Born in Manhattan in 1890, he first appeared on stage at age 12 and made his professional stage debut in 1907. During the 1920s and 1930s he took Broadway roles, including the 1927 revival of The Jazz Singer. He later became a sought-after character actor, often playing rogues, authority figures, and powerful villains. His notable films included Come and Get It (1936), You Can't Take It with You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Meet John Doe (1941), and The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941). He also starred as detective Nero Wolfe in Meet Nero Wolfe and played blind detective Duncan Maclain in Eyes in the Night. On radio he starred in Mr. President from 1947 to 1953. He hosted the television series Your Star Showcase, launched in 1954, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters in 1951 and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960.

66years old at death

Born February 18, 1890Manhattan
Died April 26, 1956Encino
Star sign: AquariusLast day of the sign, on the Pisces cusp
Also credited as Günther Edward Arnold Schneider

Movie Career

Films: 27
Career span: 58 years1924 to 1982

Genres

Comedy56%, 15 films
Romance56%, 15 films
Drama52%, 14 films
Crime22%, 6 films
Musical15%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Arnold became the first actor to play Rex Stout's detective Nero Wolfe, starring in Meet Nero Wolfe in 1936, a movie drawn from the series' first novel.
Big break
Arnold became a star after playing the lead in the 1935 movie Diamond Jim. He played Diamond Jim Brady again in the 1940 movie Lillian Russell.
First role
Arnold worked as an extra for both Essanay Studios and World Studios before he landed his first significant role in the 1916 film The Misleading Lady.

Edward Arnold movies on Netflix

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982IMDb rating 6.8as Altfeld
Living It Up1954IMDb rating 6.5as The Mayor of New York
City That Never Sleeps1953IMDb rating 6.7as Penrod Biddel
Annie Get Your Gun1950IMDb rating 6.8as Pawnee Bill
Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949IMDb rating 6.7as Joe Lorgan
Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3as Congressman Arthur Malcolm
Dear Ruth1947IMDb rating 7.1as Judge Harry Wilkins
The Hucksters1947IMDb rating 6.7as David 'Dave' Lash
Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4as Lawyer ('Pay the Two Dollars')
Mrs. Parkington1944IMDb rating 7.0as Amory Stilham
All That Money Can Buy1941IMDb rating 7.5as Daniel Webster
Johnny Eager1941IMDb rating 7.1as John Benson Farrell
Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6as D.B. Norton
Johnny Apollo1940IMDb rating 6.9as Robert Cain Sr.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1as Jim Taylor
You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8as Anthony P. Kirby
Easy Living1937IMDb rating 7.5as J.B. Ball
Come and Get It1936IMDb rating 6.8as Barney Glasgow
Crime and Punishment1935IMDb rating 6.9as Inspector Porfiry
Sadie McKee1934IMDb rating 6.9as Brennan
Thirty Day Princess1934IMDb rating 6.7as Richard M. Gresham
Duck Soup1933IMDb rating 7.7as Politician
I'm No Angel1933IMDb rating 6.9as Big Bill Barton
Roman Scandals1933IMDb rating 6.6as Emperor Valerius
Secret of the Blue Room1933IMDb rating 6.4as Commissioner Forster
Three on a Match1932IMDb rating 7.1as Ace
He Who Gets Slapped1924IMDb rating 7.7

Best known for

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

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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939 Comedy, Dramaas Jim Taylor
IMDb rating 8.1130K votes
You Can't Take It with You1938 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Anthony P. Kirby
IMDb rating 7.831K votes
Meet John Doe1941as D.B. Norton
IMDb rating 7.617K votes
All That Money Can Buy1941as Daniel Webster
IMDb rating 7.56.6K votes
Easy Living1937as J.B. Ball
IMDb rating 7.54.8K votes
Come and Get It1936as Barney Glasgow
IMDb rating 6.82.7K votes
Crime and Punishment1935as Inspector Porfiry
IMDb rating 6.92.5K votes
Johnny Eager1941as John Benson Farrell
IMDb rating 7.13.9K votes

Most often with

Frank Capra directed three of these films, Busby Berkeley two and Mervyn LeRoy two. Six 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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Cary Grant

Gene Lockhart

Pierre Watkin

Clinton Sundberg

H.B. Warner

Jean Arthur

Frank CapraDirector, 3 films

Busby BerkeleyDirector, 2 films Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 2 films

Films together

Cary Grant3 films together, 1933 to 1982
Cary Grant's page
- Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982IMDb rating 6.8Arnold as AltfeldGrant as 'Handsome' (in 'Suspicion')
- Thirty Day Princess1934IMDb rating 6.7Arnold as Richard M. GreshamGrant as Porter Madison III
- I'm No Angel1933IMDb rating 6.9Arnold as Big Bill BartonGrant as Jack Clayton
Gene Lockhart3 films together, 1935 to 1941
Gene Lockhart's page
- All That Money Can Buy1941IMDb rating 7.5Arnold as Daniel WebsterLockhart as Squire Slossum
- Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6Arnold as D.B. NortonLockhart as Mayor Lovett
- Crime and Punishment1935IMDb rating 6.9Arnold as Inspector PorfiryLockhart as Lushin
Pierre Watkin3 films together, 1924 to 1941
Pierre Watkin's page
- Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6Arnold as D.B. NortonWatkin as Hammett
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Arnold as Jim TaylorWatkin as Senator Barnes
- He Who Gets Slapped1924IMDb rating 7.7Watkin as Spectator at Final Performance
Clinton Sundberg3 films together, 1947 to 1950
Clinton Sundberg's page
- Annie Get Your Gun1950IMDb rating 6.8Arnold as Pawnee BillSundberg as Foster Wilson
- Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3Arnold as Congressman Arthur MalcolmSundberg as Maj. Homer V. Prescott
- The Hucksters1947IMDb rating 6.7Arnold as David 'Dave' LashSundberg as Michael Michaelson
H.B. Warner3 films together, 1938 to 1941
H.B. Warner's page
- All That Money Can Buy1941IMDb rating 7.5Arnold as Daniel WebsterWarner as Justice Hawthorne
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Arnold as Jim TaylorWarner as Senate Majority Leader
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Arnold as Anthony P. KirbyWarner as Ramsey
Jean Arthur3 films together, 1937 to 1939
Jean Arthur's page
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Arnold as Jim TaylorArthur as Saunders
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Arnold as Anthony P. KirbyArthur as Alice Sycamore
- Easy Living1937IMDb rating 7.5Arnold as J.B. BallArthur as Mary Smith
Frank CapraDirector, 3 films, 1938 to 1941
All films by Frank Capra
- Meet John Doe1941IMDb rating 7.6Arnold as D.B. Norton
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1Arnold as Jim Taylor
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Arnold as Anthony P. Kirby
Busby BerkeleyDirector, 2 films, 1949 to 1950
All films by Busby Berkeley
- Annie Get Your Gun1950IMDb rating 6.8Arnold as Pawnee Bill
- Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949IMDb rating 6.7Arnold as Joe Lorgan
Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 2 films, 1932 to 1941
All films by Mervyn LeRoy
- Johnny Eager1941IMDb rating 7.1Arnold as John Benson Farrell
- Three on a Match1932IMDb rating 7.1Arnold as Ace

Box office

What Edward Arnold's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$54.3 million

8 of the 27 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
1US gross only
18Figure not found

Top grosser

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982Altfeld$18.2 million

Highest grossing

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

1
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982as Altfeld
$18M33.5% of the total
2
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939as Jim Taylor
$9.6M17.7% of the total
3
Annie Get Your Gun1950as Pawnee Bill
$8.0M14.7% of the total
4
You Can't Take It with You1938as Anthony P. Kirby
$7.4M13.7% of the total
5
Ziegfeld Follies1945as Lawyer ('Pay the Two Dollars')
$5.3M9.8% of the total
6
I'm No Angel1933as Big Bill Barton
$2.9M5.2% of the total
7
Meet John Doe1941as D.B. Norton
$2.0M3.7% of the total
8
He Who Gets Slapped1924
$881K1.6% of the total