Raymond Massey

Biography

Raymond Massey, born in Toronto, was an actor who held Canadian and American citizenship and whose strong, theater-trained voice served him across stage and screen. He made his London stage debut in 1922 with Eugene O'Neill's In the Zone, staged the London premiere of The Silver Tassie in 1929, and triumphed on Broadway as Abraham Lincoln in Abe Lincoln in Illinois, repeating the role in the 1940 film and receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His films included The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), Things to Come (1936), Santa Fe Trail (1940), The Woman in the Window (1944), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), and East of Eden (1955), where he played Adam Trask. He was widely known on television as Dr. Gillespie in Dr. Kildare from 1961 to 1966. He died in 1983.

86years old at death

Born August 30, 1896Toronto
Died July 29, 1983Los Angeles
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as Raymond Hart Massey

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 37 years1932 to 1969

Genres

Drama79%, 22 films
Adventure29%, 8 films
Romance25%, 7 films
War25%, 7 films
Thriller18%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
Massey won acclaim on Broadway in Robert E. Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Abe Lincoln in Illinois, though some doubted a Canadian could play Lincoln. He reprised the part in the 1940 film and earned a Best Actor Academy Award nomination.
A first
In 1931, Massey took the role of Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band. This was the story's first sound film adaptation.

Raymond Massey movies on Netflix

Mackenna's Gold1969IMDb rating 6.7as The Preacher
How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1as Abraham Lincoln
The Fiercest Heart1961IMDb rating 6.9as Willem Prinsloo
The Great Impostor1960IMDb rating 6.9as Abbott Donner
The Naked and the Dead1958IMDb rating 6.4as General Cummings
Battle Cry1955IMDb rating 6.4as Major General Snipes
East of Eden1955IMDb rating 7.8as Adam Trask
David and Bathsheba1951IMDb rating 6.2as Nathan
Chain Lightning1950IMDb rating 6.0as Leland Willis
Dallas1950IMDb rating 6.2as Will Marlow
The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0as Gail Wynand
Mourning Becomes Electra1947IMDb rating 6.3as Ezra Mannon
Possessed1947IMDb rating 7.1as Dean Graham
A Matter of Life and Death1946IMDb rating 8.0as Abraham Farlan
Arsenic and Old Lace1944IMDb rating 7.9as Jonathan Brewster
The Woman in the Window1944IMDb rating 7.6as District Attorney Frank Lalor
Action in the North Atlantic1943IMDb rating 7.0as Capt. Steve Jarvis
Desperate Journey1942IMDb rating 6.9as Major Otto Baumeister
Reap the Wild Wind1942IMDb rating 6.6as King Cutler
49th Parallel1941IMDb rating 7.3as Andy Brock
Abe Lincoln in Illinois1940IMDb rating 7.3as Abe Lincoln
Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2as John Brown
Fire Over England1937IMDb rating 6.4as King Philip II of Spain
The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1as DeLaage
The Prisoner of Zenda1937IMDb rating 7.6as Black Michael
Things to Come1936IMDb rating 6.6as John Cabal / Oswald Cabal
The Scarlet Pimpernel1934IMDb rating 7.3as Chauvelin
The Old Dark House1932IMDb rating 7.0as Philip Waverton

Best known for

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

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East of Eden1955 Dramaas Adam Trask
IMDb rating 7.851K votes
Arsenic and Old Lace1944 Comedy, Crime, Thrilleras Jonathan Brewster
IMDb rating 7.978K votes
The Woman in the Window1944as District Attorney Frank Lalor
IMDb rating 7.620K votes
Things to Come1936as John Cabal / Oswald Cabal
IMDb rating 6.610K votes
The Fountainhead1949as Gail Wynand
IMDb rating 7.012K votes
49th Parallel1941as Andy Brock
IMDb rating 7.38.6K votes
Action in the North Atlantic1943as Capt. Steve Jarvis
IMDb rating 7.05.1K votes
Possessed1947as Dean Graham
IMDb rating 7.16.4K votes

Most often with

Raoul Walsh directed four of these films, Michael Powell two and John Ford two. Five 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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Gregory Peck

Alan Hale

Jerome Cowan

Moroni Olsen

Van Heflin

John Wayne

Raoul WalshDirector, 4 films

Michael PowellDirector, 2 films

John FordDirector, 2 films

Films together

Gregory Peck3 films together, 1951 to 1969
Gregory Peck's page
- Mackenna's Gold1969IMDb rating 6.7Massey as The PreacherPeck as Sheriff Mackenna
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Massey as Abraham LincolnPeck as Cleve Van Valen
- David and Bathsheba1951IMDb rating 6.2Massey as NathanPeck as King David
Alan Hale3 films together, 1940 to 1943
Alan Hale's page
- Action in the North Atlantic1943IMDb rating 7.0Massey as Capt. Steve JarvisHale as Boats O'Hara
- Desperate Journey1942IMDb rating 6.9Massey as Major Otto BaumeisterHale as Sgt. Kirk Edwards
- Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2Massey as John BrownHale as Tex Bell
Jerome Cowan3 films together, 1937 to 1950
Jerome Cowan's page
- Dallas1950IMDb rating 6.2Massey as Will MarlowCowan as Matt Coulter
- The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0Massey as Gail WynandCowan as Alvah Scarret
- The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1Massey as DeLaageCowan as Captain Nagle
Moroni Olsen3 films together, 1940 to 1949
Moroni Olsen's page
- The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0Massey as Gail WynandOlsen as Chairman
- Possessed1947IMDb rating 7.1Massey as Dean GrahamOlsen as Dr. Ames
- Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2Massey as John BrownOlsen as Robert E. Lee
Van Heflin3 films together, 1940 to 1955
Van Heflin's page
- Battle Cry1955IMDb rating 6.4Massey as Major General SnipesHeflin as Major Sam Huxley
- Possessed1947IMDb rating 7.1Massey as Dean GrahamHeflin as David Sutton
- Santa Fe Trail1940IMDb rating 6.2Massey as John BrownHeflin as Rader
John Wayne2 films together, 1942 to 1962
John Wayne's page
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Massey as Abraham LincolnWayne as Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
- Reap the Wild Wind1942IMDb rating 6.6Massey as King CutlerWayne as Captain Jack Stuart
Raoul WalshDirector, 4 films, 1942 to 1958
All films by Raoul Walsh
- The Naked and the Dead1958IMDb rating 6.4Massey as General Cummings
- Battle Cry1955IMDb rating 6.4Massey as Major General Snipes
- Action in the North Atlantic1943IMDb rating 7.0Massey as Capt. Steve Jarvis
- Desperate Journey1942IMDb rating 6.9Massey as Major Otto Baumeister
Michael PowellDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1946
All films by Michael Powell
- A Matter of Life and Death1946IMDb rating 8.0Massey as Abraham Farlan
- 49th Parallel1941IMDb rating 7.3Massey as Andy Brock
John FordDirector, 2 films, 1937 to 1962
All films by John Ford
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Massey as Abraham Lincoln
- The Hurricane1937IMDb rating 7.1Massey as DeLaage
Also two films together33 more actors
- Humphrey BogartChain Lightning (1950) and Action in the North Atlantic (1943)
- Gary CooperDallas (1950) and The Fountainhead (1949)
- Morris AnkrumChain Lightning (1950) and The Fountainhead (1949)
- Eli WallachMackenna's Gold (1969) and How the West Was Won (1962)
- Edward G. RobinsonMackenna's Gold (1969) and The Woman in the Window (1944)
- David NivenA Matter of Life and Death (1946) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
- Karl MaldenHow the West Was Won (1962) and The Great Impostor (1960)
- Laurence Olivier49th Parallel (1941) and Fire Over England (1937)
- L.Q. JonesThe Naked and the Dead (1958) and Battle Cry (1955)
- Lee J. CobbMackenna's Gold (1969) and How the West Was Won (1962)
- C. Aubrey SmithThe Hurricane (1937) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
- Ronald ReaganDesperate Journey (1942) and Santa Fe Trail (1940)
- Monte BlueThe Fountainhead (1949) and Possessed (1947)
- Errol FlynnDesperate Journey (1942) and Santa Fe Trail (1940)
- Henry HullThe Fountainhead (1949) and Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)
- Mary AstorThe Hurricane (1937) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
- Spencer ChartersArsenic and Old Lace (1944) and The Hurricane (1937)
- Aldo RayThe Naked and the Dead (1958) and Battle Cry (1955)
- John RidgelyPossessed (1947) and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
- Susan HaywardDavid and Bathsheba (1951) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
- Iris AdrianThe Woman in the Window (1944) and Action in the North Atlantic (1943)
- Robert PrestonHow the West Was Won (1962) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
- Elisabeth RisdonMourning Becomes Electra (1947) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
- Ruth GordonAction in the North Atlantic (1943) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
- William CampbellThe Naked and the Dead (1958) and Battle Cry (1955)
- Alan BaxterAbe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) and Santa Fe Trail (1940)
- Charles CarsonFire Over England (1937) and Things to Come (1936)
- Erskine SanfordMourning Becomes Electra (1947) and Possessed (1947)
- Leslie Howard49th Parallel (1941) and The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
- John BeradinoThe Naked and the Dead (1958) and East of Eden (1955)
- Edmund BreonThe Woman in the Window (1944) and The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
- Nancy ColemanMourning Becomes Electra (1947) and Desperate Journey (1942)
- Brember WillsThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) and The Old Dark House (1932)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Raymond Massey's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$29.3 million

8 of the 28 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
4US gross only
16Figure not found

Top grosser

49th Parallel1941Andy Brock$5.3 million

Highest grossing

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

1
49th Parallel1941as Andy Brock
$5.3M18.0% of the total
2
East of Eden1955as Adam Trask
$5.0M17.0% of the total
3
The Prisoner of Zenda1937as Black Michael
$5.0M17.0% of the total
4
Arsenic and Old Lace1944as Jonathan Brewster
$4.8M16.3% of the total
5
Desperate Journey1942as Major Otto Baumeister
$4.0M13.6% of the total
6
Action in the North Atlantic1943as Capt. Steve Jarvis
$3.5M11.8% of the total
7
A Matter of Life and Death1946as Abraham Farlan
$1.8M6.0% of the total
8
How the West Was Won1962as Abraham Lincoln
$77K0.3% of the total