Joel McCrea

Biography

Joel McCrea was an American actor whose near five-decade career took in comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, and the Westerns for which he was best known. Born in South Pasadena, California, he broke in around 1927 with small parts and stunt work, signed with MGM, and took his first leading role in The Silver Horde. At RKO he became a leading man in dramas and comedies, and he appeared in three films nominated for Best Picture: Dead End (1937), Foreign Correspondent (1940), and The More the Merrier (1943). Other notable films included the Preston Sturges comedies Sullivan's Travels (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942), Bird of Paradise (1932), The Most Dangerous Game (1932), These Three (1936), and Come and Get It (1936). From 1946 until his retirement he made Westerns almost exclusively, among them Wichita (1955) and Ride the High Country (1962). The Los Angeles Film Critics Association gave him a career achievement award in 1968.

84years old at death

Born November 5, 1905California
Died October 20, 1990Woodland Hills
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21

Movie Career

Films: 36
Career span: 42 years1928 to 1970

Genres

Western50%, 18 films
Drama44%, 16 films
Romance31%, 11 films
Adventure11%, 4 films
Mystery11%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Joel McCrea was offered the lead in The Postman Always Rings Twice, but he refused the part, calling the character too much of a gigolo and saying he did not like his moral standards.
A role that slipped away
McCrea was originally intended for the role of Jack Driscoll in King Kong but turned it down, and the part went to Bruce Cabot.
A change of course
As a high school student, McCrea held horses and was a stunt double for the Hollywood cowboy stars William S. Hart and Tom Mix.
A role that slipped away
Earlier in his career, McCrea turned down the lead in Rawhide, since he felt that taking the part would make too heavy a workload for him.

Joel McCrea movies on Netflix

Cry Blood Apache1970IMDb rating 3.5as Pitcalin an Older Man
Ride the High Country1962IMDb rating 7.4as Steve Judd
The Gunfight at Dodge City1959IMDb rating 6.2as Bat Masterson
Fort Massacre1958IMDb rating 6.2as Vinson
The Tall Stranger1957IMDb rating 6.4as Ned Bannon
Trooper Hook1957IMDb rating 6.6as Sgt. Clovis Hook
Stranger on Horseback1955IMDb rating 6.6as Judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne
Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9as Wyatt Earp
Border River1954IMDb rating 6.0as Clete Mattson
Hollywood Story1951IMDb rating 6.8as Joel McCrea
Stars in My Crown1950IMDb rating 7.4as Josiah Doziah Gray
Colorado Territory1949IMDb rating 7.2as Wes McQueen
South of St. Louis1949IMDb rating 6.0as Kip Davis
Four Faces West1948IMDb rating 7.0as Ross McEwen
Ramrod1947IMDb rating 6.6as Dave Nash
The Virginian1946IMDb rating 6.4as The Virginian
The Unseen1945IMDb rating 6.0as David Fielding
Buffalo Bill1944IMDb rating 6.4as William Frederick 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
The More the Merrier1943IMDb rating 7.6as Joe Carter
The Palm Beach Story1942IMDb rating 7.4as Tom Jeffers
Sullivan's Travels1941IMDb rating 7.9as John L. Sullivan
Foreign Correspondent1940IMDb rating 7.4as John Jones
Primrose Path1940IMDb rating 6.8as Ed Wallace
Union Pacific1939IMDb rating 7.0as Jeff Butler
Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2as Dave
Internes Can't Take Money1937IMDb rating 6.9as Jimmie Kildare
Wells Fargo1937IMDb rating 6.4as Ramsay MacKay
Come and Get It1936IMDb rating 6.8as Richard Glasgow
These Three1936IMDb rating 7.4as Dr. Joseph 'Joe' Cardin
Barbary Coast1935IMDb rating 6.7as Jim Carmichael
Gambling Lady1934IMDb rating 6.5as Garry Madison
Bird of Paradise1932IMDb rating 6.0as Johnny Baker
The Most Dangerous Game1932IMDb rating 7.0as Bob
Kept Husbands1931IMDb rating 5.9as Richard 'Dick' Brunton
The Silver Horde1930IMDb rating 5.8as Boyd Emerson
The Divine Lady1928IMDb rating 6.1as Extra

Best known for

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

Top

Sullivan's Travels1941 Adventure, Comedy, Dramaas John L. Sullivan
IMDb rating 7.931K votes
Foreign Correspondent1940 Action, Mystery, Thrilleras John Jones
IMDb rating 7.426K votes
The Most Dangerous Game1932as Bob
IMDb rating 7.016K votes
Ride the High Country1962as Steve Judd
IMDb rating 7.417K votes
The Palm Beach Story1942as Tom Jeffers
IMDb rating 7.414K votes
Dead End1937as Dave
IMDb rating 7.29.7K votes
The More the Merrier1943as Joe Carter
IMDb rating 7.68.4K votes
Colorado Territory1949as Wes McQueen
IMDb rating 7.23.6K votes

Most often with

William Wyler directed three of these films, Jacques Tourneur three and Preston Sturges two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Barbara Stanwyck

Houseley Stevenson

Chet Brandenburg

Walter Brennan

Edgar Buchanan

Brian Donlevy

William WylerDirector, 3 films

Jacques TourneurDirector, 3 films Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Barbara Stanwyck4 films together, 1934 to 1957
Barbara Stanwyck's page
- Trooper Hook1957IMDb rating 6.6McCrea as Sgt. Clovis HookStanwyck as Cora Sutliff
- Union Pacific1939IMDb rating 7.0McCrea as Jeff ButlerStanwyck as Mollie Monahan
- Internes Can't Take Money1937IMDb rating 6.9McCrea as Jimmie KildareStanwyck as Janet Haley
- Gambling Lady1934IMDb rating 6.5McCrea as Garry MadisonStanwyck as Jennifer Lady Lee
Houseley Stevenson4 films together, 1947 to 1951
Houseley Stevenson's page
- Hollywood Story1951IMDb rating 6.8McCrea as Joel McCreaStevenson as John Miller, Studio Guard
- Colorado Territory1949IMDb rating 7.2McCrea as Wes McQueenStevenson as Prospector
- Four Faces West1948IMDb rating 7.0McCrea as Ross McEwenStevenson as Anderson
- Ramrod1947IMDb rating 6.6McCrea as Dave NashStevenson as George Smedley
Chet Brandenburg3 films together, 1951 to 1962
Chet Brandenburg's page
- Ride the High Country1962IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Steve JuddBrandenburg as Miner
- Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9McCrea as Wyatt EarpBrandenburg as Townsman
- Hollywood Story1951IMDb rating 6.8McCrea as Joel McCreaBrandenburg as Crew Member
Walter Brennan3 films together, 1935 to 1936
Walter Brennan's page
- Come and Get It1936IMDb rating 6.8McCrea as Richard GlasgowBrennan as Swan Bostrom
- These Three1936IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Dr. Joseph 'Joe' CardinBrennan as Taxi Driver
- Barbary Coast1935IMDb rating 6.7McCrea as Jim CarmichaelBrennan as Old Atrocity
Edgar Buchanan3 films together, 1944 to 1962
Edgar Buchanan's page
- Ride the High Country1962IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Steve JuddBuchanan as Judge Tolliver
- Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9McCrea as Wyatt EarpBuchanan as Doc Black
- Buffalo Bill1944IMDb rating 6.4McCrea as William Frederick 'Buffalo Bill' CodyBuchanan as Sgt. Chips McGraw
Brian Donlevy3 films together, 1935 to 1946
Brian Donlevy's page
- The Virginian1946IMDb rating 6.4McCrea as The VirginianDonlevy as Trampas
- Union Pacific1939IMDb rating 7.0McCrea as Jeff ButlerDonlevy as Sid Campeau
- Barbary Coast1935IMDb rating 6.7McCrea as Jim CarmichaelDonlevy as Knuckles Jacoby
William WylerDirector, 3 films, 1936 to 1937
All films by William Wyler
- Dead End1937IMDb rating 7.2McCrea as Dave
- Come and Get It1936IMDb rating 6.8McCrea as Richard Glasgow
- These Three1936IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Dr. Joseph 'Joe' Cardin
Jacques TourneurDirector, 3 films, 1950 to 1955
All films by Jacques Tourneur
- Stranger on Horseback1955IMDb rating 6.6McCrea as Judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne
- Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9McCrea as Wyatt Earp
- Stars in My Crown1950IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Josiah Doziah Gray
Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1942
All films by Preston Sturges
- The Palm Beach Story1942IMDb rating 7.4McCrea as Tom Jeffers
- Sullivan's Travels1941IMDb rating 7.9McCrea as John L. Sullivan
Also three films together2 more actors
- Rayford BarnesThe Gunfight at Dodge City (1959), Fort Massacre (1958) and Wichita (1955)
- William HaadeThe Tall Stranger (1957), Four Faces West (1948) and Union Pacific (1939)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.