Louis Calhern

Biography

Louis Calhern was an American actor who played more than 100 roles on stage and screen between 1923 and 1956, often as distinguished, sophisticated characters. Born Carl Henry Vogt in Brooklyn in 1895 and raised in St. Louis, he was hired as a bit player after a stage manager noticed him playing high school football. After silent films for Lois Weber, notably The Blot (1921), he left Hollywood in 1923 for the stage and won a Donaldson Award in 1945 for The Magnificent Yankee. His Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor came with the 1950 film of that play. His screen roles included Ambassador Trentino in Duck Soup (1933), the Secret Service chief in Notorious (1946), Alonzo Emmerich in The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and the title part in Julius Caesar (1953). Executive Suite (1954) brought him a Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival, and High Society (1956) was his last film.

61years old at death

Born February 19, 1895Brooklyn
Died May 12, 1956Tokyo
Star sign: PiscesFirst day of the sign, on the Aquarius cusp
Also credited as Carl Henry Vogt

Movie Career

Films: 31
Career span: 35 years1921 to 1956

Genres

Drama65%, 20 films
Romance42%, 13 films
Comedy35%, 11 films
Crime19%, 6 films
Biography13%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
A stage manager with a touring theatrical stock company spotted Calhern while he played high school football and hired him as a bit player.
A change of course
Calhern left films in 1923 to devote himself entirely to the stage, then returned early in the sound era as a character actor while still playing leading stage roles.

Louis Calhern movies on Netflix

Forever, Darling1956IMDb rating 6.0as Charles Y. Bewell
High Society1956IMDb rating 6.9as Uncle Willie
Blackboard Jungle1955IMDb rating 7.4as Jim Murdock
Betrayed1954IMDb rating 6.1as Gen. Ten Eyck
Executive Suite1954IMDb rating 7.4as George Nyle Caswell
Rhapsody1954IMDb rating 6.2as Nicholas Durant
Confidentially Connie1953IMDb rating 5.8as Opie Bedloe
Julius Caesar1953IMDb rating 7.2as Julius Caesar
Main Street to Broadway1953IMDb rating 6.0as Louis Calhern
The Prisoner of Zenda1952IMDb rating 6.9as Col. Zapt
We're Not Married!1952IMDb rating 6.3as Freddie Melrose
A Life of Her Own1950IMDb rating 6.3as Jim Leversoe
Annie Get Your Gun1950IMDb rating 6.8as Colonel William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
Devil's Doorway1950IMDb rating 7.2as Verne Coolan
Nancy Goes to Rio1950IMDb rating 6.4as Gregory Elliott
The Asphalt Jungle1950IMDb rating 7.8as Alonzo D. Emmerich
The Red Pony1949IMDb rating 6.3as Grandfather
Arch of Triumph1948IMDb rating 6.3as Boris Morosov
Notorious1946IMDb rating 7.9as Paul Prescott
Heaven Can Wait1943IMDb rating 7.3as Randolph Van Cleve
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet1940IMDb rating 7.4as Dr. Brockdorf
Fifth Avenue Girl1939IMDb rating 6.8as Dr. Kessler
Juarez1939IMDb rating 6.8as LeMarc
The Life of Emile Zola1937IMDb rating 7.1as Major Dort
The Count of Monte Cristo1934IMDb rating 7.3as De Villefort Jr.
Duck Soup1933IMDb rating 7.7as Ambassador Trentino
Frisco Jenny1933IMDb rating 6.8as Steve Dutton
20,000 Years in Sing Sing1932IMDb rating 6.8as Joe Finn
Night After Night1932IMDb rating 6.7as Dick Bolton
Blonde Crazy1931IMDb rating 7.1as 'Dapper Dan' Barker
The Blot1921IMDb rating 6.6as Phil West

Best known for

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

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Notorious1946 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thrilleras Paul Prescott
IMDb rating 7.9114K votes
The Asphalt Jungle1950 Crime, Drama, Film-Noiras Alonzo D. Emmerich
IMDb rating 7.833K votes
Duck Soup1933as Ambassador Trentino
IMDb rating 7.764K votes
Julius Caesar1953as Julius Caesar
IMDb rating 7.214K votes
Blackboard Jungle1955as Jim Murdock
IMDb rating 7.411K votes
High Society1956as Uncle Willie
IMDb rating 6.919K votes
Annie Get Your Gun1950as Colonel William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
IMDb rating 6.85.8K votes
The Count of Monte Cristo1934as De Villefort Jr.
IMDb rating 7.33.9K votes

Most often with

William Dieterle directed three of these films, Lewis Milestone 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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Bess Flowers

James Mason

Henry O'Neill

Donald Crisp

John Hoyt

Harry DavenportWilliam DieterleDirector, 3 films Lewis MilestoneDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers3 films together, 1948 to 1950
Bess Flowers's page
- A Life of Her Own1950IMDb rating 6.3Calhern as Jim LeversoeFlowers as Cocktail Lounge Patron
- Nancy Goes to Rio1950IMDb rating 6.4Calhern as Gregory ElliottFlowers as Party Guest
- Arch of Triumph1948IMDb rating 6.3Calhern as Boris MorosovFlowers as Gambler at Roulette Table
James Mason3 films together, 1952 to 1956
James Mason's page
- Forever, Darling1956IMDb rating 6.0Calhern as Charles Y. BewellMason as The Guardian Angel
- Julius Caesar1953IMDb rating 7.2Calhern as Julius CaesarMason as Brutus
- The Prisoner of Zenda1952IMDb rating 6.9Calhern as Col. ZaptMason as Rupert of Hentzau
Henry O'Neill3 films together, 1937 to 1940
Henry O'Neill's page
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet1940IMDb rating 7.4Calhern as Dr. BrockdorfO'Neill as Dr. Lentz
- Juarez1939IMDb rating 6.8Calhern as LeMarcO'Neill as General Miguel Miramon
- The Life of Emile Zola1937IMDb rating 7.1Calhern as Major DortO'Neill as Colonel Picquart
Donald Crisp3 films together, 1937 to 1940
Donald Crisp's page
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet1940IMDb rating 7.4Calhern as Dr. BrockdorfCrisp as Minister Althoff
- Juarez1939IMDb rating 6.8Calhern as LeMarcCrisp as Maréchal Bazaine
- The Life of Emile Zola1937IMDb rating 7.1Calhern as Major DortCrisp as Maitre Labori
John Hoyt3 films together, 1953 to 1956
John Hoyt's page
- Forever, Darling1956IMDb rating 6.0Calhern as Charles Y. BewellHoyt as Bill Finlay
- Blackboard Jungle1955IMDb rating 7.4Calhern as Jim MurdockHoyt as Mr. Warneke
- Julius Caesar1953IMDb rating 7.2Calhern as Julius CaesarHoyt as Decius Brutus
Harry Davenport3 films together, 1937 to 1940
Harry Davenport's page
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet1940IMDb rating 7.4Calhern as Dr. BrockdorfDavenport as Judge
- Juarez1939IMDb rating 6.8Calhern as LeMarcDavenport as Dr. Samuel Basch
- The Life of Emile Zola1937IMDb rating 7.1Calhern as Major DortDavenport as Chief of Staff
William DieterleDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1940
All films by William Dieterle
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet1940IMDb rating 7.4Calhern as Dr. Brockdorf
- Juarez1939IMDb rating 6.8Calhern as LeMarc
- The Life of Emile Zola1937IMDb rating 7.1Calhern as Major Dort
Lewis MilestoneDirector, 2 films, 1948 to 1949
All films by Lewis Milestone
- The Red Pony1949IMDb rating 6.3Calhern as Grandfather
- Arch of Triumph1948IMDb rating 6.3Calhern as Boris Morosov

Box office

What Louis Calhern's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$62.0 million

8 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
1US gross only
22Figure not found

Top grosser

Notorious1946Paul Prescott$24.5 million

Highest grossing

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

1
Notorious1946as Paul Prescott
$25M39.5% of the total
2
High Society1956as Uncle Willie
$8.2M13.2% of the total
3
Blackboard Jungle1955as Jim Murdock
$8.1M13.1% of the total
4
Annie Get Your Gun1950as Colonel William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
$8.0M12.9% of the total
5
The Prisoner of Zenda1952as Col. Zapt
$5.6M9.0% of the total
6
Julius Caesar1953as Julius Caesar
$3.9M6.3% of the total
7
The Asphalt Jungle1950as Alonzo D. Emmerich
$2.1M3.4% of the total
8
The Count of Monte Cristo1934as De Villefort Jr.
$1.5M2.4% of the total