Moroni Olsen

Biography

Moroni Olsen was an American actor who began his career as a drama teacher and stage performer before moving into films. Born in Ogden, Utah, he trained at the Leland Powers School of Expression in Boston and later taught dramatic art at Ogden High School and the Cornish School in Seattle. In 1923 he organized the Moroni Olsen Players, a touring company. He worked on Broadway before making his film debut in a 1935 version of The Three Musketeers. He appeared in scores of films, and his most famous role was the Slave in the Magic Mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). In It's a Wonderful Life he voiced the senior angel. He also appeared as Elizabeth Taylor's father-in-law in Father of the Bride (1950) and its follow-up Father's Little Dividend (1951), and played a Secret Service officer in Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946). He died in 1954.

65years old at death

Born June 27, 1889Ogden
Died November 22, 1954Los Angeles
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22

Movie Career

Films: 35
Career span: 20 years1934 to 1954

Genres

Drama80%, 28 films
Romance43%, 15 films
Crime20%, 7 films
History20%, 7 films
Western20%, 7 films

First and latest

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Behind the camera
Moroni Olsen organized the Moroni Olsen Players in 1923, a theater company based in Ogden that performed at the Orpheum Theatre and other venues from Salt Lake City to Seattle.
Early training
Olsen earned his degree from the Leland Powers School of Expression in Boston in 1913. He went on to the University of Utah, where Maud May Babcock was one of his teachers.

Moroni Olsen movies on Netflix

The Long, Long Trailer1954IMDb rating 7.0as Mr. Tewitt
Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2as Sam Houston
Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5as Herbert Dunstan
Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1as Herbert Dunstan
Samson and Delilah1949IMDb rating 6.8as Targil
The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0as Chairman
Call Northside 7771948IMDb rating 7.4as Parole Board Chairman
Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3as Congressman Stone
High Wall1947IMDb rating 6.9as Dr. Philip Dunlap
Life with Father1947IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Humphries
Possessed1947IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Ames
The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5as Chief of Police Bob McManus
Notorious1946IMDb rating 7.9as Walter Beardsley
The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5as Rev. Thatcher
Mildred Pierce1945IMDb rating 7.9as Inspector Peterson
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves1944IMDb rating 6.3as Caliph Hassan
Buffalo Bill1944IMDb rating 6.4as Sen. Frederici
Cobra Woman1944IMDb rating 5.7as MacDonald
Air Force1943IMDb rating 7.0as Col. Blake
Mission to Moscow1943IMDb rating 5.4as Col. Faymonville
Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3as Paul Grebeau
The Glass Key1942IMDb rating 7.0as Ralph Henry
Dive Bomber1941IMDb rating 6.5as Senior Surgeon at San Diego
One Foot in Heaven1941IMDb rating 6.6as Dr. John Romer
Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3as Doc Richards
Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2as Robert E. Lee
Virginia City1940IMDb rating 6.8as Cameron
Allegheny Uprising1939IMDb rating 6.3as Tom Calhoon
Dust Be My Destiny1939IMDb rating 6.8as Slim Jones
Invisible Stripes1939IMDb rating 6.7as The Warden
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937IMDb rating 7.6as Magic Mirror (voice)
Mary of Scotland1936IMDb rating 6.3as John Knox
The Plough and the Stars1936IMDb rating 5.6as General Connally
Annie Oakley1935IMDb rating 6.6as Buffalo Bill
Death Takes a Holiday1934IMDb rating 6.9as Cardinal De Valle

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 Walter Beardsley
IMDb rating 7.9114K votes
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937 Animation, Family, Fantasyas Magic Mirrorvoice
IMDb rating 7.6240K votes
Mildred Pierce1945as Inspector Peterson
IMDb rating 7.932K votes
Father of the Bride1950as Herbert Dunstan
IMDb rating 7.114K votes
The Fountainhead1949as Chairman
IMDb rating 7.012K votes
The Long, Long Trailer1954as Mr. Tewitt
IMDb rating 7.06.3K votes
Call Northside 7771948as Parole Board Chairman
IMDb rating 7.412K votes
Possessed1947as Dr. Ames
IMDb rating 7.16.4K votes

Most often with

Michael Curtiz directed six of these films, Vincente Minnelli three and Henry Hathaway two. Brian Donlevy appears in four 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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Brian Donlevy

John Carradine

George Sanders

Morris Ankrum

Joan Crawford

Elizabeth TaylorMichael CurtizDirector, 6 films

Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films

Films together

Brian Donlevy4 films together, 1939 to 1948
Brian Donlevy's page
- Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3Olsen as Congressman StoneDonlevy as Brigadier General Clifton I. Garnet
- The Glass Key1942IMDb rating 7.0Olsen as Ralph HenryDonlevy as Paul Madvig
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Doc RichardsDonlevy as Angus Duncan
- Allegheny Uprising1939IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Tom CalhoonDonlevy as Ralph Callendar
John Carradine3 films together, 1936 to 1942
John Carradine's page
- Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Paul GrebeauCarradine as Ulrich Windler, Head of Paris Gestapo
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Doc RichardsCarradine as Porter Rockwell
- Mary of Scotland1936IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as John KnoxCarradine as Rizzio
George Sanders3 films together, 1939 to 1949
George Sanders's page
- Samson and Delilah1949IMDb rating 6.8Olsen as TargilSanders as The Saran of Gaza
- The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5Olsen as Rev. ThatcherSanders as John Evered
- Allegheny Uprising1939IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Tom CalhoonSanders as Captain Swanson
Morris Ankrum3 films together, 1942 to 1949
Morris Ankrum's page
- The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0Olsen as ChairmanAnkrum as Prosecutor
- High Wall1947IMDb rating 6.9Olsen as Dr. Philip DunlapAnkrum as Dr. Stanley Griffin
- Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Paul GrebeauAnkrum as Martin
Joan Crawford3 films together, 1942 to 1947
Joan Crawford's page
- Possessed1947IMDb rating 7.1Olsen as Dr. AmesCrawford as Louise Howell
- Mildred Pierce1945IMDb rating 7.9Olsen as Inspector PetersonCrawford as Mildred Pierce Beragon
- Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Paul GrebeauCrawford as Michele de la Becque
Elizabeth Taylor3 films together, 1947 to 1951
Elizabeth Taylor's page
- Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5Olsen as Herbert DunstanTaylor as Kay Dunstan
- Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1Olsen as Herbert DunstanTaylor as Kay Banks
- Life with Father1947IMDb rating 7.1Olsen as Dr. HumphriesTaylor as Mary Skinner
Michael CurtizDirector, 6 films, 1940 to 1947
All films by Michael Curtiz
- Life with Father1947IMDb rating 7.1Olsen as Dr. Humphries
- Mildred Pierce1945IMDb rating 7.9Olsen as Inspector Peterson
- Mission to Moscow1943IMDb rating 5.4Olsen as Col. Faymonville
- Dive Bomber1941IMDb rating 6.5Olsen as Senior Surgeon at San Diego
- Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2Olsen as Robert E. Lee
- Virginia City1940IMDb rating 6.8Olsen as Cameron
Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films, 1950 to 1954
All films by Vincente Minnelli
- The Long, Long Trailer1954IMDb rating 7.0Olsen as Mr. Tewitt
- Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5Olsen as Herbert Dunstan
- Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1Olsen as Herbert Dunstan
Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1948
All films by Henry Hathaway
- Call Northside 7771948IMDb rating 7.4Olsen as Parole Board Chairman
- Brigham Young1940IMDb rating 6.3Olsen as Doc Richards
Also three films together13 more actors
- John LitelSanta Fe Trail (1940), Virginia City (1940) and Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
- Marc LawrenceBrigham Young (1940), Dust Be My Destiny (1939) and Invisible Stripes (1939)
- Alan HaleSanta Fe Trail (1940), Virginia City (1940) and Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
- Gene LockhartThe Strange Woman (1946), Mission to Moscow (1943) and One Foot in Heaven (1941)
- Monte BlueThe Fountainhead (1949), Life with Father (1947) and Possessed (1947)
- Paul HarveyFather's Little Dividend (1951), Father of the Bride (1950) and Call Northside 777 (1948)
- Fredric MarchOne Foot in Heaven (1941), Mary of Scotland (1936) and Death Takes a Holiday (1934)
- Errol FlynnDive Bomber (1941), Santa Fe Trail (1940) and Virginia City (1940)
- Russ TamblynFather's Little Dividend (1951), Father of the Bride (1950) and Samson and Delilah (1949)
- John RidgelyHigh Wall (1947), Possessed (1947) and Air Force (1943)
- Raymond MasseyThe Fountainhead (1949), Possessed (1947) and Santa Fe Trail (1940)
- Russell SimpsonLone Star (1952), Santa Fe Trail (1940) and Virginia City (1940)
- Stanley RidgesPossessed (1947), Air Force (1943) and Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Moroni Olsen's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$242 million

10 of the 35 films have a worldwide figure.

10Worldwide figure
2US gross only
23Figure not found

Top grosser

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937Magic Mirror$185 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937as Magic Mirror (voice)
$185M76.4% of the total
2
Notorious1946as Walter Beardsley
$25M10.1% of the total
3
Samson and Delilah1949as Targil
$12M4.8% of the total
4
Life with Father1947as Dr. Humphries
$6.5M2.7% of the total
5
Mildred Pierce1945as Inspector Peterson
$5.6M2.3% of the total
6
The Strange Woman1946as Rev. Thatcher
$2.8M1.2% of the total
7
Virginia City1940as Cameron
$2.4M1.0% of the total
8
Reunion in France1942as Paul Grebeau
$1.9M0.8% of the total