Ralph Bellamy

Biography

Ralph Bellamy was an American actor whose work in theater, film, and television lasted 65 years. Born in Chicago in 1904, he left home at 15 for a road show and reached New York, where he acted on stage and by 1927 ran his own theater company. He made his film debut in The Secret Six (1931) and worked steadily as a lead and supporting player. He earned an Academy Award nomination for The Awful Truth (1937) and played a similar suitor in His Girl Friday (1940). Credits included Dance, Girl, Dance (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942). On Broadway he won a Tony Award for playing Franklin Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello, a role he repeated in the 1960 film. He appeared in The Professionals (1966), Rosemary's Baby (1968), and Trading Places (1983), received a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and an Academy Honorary Award, and last appeared in Pretty Woman (1990).

87years old at death

Born June 17, 1904Chicago
Died November 29, 1991Santa Monica
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20

Movie Career

Films: 33
Career span: 59 years1931 to 1990

Genres

Drama61%, 20 films
Comedy42%, 14 films
Romance42%, 14 films
Crime18%, 6 films
Horror12%, 4 films

First and latest

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A change of course
Ralph Bellamy ran away from home at 15 and found work in a road show, touring with such productions before reaching New York City and starting his stage career there.
A change of course
Bellamy was highly regarded within the industry and served four terms as president of Actors' Equity, the actors' union, from 1952 to 1964.
Behind the award
Bellamy played Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Broadway in Sunrise at Campobello, and his work in that role earned him a Tony Award in 1957. He took the same part again in the 1960 film.

Ralph Bellamy movies on Netflix

Pretty Woman1990IMDb rating 7.1as James Morse
The Good Mother1988IMDb rating 5.7as Grandfather Frank
Disorderlies1987IMDb rating 5.1as Albert Dennison
The Fourth Wise Man1985IMDb rating 7.0as Abgarus
Love Leads the Way: A True Story1984IMDb rating 7.6as Sen. Christi
Trading Places1983IMDb rating 7.5as Randolph Duke
Oh, God!1977IMDb rating 6.6as Sam Raven
Nightmare in Badham County1976IMDb rating 6.0as Judge
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble1976IMDb rating 5.8as Dr. Gunther
Murder on Flight 5021975IMDb rating 5.4as Dr. Kenyon Walker
Something Evil1972IMDb rating 5.2as Harry Lincoln
Rosemary's Baby1968IMDb rating 8.0as Dr. Sapirstein
The Professionals1966IMDb rating 7.3as Grant
The Defender (Studio One)1957IMDb rating 7.9as Walter Preston
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8as Congressman Frank R. Reid
Delightfully Dangerous1945IMDb rating 6.0as Arthur Hale
Lady on a Train1945IMDb rating 6.7as Jonathan Waring
Guest in the House1944IMDb rating 6.2as DouglProctor
Stage Door Canteen1943IMDb rating 6.3as Ralph Bellamy
The Ghost of Frankenstein1942IMDb rating 6.1as Erik Ernst
Dive Bomber1941IMDb rating 6.5as Lieutenant Commander Lance Rogers
The Wolf Man1941IMDb rating 7.2as Colonel Montford
Brother Orchid1940IMDb rating 7.0as Clarence P. Fletcher
Dance, Girl, Dance1940IMDb rating 6.8as Steve Adams
His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8as Bruce Baldwin
Carefree1938IMDb rating 6.9as Stephen Arden
The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6as Daniel Leeson
Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9as Allen Macklyn
The Wedding Night1935IMDb rating 6.6as Fredrik Sobieski
Woman in the Dark1934IMDb rating 5.9as John Bradley
Picture Snatcher1933IMDb rating 7.0as J.R. 'Al' McLean
Forbidden1932IMDb rating 6.9as Holland
The Secret Six1931IMDb rating 6.3as Johnny Franks

Best known for

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

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Pretty Woman1990 Comedy, Romanceas James Morse
IMDb rating 7.1412K votes
Trading Places1983 Comedyas Randolph Duke
IMDb rating 7.5185K votes
Rosemary's Baby1968as Dr. Sapirstein
IMDb rating 8.0261K votes
His Girl Friday1940as Bruce Baldwin
IMDb rating 7.869K votes
The Wolf Man1941as Colonel Montford
IMDb rating 7.235K votes
The Awful Truth1937as Daniel Leeson
IMDb rating 7.624K votes
The Ghost of Frankenstein1942as Erik Ernst
IMDb rating 6.18.1K votes
The Professionals1966as Grant
IMDb rating 7.321K votes

Most often with

Lloyd Bacon directed two of these films. Allen Jenkins appears in three 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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Allen Jenkins

Bess Flowers

Cary Grant

Gary Cooper

Lon Chaney Jr.

Jeff Corey

Lloyd BaconDirector, 2 films

Films together

Allen Jenkins3 films together, 1940 to 1945
Allen Jenkins's page
- Lady on a Train1945IMDb rating 6.7Bellamy as Jonathan WaringJenkins as Danny (Waring chauffeur)
- Dive Bomber1941IMDb rating 6.5Bellamy as Lieutenant Commander Lance RogersJenkins as 'Lucky' James
- Brother Orchid1940IMDb rating 7.0Bellamy as Clarence P. FletcherJenkins as Willie 'The Knife' Corson
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1937 to 1945
Bess Flowers's page
- Delightfully Dangerous1945IMDb rating 6.0Bellamy as Arthur HaleFlowers as Mrs. Hopkins
- The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6Bellamy as Daniel LeesonFlowers as Viola Heath
Cary Grant2 films together, 1937 to 1940
Cary Grant's page
- His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8Bellamy as Bruce BaldwinGrant as Walter Burns
- The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6Bellamy as Daniel LeesonGrant as Jerry Warriner
Gary Cooper2 films together, 1935 to 1955
Gary Cooper's page
- The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955IMDb rating 6.8Bellamy as Congressman Frank R. ReidCooper as Col. Billy Mitchell
- The Wedding Night1935IMDb rating 6.6Bellamy as Fredrik SobieskiCooper as Tony Barrett
Lon Chaney Jr.2 films together, 1941 to 1942
Lon Chaney Jr.'s page
- The Ghost of Frankenstein1942IMDb rating 6.1Bellamy as Erik ErnstChaney as The Monster
- The Wolf Man1941IMDb rating 7.2Bellamy as Colonel MontfordChaney as Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man
Jeff Corey2 films together, 1972 to 1977
Jeff Corey's page
- Oh, God!1977IMDb rating 6.6Bellamy as Sam RavenCorey as Rabbi Silverstone
- Something Evil1972IMDb rating 5.2Bellamy as Harry LincolnCorey as Gehrmann
Lloyd BaconDirector, 2 films, 1933 to 1940
All films by Lloyd Bacon
- Brother Orchid1940IMDb rating 7.0Bellamy as Clarence P. Fletcher
- Picture Snatcher1933IMDb rating 7.0Bellamy as J.R. 'Al' McLean
Also two films together19 more actors
- Bela LugosiThe Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) and The Wolf Man (1941)
- Regis ToomeyDive Bomber (1941) and His Girl Friday (1940)
- Fred MacMurrayDive Bomber (1941) and Hands Across the Table (1935)
- Harry CordingThe Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) and The Wolf Man (1941)
- Darren McGavinSomething Evil (1972) and The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
- Edward GarganCarefree (1938) and Hands Across the Table (1935)
- Esther DaleThe Awful Truth (1937) and The Wedding Night (1935)
- Paul GuilfoyleBrother Orchid (1940) and Carefree (1938)
- James ConatyDive Bomber (1941) and Carefree (1938)
- Jessie ArnoldThe Wolf Man (1941) and Forbidden (1932)
- Milton KibbeeGuest in the House (1944) and Picture Snatcher (1933)
- Glynnis O'ConnorLove Leads the Way: A True Story (1984) and The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976)
- Maria OuspenskayaThe Wolf Man (1941) and Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
- Robert ReedNightmare in Badham County (1976) and The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976)
- Jack GarganDelightfully Dangerous (1945) and Carefree (1938)
- Clarence KolbHis Girl Friday (1940) and Carefree (1938)
- Evelyn AnkersThe Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) and The Wolf Man (1941)
- Bert MoorhouseCarefree (1938) and Picture Snatcher (1933)
- Ernest TruexDance, Girl, Dance (1940) and His Girl Friday (1940)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Ralph Bellamy's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$652 million

9 of the 33 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
2US gross only
7Never in cinemas
15Figure not found

Top grosser

Pretty Woman1990James Morse$463 million

Highest grossing

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

1
Pretty Woman1990as James Morse
$463M71.1% of the total
2
Trading Places1983as Randolph Duke
$90M13.9% of the total
3
Oh, God!1977as Sam Raven
$42M6.4% of the total
4
Rosemary's Baby1968as Dr. Sapirstein
$33M5.1% of the total
5
Disorderlies1987as Albert Dennison
$10M1.6% of the total
6
The Good Mother1988as Grandfather Frank
$4.8M0.7% of the total
7
The Awful Truth1937as Daniel Leeson
$3.0M0.5% of the total
8
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell1955as Congressman Frank R. Reid
$3.0M0.5% of the total

$1.7 millionfrom the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 0% of the total

Awards

Four awards and honors from 1958 to 1987, three of them major.

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Ralph Bellamy's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Academy Awards
1987	Honorary Award	Honorary
SAG Awards
	Life Achievement Award	Won
Tony Awards
1958	Best Actor in a Play	Won
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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