Richard Widmark

Biography

Richard Widmark was an American actor and film producer who moved from radio drama, starting in 1938, into Broadway and then Hollywood. He grew up in Princeton, Illinois, and studied speech at Lake Forest College. His screen debut came as the giggling killer Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death (1947), a role that brought an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor and a Golden Globe for most promising newcomer. Villainous parts in The Street with No Name (1948), Road House (1948), Yellow Sky (1948) and No Way Out (1950) gave way to heroic leads in Panic in the Streets (1950) and The Frogmen (1951). Later credits included Pickup on South Street (1953), Warlock (1959), The Alamo (1960), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Coma (1978). He produced and starred in Time Limit (1957) and The Bedford Incident (1965), and was nominated for an Emmy for Vanished! (1971).

93years old at death

Born December 26, 1914Sunrise Township
Died March 24, 2008Roxbury
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Richard Weedt Widmark (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 52
Career span: 44 years1947 to 1991

Genres

Drama48%, 25 films
Western27%, 14 films
Adventure25%, 13 films
Thriller25%, 13 films
Crime23%, 12 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
Widmark was almost not cast because director Henry Hathaway did not want him. Hathaway thought his high forehead made him look too intellectual, but studio boss Darryl F. Zanuck overruled him.
Behind the award
Widmark won the inaugural Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his debut film role as Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death.
Behind the camera
Widmark directed The Secret Ways uncredited after clashing with original director Phil Karlson over his proposed tongue-in-cheek take on the screenplay; Widmark also produced and starred in the film.
Big break
While Widmark was in Chicago performing in a stage version of Dream Girl alongside June Havoc, 20th Century Fox offered him a seven-year contract.
Early training
Widmark graduated from Lake Forest College in 1936 with a Bachelor of Arts in speech. While there he studied acting, and after graduating he taught it at the college.

Richard Widmark movies on Netflix

True Colors1991IMDb rating 6.3as Sen. James Stiles
Against All Odds1984IMDb rating 6.0as Ben Caxton
Hanky Panky1982IMDb rating 5.7as Ransom
Who Dares Wins1982IMDb rating 6.4as Secretary of State
Bear Island1979IMDb rating 5.9as Otto Gerran
Coma1978IMDb rating 6.9as Dr. Harris
The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5as General Slater
Rollercoaster1977IMDb rating 6.3as Agent Hoyt
The Domino Principle1977IMDb rating 5.7as Tagge
Twilight's Last Gleaming1977IMDb rating 6.7as Gen. Martin MacKenzie - Commanding General SA
To the Devil a Daughter1976IMDb rating 5.8as John Verney
Murder on the Orient Express1974IMDb rating 7.2as Ratchett
Directed by John Ford1971IMDb rating 7.7
Death of a Gunfighter1969IMDb rating 6.3as Marshal Frank Patch
Madigan1968IMDb rating 6.5as Det. Daniel Madigan
The Way West1967IMDb rating 6.2as Lije Evans
Alvarez Kelly1966IMDb rating 6.3as Col. Tom Rossiter
The Bedford Incident1965IMDb rating 7.3as Captain Eric Finlander U.S.N.
Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7as Capt. Thomas Archer
Flight from Ashiya1964IMDb rating 5.4as Lt. Col. Glenn Stevenson
The Long Ships1964IMDb rating 6.0as Rolfe
How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1as Mike King
Judgment at Nuremberg1961IMDb rating 8.3as Col. Tad Lawson
Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7as First Lt. Jim Gary
The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8as Jim Bowie
Warlock1959IMDb rating 7.1as Johnny Gannon
The Law and Jake Wade1958IMDb rating 6.8as Clint Hollister
The Tunnel of Love1958IMDb rating 5.8as August 'Augie' Poole
Saint Joan1957IMDb rating 6.4as The Dauphin, Charles VII
Time Limit1957IMDb rating 7.3as Col. William Edwards
Backlash1956IMDb rating 6.6as Jim Slater
Run for the Sun1956IMDb rating 6.4as Michael 'Mike' Latimer
The Last Wagon1956IMDb rating 7.0as Comanche Todd
The Cobweb1955IMDb rating 6.3as Dr. Stewart 'Mac' McIver
Broken Lance1954IMDb rating 6.9as Ben Devereaux
Garden of Evil1954IMDb rating 6.6as Fiske
Hell and High Water1954IMDb rating 6.1as Capt. Adam Jones
Destination Gobi1953IMDb rating 6.3as Sam McHale
Pickup on South Street1953IMDb rating 7.6as Skip McCoy
Take the High Ground!1953IMDb rating 6.0as Sgt. Thorne Ryan
Don't Bother to Knock1952IMDb rating 6.9as Jed Towers
O. Henry's Full House1952IMDb rating 7.2as Johnny Kernan (segment "The Clarion Call")
Halls of Montezuma1951IMDb rating 6.6as Lt. Anderson
The Frogmen1951IMDb rating 6.5as Lt. Cmdr. John Lawrence
Night and the City1950IMDb rating 7.8as Harry Fabian
No Way Out1950IMDb rating 7.4as Ray Biddle
Panic in the Streets1950IMDb rating 7.2as Lt. Cmdr. Clinton 'Clint' Reed M.D.
Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4as Dan Lunceford
Road House1948IMDb rating 7.2as Jefferson T. 'Jefty' Robbins
The Street with No Name1948IMDb rating 7.0as Alec Stiles
Yellow Sky1948IMDb rating 7.4as Dude
Kiss of Death1947IMDb rating 7.4as Tommy Udo

Best known for

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

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Judgment at Nuremberg1961 Drama, Waras Col. Tad Lawson
IMDb rating 8.399K votes
Pickup on South Street1953 Crime, Film-Noir, Thrilleras Skip McCoy
IMDb rating 7.618K votes
Night and the City1950as Harry Fabian
IMDb rating 7.817K votes
The Alamo1960as Jim Bowie
IMDb rating 6.820K votes
Don't Bother to Knock1952as Jed Towers
IMDb rating 6.99.8K votes
Panic in the Streets1950as Lt. Cmdr. Clinton 'Clint' Reed M.D.
IMDb rating 7.29.6K votes
Warlock1959as Johnny Gannon
IMDb rating 7.17.8K votes
Coma1978as Dr. Harris
IMDb rating 6.923K votes

Most often with

Henry Hathaway directed five of these films, John Ford three and Edward Dmytryk three. Robert Adler appears in seven 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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Robert Adler

Karl Malden

Harry Carter

Henry Fonda

Harry Carey Jr.

John McIntireHenry HathawayDirector, 5 films

John FordDirector, 3 films Edward DmytrykDirector, 3 films

Films together

Robert Adler7 films together, 1947 to 1954
Robert Adler's page
- Broken Lance1954IMDb rating 6.9Widmark as Ben DevereauxAdler as O'Reilly
- Hell and High Water1954IMDb rating 6.1Widmark as Capt. Adam JonesAdler as Welles
- The Frogmen1951IMDb rating 6.5Widmark as Lt. Cmdr. John LawrenceAdler as Chief Ryan
- No Way Out1950IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Ray BiddleAdler as Louie
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Dan LuncefordAdler as Crew Member
- Yellow Sky1948IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as DudeAdler as Jed
- Kiss of Death1947IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Tommy UdoAdler as Detective
Karl Malden6 films together, 1947 to 1964
Karl Malden's page
- Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7Widmark as Capt. Thomas ArcherMalden as Capt. Wessels
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Mike KingMalden as Zebulon Prescott
- Time Limit1957IMDb rating 7.3Widmark as Col. William EdwardsMalden as Prisoner of War
- Take the High Ground!1953IMDb rating 6.0Widmark as Sgt. Thorne RyanMalden as Sgt. Laverne Holt
- Halls of Montezuma1951IMDb rating 6.6Widmark as Lt. AndersonMalden as Doc
- Kiss of Death1947IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Tommy UdoMalden as Sgt. William Cullen
Harry Carter6 films together, 1947 to 1954
Harry Carter's page
- Hell and High Water1954IMDb rating 6.1Widmark as Capt. Adam Jones
- Pickup on South Street1953IMDb rating 7.6Widmark as Skip McCoyCarter as Detective Dietrich
- Halls of Montezuma1951IMDb rating 6.6Widmark as Lt. AndersonCarter as Bosun's Mate
- No Way Out1950IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Ray BiddleCarter as Orderly
- Yellow Sky1948IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as DudeCarter as Cavalry Lieutenant
- Kiss of Death1947IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Tommy UdoCarter as Detective
Henry Fonda5 films together, 1959 to 1978
Henry Fonda's page
- The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5Widmark as General SlaterFonda as Dr. Walter Krim
- Rollercoaster1977IMDb rating 6.3Widmark as Agent HoytFonda as Simon Davenport
- Madigan1968IMDb rating 6.5Widmark as Det. Daniel MadiganFonda as Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Mike KingFonda as Jethro Stuart
- Warlock1959IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Johnny GannonFonda as Clay Blaisedell
Harry Carey Jr.5 films together, 1961 to 1971
Harry Carey Jr.'s page
- Directed by John Ford1971IMDb rating 7.7Carey as Himself
- Death of a Gunfighter1969IMDb rating 6.3Widmark as Marshal Frank PatchCarey as Rev. Cork
- The Way West1967IMDb rating 6.2Widmark as Lije EvansCarey as Mr. McBee
- Alvarez Kelly1966IMDb rating 6.3Widmark as Col. Tom RossiterCarey as Cpl. Peterson
- Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Widmark as First Lt. Jim GaryCarey as Ortho Clegg
John McIntire4 films together, 1948 to 1961
John McIntire's page
- Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Widmark as First Lt. Jim GaryMcIntire as Maj. Frazer
- Backlash1956IMDb rating 6.6Widmark as Jim SlaterMcIntire as Jim Bonniwell / William Slater
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Dan LuncefordMcIntire as Thatch
- The Street with No Name1948IMDb rating 7.0Widmark as Alec StilesMcIntire as Cy Gordon
Henry HathawayDirector, 5 films, 1947 to 1962
All films by Henry Hathaway
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Mike King
- Garden of Evil1954IMDb rating 6.6Widmark as Fiske
- O. Henry's Full House1952IMDb rating 7.2Widmark as Johnny Kernan (segment "The Clarion Call")
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Dan Lunceford
- Kiss of Death1947IMDb rating 7.4Widmark as Tommy Udo
John FordDirector, 3 films, 1961 to 1964
All films by John Ford
- Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7Widmark as Capt. Thomas Archer
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Mike King
- Two Rode Together1961IMDb rating 6.7Widmark as First Lt. Jim Gary
Edward DmytrykDirector, 3 films, 1954 to 1966
All films by Edward Dmytryk
- Alvarez Kelly1966IMDb rating 6.3Widmark as Col. Tom Rossiter
- Warlock1959IMDb rating 7.1Widmark as Johnny Gannon
- Broken Lance1954IMDb rating 6.9Widmark as Ben Devereaux
Also four films together2 more actors
- Willis BoucheyTwo Rode Together (1961), Destination Gobi (1953), Pickup on South Street (1953) and Don't Bother to Knock (1952)
- Bert FreedMadigan (1968), The Cobweb (1955), Take the High Ground! (1953) and Halls of Montezuma (1951)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Richard Widmark's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$141 million

16 of the 52 films have a worldwide figure.

16Worldwide figure
4US gross only
32Figure not found

Top grosser

Coma1978Dr. Harris$50.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Coma1978as Dr. Harris
$50M35.4% of the total
2
Murder on the Orient Express1974as Ratchett
$36M25.3% of the total
3
Judgment at Nuremberg1961as Col. Tad Lawson
$10M7.1% of the total
4
Hanky Panky1982as Ransom
$9.0M6.4% of the total
5
Rollercoaster1977as Agent Hoyt
$8.2M5.8% of the total
6
The Alamo1960as Jim Bowie
$7.9M5.6% of the total
7
The Swarm1978as General Slater
$7.7M5.5% of the total
8
Twilight's Last Gleaming1977as Gen. Martin MacKenzie - Commanding General SA
$4.5M3.2% of the total