Melvyn Douglas
Biography
Melvyn Douglas was an American actor whose work on stage and in film stretched from the late 1920s into the early 1980s. Born in Macon, Georgia, he trained in Shakespearean repertory and stock companies before his Broadway lead in Tonight or Never. In Hollywood he became a suave leading man, starring opposite Greta Garbo in Ninotchka (1939) and Two-Faced Woman (1941) and appearing with Joan Crawford in A Woman's Face (1941). He shared top billing in The Old Dark House (1932) alongside Boris Karloff and Charles Laughton, and later took fatherly parts, winning Academy Awards for Hud (1963) and Being There (1979) and a nomination for I Never Sang for My Father (1970). He also won a Tony for The Best Man and an Emmy for Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. His final complete screen role was in Ghost Story (1981).
80years old at death
- Born Macon
- Died New York City
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 30
- Career span
- 49 years1932 to 1981
Genres
First and latest
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Behind the award
Douglas said in one of his last interviews that he would not go to the 52nd Academy Awards ceremony. He could not bear competing against Justin Henry, a child actor, for Kramer vs. Kramer.
Early training
While still in his teens, Douglas honed his acting craft through Shakespearean repertory and stock companies based in Sioux City, Iowa, Evansville, Indiana, Madison, Wisconsin, and Detroit, Michigan.
A change of course
Between 1952 and 1961, Douglas did not appear in any films, and he focused his work on the stage and on television instead.
Melvyn Douglas movies on Netflix
Ghost Storyas John Jaffrey
The Changelingas Senator Carmichael
Being Thereas Benjamin Rand
Twilight's Last Gleamingas Zachariah Guthrie
The Candidateas John J. McKay
I Never Sang for My Fatheras Tom Garrison
Hotelas Warren Trent
Advance to the Rearas Col. Claude Brackenbury
The Americanization of Emilyas Admiral William Jessup
Hudas Homer Bannon
Billy Buddas The Dansker, Sailmaker
My Forbidden Pastas Paul Beaurevel
A Woman's Secretas Luke Jordan
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Houseas Bill Cole
The Sea of Grassas Brice Chamberlain
A Woman's Faceas Dr. Gustaf Segert
That Uncertain Feelingas Larry Baker
Two-Faced Womanas Lawrence 'Larry' Blake
Too Many Husbandsas Henry Lowndes
Ninotchkaas Leon
The Shining Houras Henry Linden
There's Always a Womanas William 'Bill' Reardon
Angelas Anthony 'Tony' Halton
Captains Courageousas Mr. Cheyne
Theodora Goes Wildas Michael Grant
Annie Oakleyas Jeff Hogarth
Woman in the Darkas Tony Robson
Counsellor at Lawas Roy Darwin
The Vampire Batas Karl Brettschneider
The Old Dark Houseas Penderel
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Ernst Lubitsch directed three of these films, George Cukor two. 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.









Films together
George Davis3 films together, 1937 to 1939
George Davis's page Ninotchka1939IMDb rating 7.8Douglas as LeonDavis as Porter at Railroad Station
There's Always a Woman1938IMDb rating 6.7Douglas as William 'Bill' ReardonDavis as Waiter
Angel1937IMDb rating 7.2Douglas as Anthony 'Tony' Halton
Walter Kingsford3 films together, 1937 to 1951
Walter Kingsford's page My Forbidden Past1951IMDb rating 6.2Douglas as Paul BeaurevelKingsford as Coroner
There's Always a Woman1938IMDb rating 6.7Douglas as William 'Bill' ReardonKingsford as Grigson
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Douglas as Mr. CheyneKingsford as Dr. Finley
Whit Bissell2 films together, 1963 to 1964
Whit Bissell's page Advance to the Rear1964IMDb rating 5.9Douglas as Col. Claude BrackenburyBissell as Capt. Queeg
Hud1963IMDb rating 7.8Douglas as Homer BannonBissell as Mr. Burris
Joan Crawford2 films together, 1938 to 1941
Joan Crawford's page A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Douglas as Dr. Gustaf SegertCrawford as Anna Holm
The Shining Hour1938IMDb rating 6.4Douglas as Henry LindenCrawford as Olivia Riley Linden
Spencer Tracy2 films together, 1937 to 1947
Spencer Tracy's page The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3Douglas as Brice ChamberlainTracy as Col. James B. 'Jim' Brewton
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Douglas as Mr. CheyneTracy as Manuel
Edgar Buchanan2 films together, 1940 to 1947
Edgar Buchanan's page The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3Douglas as Brice ChamberlainBuchanan as Jeff - Cook
Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5Douglas as Henry LowndesBuchanan as McDermott
Ernst LubitschDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1941
All films by Ernst Lubitsch That Uncertain Feeling1941IMDb rating 6.6Douglas as Larry Baker
Ninotchka1939IMDb rating 7.8Douglas as Leon
Angel1937IMDb rating 7.2Douglas as Anthony 'Tony' Halton
George CukorDirector, 2 films, 1941
All films by George Cukor A Woman's Face1941IMDb rating 7.2Douglas as Dr. Gustaf Segert
Two-Faced Woman1941IMDb rating 6.2Douglas as Lawrence 'Larry' Blake
Also two films together23 more actors
- Sig RumanThat Uncertain Feeling (1941) and Ninotchka (1939)
- Don BrodieMr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) and Theodora Goes Wild (1936)
- Harry DavenportThat Uncertain Feeling (1941) and Too Many Husbands (1940)
- Joan BlondellAdvance to the Rear (1964) and There's Always a Woman (1938)
- Robert WarwickA Woman's Secret (1949) and A Woman's Face (1941)
- William 'Billy' BenedictThere's Always a Woman (1938) and Theodora Goes Wild (1936)
- Thurston HallThere's Always a Woman (1938) and Theodora Goes Wild (1936)
- Henry KolkerA Woman's Face (1941) and Theodora Goes Wild (1936)
- Greta GarboTwo-Faced Woman (1941) and Ninotchka (1939)
- Preston FosterAdvance to the Rear (1964) and Annie Oakley (1935)
- Patricia NealGhost Story (1981) and Hud (1963)
- Cliff ClarkMy Forbidden Past (1951) and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
- Emory ParnellA Woman's Secret (1949) and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
- Fay WrayWoman in the Dark (1934) and The Vampire Bat (1933)
- Merle OberonHotel (1967) and That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
- Sam McDanielToo Many Husbands (1940) and Captains Courageous (1937)
- Granville BatesThe Shining Hour (1938) and Woman in the Dark (1934)
- Richard CarleThat Uncertain Feeling (1941) and Ninotchka (1939)
- Rolfe SedanThat Uncertain Feeling (1941) and Ninotchka (1939)
- Oscar O'SheaThe Shining Hour (1938) and Captains Courageous (1937)
- Curt ConwayHud (1963) and A Woman's Secret (1949)
- Olive BlakeneyThat Uncertain Feeling (1941) and Two-Faced Woman (1941)
- Stella AdamsTheodora Goes Wild (1936) and The Vampire Bat (1933)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Melvyn Douglas's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$70.0 million
10 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 30 films: 10 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 16 figure not found.
- 10Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 16Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$30M43.1% of the total
- 2$12M17.1% of the total
- 3$10M14.3% of the total
- 4$4.7M6.7% of the total
- 5$4.5M6.4% of the total
- 6$2.5M3.6% of the total
- 7$2.3M3.3% of the total
- 8$1.9M2.7% of the total
Awards
Five awards and honors from 1960 to 1980, four of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1980 | Best Supporting Actor | Being There | Won |
| 1964 | Best Supporting Actor | Hud | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1968 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | CBS Playhouse | Won |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1960 | Best Actor in a Play | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.













