George Bancroft

Biography

George Bancroft was an American actor who worked in films from 1925 to 1942. Born in Philadelphia in 1882, he began acting in 1901, touring in plays and taking juvenile leads in musical comedies. He also performed in vaudeville. Broadway credits included Cinders and The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly, both in 1923. His early film The Journey's End (1921) preceded his first starring role in The Pony Express (1925). After supporting work in Old Ironsides (1926), he became a lead in four Paramount films directed by Josef von Sternberg: Underworld (1927), The Drag Net (1928), The Docks of New York (1928), and Thunderbolt (1929), the last earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. By the mid-1930s he was a supporting player, appearing in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Each Dawn I Die (1939), and Stagecoach (1939). He left Hollywood in 1942 to become a full-time rancher.

74years old at death

Born September 30, 1882Philadelphia
Died October 2, 1956Santa Monica
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22

Movie Career

Films: 11
Career span: 14 years1927 to 1941

Genres

Drama73%, 8 films
Romance45%, 5 films
Crime36%, 4 films
Western36%, 4 films
Adventure18%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
In 1900, Bancroft swam under a battleship's hull to inspect damage after it hit a rock off China's coast. His reward was an appointment to the United States Naval Academy.
First role
Bancroft began acting in earnest in 1901, touring in plays and taking juvenile leads in musical comedies. He also did blackface routines in vaudeville and impersonated celebrities.

George Bancroft movies on Netflix

Texas1941IMDb rating 6.7as Windy Miller
North West Mounted Police1940IMDb rating 6.3as Jacques Corbeau
When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4as Caleb Winters
Each Dawn I Die1939IMDb rating 7.2as John Armstrong
Stagecoach1939IMDb rating 7.8as Marshal Curley Wilcox
Angels with Dirty Faces1938IMDb rating 7.8as Mac Keefer
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town1936IMDb rating 7.8as MacWade
The Skin Game1931IMDb rating 5.7as Second Stranger
Thunderbolt1929IMDb rating 6.4as Thunderbolt Jim Lang
The Docks of New York1928IMDb rating 7.5as Bill Roberts
Underworld1927IMDb rating 7.5as Bull Weed

Best known for

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

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Stagecoach1939 Adventure, Westernas Marshal Curley Wilcox
IMDb rating 7.860K votes
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town1936 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas MacWade
IMDb rating 7.825K votes
Angels with Dirty Faces1938as Mac Keefer
IMDb rating 7.825K votes
The Docks of New York1928as Bill Roberts
IMDb rating 7.55.6K votes
Underworld1927as Bull Weed
IMDb rating 7.54.0K votes
Each Dawn I Die1939as John Armstrong
IMDb rating 7.24.3K votes
Thunderbolt1929as Thunderbolt Jim Lang
IMDb rating 6.41.1K votes
Texas1941as Windy Miller
IMDb rating 6.71.6K votes

Most often with

Josef von Sternberg directed three of these films, George Marshall two. Willard Robertson appears in three 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.

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Willard Robertson

Gary Cooper

James Cagney

Edgar Buchanan

Mary Gordon

Andy DevineJosef von SternbergDirector, 3 films

George MarshallDirector, 2 films

Films together

Willard Robertson3 films together, 1939 to 1941
Willard Robertson's page
- Texas1941IMDb rating 6.7Bancroft as Windy MillerRobertson as Rancher Wilson
- North West Mounted Police1940IMDb rating 6.3Bancroft as Jacques CorbeauRobertson as Supt. Harrington
- Each Dawn I Die1939IMDb rating 7.2Bancroft as John ArmstrongRobertson as Lang
Gary Cooper2 films together, 1936 to 1940
Gary Cooper's page
- North West Mounted Police1940IMDb rating 6.3Bancroft as Jacques CorbeauCooper as Dusty Rivers
- Mr. Deeds Goes to Town1936IMDb rating 7.8Bancroft as MacWadeCooper as Longfellow Deeds
James Cagney2 films together, 1938 to 1939
James Cagney's page
- Each Dawn I Die1939IMDb rating 7.2Bancroft as John ArmstrongCagney as Frank Ross
- Angels with Dirty Faces1938IMDb rating 7.8Bancroft as Mac KeeferCagney as Rocky Sullivan
Edgar Buchanan2 films together, 1940 to 1941
Edgar Buchanan's page
- Texas1941IMDb rating 6.7Bancroft as Windy MillerBuchanan as Buford 'Doc' Thorpe
- When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4Bancroft as Caleb WintersBuchanan as Narrator / Old-Timer
Mary Gordon2 films together, 1938 to 1940
Mary Gordon's page
- When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4Bancroft as Caleb WintersGordon as Ma Dalton
- Angels with Dirty Faces1938IMDb rating 7.8Bancroft as Mac Keefer
Andy Devine2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Andy Devine's page
- When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4Bancroft as Caleb WintersDevine as Ozark
- Stagecoach1939IMDb rating 7.8Bancroft as Marshal Curley WilcoxDevine as Buck
Josef von SternbergDirector, 3 films, 1927 to 1929
All films by Josef von Sternberg
- Thunderbolt1929IMDb rating 6.4Bancroft as Thunderbolt Jim Lang
- The Docks of New York1928IMDb rating 7.5Bancroft as Bill Roberts
- Underworld1927IMDb rating 7.5Bancroft as Bull Weed
George MarshallDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1941
All films by George Marshall
- Texas1941IMDb rating 6.7Bancroft as Windy Miller
- When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4Bancroft as Caleb Winters
Also two films together8 more actors
- George IrvingThunderbolt (1929) and The Docks of New York (1928)
- Claire TrevorTexas (1941) and Stagecoach (1939)
- Emma DunnEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
- John WrayEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
- Joe DowningEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
- Fred KohlerThunderbolt (1929) and Underworld (1927)
- Edward PawleyEach Dawn I Die (1939) and Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
- Bob ReevesThe Docks of New York (1928) and Underworld (1927)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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