Irving Pichel

Biography

Irving Pichel was an American actor and director who earned praise in both roles during his Hollywood career. Born in Pittsburgh, he completed his studies at Harvard University in 1914 and then entered the theater. After studying at the Pasadena Playhouse, he won acclaim in 1927 as the title character in Eugene O'Neill's Lazarus Laughed. Paramount signed him in 1929, and during the 1930s he worked as a character actor in An American Tragedy (1931), Madame Butterfly (1932), The Story of Temple Drake (1933), Cleopatra (1934), Dracula's Daughter (1936), and Jezebel (1938). He also narrated John Ford's How Green Was My Valley (1941) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). Turning to directing, he made The Man I Married (1940), The Pied Piper (1942), and Destination Moon (1950), which won an Oscar for special visual effects and a Bronze Berlin Bear. His final Hollywood film was Santa Fe (1951). He died in 1954.

63years old at death

Born June 24, 1891Pittsburgh
Died July 13, 1954Hollywood
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 19 years1931 to 1950

Genres

Drama63%, 10 films
Romance38%, 6 films
Adventure13%, 2 films
Comedy13%, 2 films
Crime13%, 2 films

First and latest

Photos

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Big break
In 1927 Pichel won wide praise for playing the lead in Eugene O'Neill's Lazarus Laughed at the Pasadena Playhouse. Paramount gave him a contract two years later, as studios sought stage actors suited to talkies.
Early training
After moving to Los Angeles, Pichel took acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. There he earned considerable praise for playing the title role in the landmark 1927 production of Eugene O'Neill's play Lazarus Laughed.
Behind the camera
For Destination Moon, an early Technicolor science fiction film, Pichel brought in Chesley Bonestell, an astronomical illustrator, to paint the lunar backdrops, and Robert A. Heinlein, whose script work went uncredited. Pichel pushed for scientific authenticity in this new genre.

Irving Pichel movies on Netflix

Destination Moon1950IMDb rating 6.3as Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoon (voice)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949IMDb rating 7.2as Narrator (voice)
Without Honor1949IMDb rating 6.1as Narrator (voice)
The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1as Narrator
Exile Express1939IMDb rating 5.2as Victor
Jezebel1938IMDb rating 7.4as Huger
Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4as Prosecutor
Dracula's Daughter1936IMDb rating 6.3as Sandor
Hearts in Bondage1936IMDb rating 5.6as Secretary of War Sumner Gideon Welles
Cleopatra1934IMDb rating 6.8as Apollodorus
I'm No Angel1933IMDb rating 6.9as Clayton's Attorney
King of the Jungle1933IMDb rating 6.3as Corey
Night Flight1933IMDb rating 6.1as Dr. Decosta
The Story of Temple Drake1933IMDb rating 7.1as Lee Goodwin
Madame Butterfly1932IMDb rating 6.0as Yamadori
Murder by the Clock1931IMDb rating 6.0as Philip Endicott

Best known for

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

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Destination Moon1950 Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fias Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoonvoice
IMDb rating 6.35.3K votes
Dracula's Daughter1936 Drama, Fantasy, Horroras Sandor
IMDb rating 6.39.3K votes
The Battle of Midway1942as Narrator
IMDb rating 6.12.5K votes
Jezebel1938as Huger
IMDb rating 7.417K votes
Cleopatra1934as Apollodorus
IMDb rating 6.85.2K votes
The Story of Temple Drake1933as Lee Goodwin
IMDb rating 7.12.3K votes
Without Honor1949as Narratorvoice
IMDb rating 6.1512 votes
Murder by the Clock1931as Philip Endicott
IMDb rating 6.0446 votes

Most often with

John Ford directed two of these films. Cary Grant 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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Cary Grant

Henry Fonda

Donald Crisp

Don Brodie

Spencer Charters

Oscar Apfel

John FordDirector, 2 films

Films together

Cary Grant3 films together, 1932 to 1938
Cary Grant's page
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Pichel as ProsecutorGrant as George Kerby
- I'm No Angel1933IMDb rating 6.9Pichel as Clayton's AttorneyGrant as Jack Clayton
- Madame Butterfly1932IMDb rating 6.0Pichel as YamadoriGrant as Lieutenant Pinkerton
Henry Fonda2 films together, 1938 to 1942
Henry Fonda's page
- The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1Pichel as NarratorFonda as Narrator
- Jezebel1938IMDb rating 7.4Pichel as HugerFonda as Preston Dillard
Donald Crisp2 films together, 1938 to 1942
Donald Crisp's page
- The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1Pichel as NarratorCrisp as Main Narrator
- Jezebel1938IMDb rating 7.4Pichel as HugerCrisp as Dr. Livingstone
Don Brodie2 films together, 1933 to 1939
Don Brodie's page
- Exile Express1939IMDb rating 5.2Pichel as VictorBrodie as Mullins
- King of the Jungle1933IMDb rating 6.3Pichel as CoreyBrodie as Reporter
Spencer Charters2 films together, 1938 to 1939
Spencer Charters's page
- Exile Express1939IMDb rating 5.2Pichel as VictorCharters as Justice of the Peace Henry P. Smith
- Topper Takes a Trip1938IMDb rating 6.4Pichel as ProsecutorCharters as Judge
Oscar Apfel2 films together, 1933 to 1936
Oscar Apfel's page
- Hearts in Bondage1936IMDb rating 5.6Pichel as Secretary of War Sumner Gideon WellesApfel as Capt. Gilman
- The Story of Temple Drake1933IMDb rating 7.1Pichel as Lee GoodwinApfel as District Attorney
John FordDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1949
All films by John Ford
- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon1949IMDb rating 7.2Pichel as Narratorvoice
- The Battle of Midway1942IMDb rating 6.1Pichel as Narrator
Also two films together5 more actors
- William GarganNight Flight (1933) and The Story of Temple Drake (1933)
- Georges RenaventJezebel (1938) and Topper Takes a Trip (1938)
- Harry BeresfordCleopatra (1934) and Night Flight (1933)
- Helen Jerome EddyNight Flight (1933) and Madame Butterfly (1932)
- Gertrude MichaelCleopatra (1934) and I'm No Angel (1933)
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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