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James Stephenson

James Stephenson

8 movies on Netflix

Biography

James Stephenson was a British stage and screen actor whose film work began in 1937 after a career on the stage. Born in Selby in 1889, he grew up in Yorkshire and Lancashire and had earlier been a bank clerk and merchant. His first films were British, and Warner Bros. signed him, then cast him as urbane villains and disgraced gentlemen. The director William Wyler gave him his breakthrough, casting him against studio resistance as a conscience-stricken lawyer opposite Bette Davis in The Letter (1940), a performance that won him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Calling Philo Vance gave him the title role. In 1941 he received first billing and the part of Dr. Paul Venner in Shining Victory. He died in 1941.

52years old at death

Born April 14, 1889Selby
Died July 29, 1941Pacific Palisades
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Also credited as James Albert Stephenson

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 2 years1938 to 1940

Genres

Drama75%, 6 films
Action25%, 2 films
Adventure25%, 2 films
Crime25%, 2 films
History25%, 2 films

First and latest

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First role
Stephenson acted on the stage before making his film debut in 1937, when he was 48, and he initially made films in Britain.
Big break
Stephenson got his big break when William Wyler cast him in The Letter (1940) as a conscience-stricken lawyer, opposite Bette Davis, despite resistance from the studio.

James Stephenson movies on Netflix

The Letter1940IMDb rating 7.5as Howard Joyce
The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6as Abbott
Beau Geste1939IMDb rating 7.5as Major Henri de Beaujolais
Confessions of a Nazi Spy1939IMDb rating 6.7as British Military Intelligence Agent
King of the Underworld1939IMDb rating 6.4as Bill Stevens
The Old Maid1939IMDb rating 7.4as Jim Ralston
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0as Sir Thomas Egerton
Nancy Drew… Detective1938IMDb rating 6.6as Challon

Best known for

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

The Letter1940 Crime, Drama, Film-Noiras Howard Joyce
IMDb rating 7.516K votes
The Sea Hawk1940 Action, Adventure, Historyas Abbott
IMDb rating 7.612K votes
King of the Underworld1939as Bill Stevens
IMDb rating 6.41.8K votes
The Old Maid1939as Jim Ralston
IMDb rating 7.44.5K votes
Nancy Drew… Detective1938as Challon
IMDb rating 6.61.4K votes
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939as Sir Thomas Egerton
IMDb rating 7.06.7K votes
Beau Geste1939as Major Henri de Beaujolais
IMDb rating 7.57.2K votes
Confessions of a Nazi Spy1939as British Military Intelligence Agent
IMDb rating 6.72.5K votes

Most often with

Michael Curtiz directed two of these films. Two 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.

Bette Davis

Donald Crisp

Doris Lloyd

Errol Flynn

Henry DaniellMichael CurtizDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bette Davis3 films together, 1939 to 1940
Bette Davis's page
- The Letter1940IMDb rating 7.5Stephenson as Howard JoyceDavis as Leslie Crosbie
- The Old Maid1939IMDb rating 7.4Stephenson as Jim RalstonDavis as Charlotte Lovell
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonDavis as Queen Elizabeth
Donald Crisp3 films together, 1939 to 1940
Donald Crisp's page
- The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6Stephenson as AbbottCrisp as Sir John Burleson
- The Old Maid1939IMDb rating 7.4Stephenson as Jim RalstonCrisp as Doctor Lanskell
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonCrisp as Francis Bacon
Alan Hale2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Alan Hale's page
- The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6Stephenson as AbbottHale as Carl Pitt
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonHale as Earl of Tyrone
Doris Lloyd2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Doris Lloyd's page
- The Letter1940IMDb rating 7.5Stephenson as Howard JoyceLloyd as Mrs. Cooper
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonLloyd as Handmaiden
Errol Flynn2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Errol Flynn's page
- The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6Stephenson as AbbottFlynn as Geoffrey Thorpe
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonFlynn as Earl of Essex
Henry Daniell2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Henry Daniell's page
- The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6Stephenson as AbbottDaniell as Lord Wolfingham
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas EgertonDaniell as Sir Robert Cecil
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1940
All films by Michael Curtiz
- The Sea Hawk1940IMDb rating 7.6Stephenson as Abbott
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex1939IMDb rating 7.0Stephenson as Sir Thomas Egerton
Also two films together2 more actors
- William LundiganThe Sea Hawk (1940) and The Old Maid (1939)
- David BruceThe Letter (1940) and The Sea Hawk (1940)
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.