Sam Levene

Biography

Sam Levene was an American actor and director who worked on Broadway, in film, radio, and television for more than fifty years. Born in the Russian Empire and raised on Manhattan's Lower East Side, he made his Broadway debut in 1927 and appeared in 39 Broadway productions. He created the role of Patsy in Three Men on a Horse in 1935 and originated Nathan Detroit in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls, a part written for him. After making his film debut in Three Men on a Horse (1936), he played Lieutenant Abrams in After the Thin Man (1936) and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941). He became a familiar face in film noir with roles in The Killers (1946) and Crossfire (1947). He later appeared in Sweet Smell of Success (1957). He received a 1961 Tony Award nomination for The Devil's Advocate and the Actors Fund Medal of Honor in 1960.

75years old at death

Born August 28, 1905Russian Empire
Died December 28, 1980New York City
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as Scholem Lewin

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 43 years1936 to 1979

Genres

Drama57%, 13 films
Crime48%, 11 films
Mystery30%, 7 films
Romance30%, 7 films
Comedy26%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Levene made his Broadway debut in 1927 in the melodrama Wall Street, a five-line role as District Attorney William Thompson that paid 60 dollars a week and ran only three weeks.
A first
Sam Levene played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls more than 1,600 times. His performances included the 1950 Philadelphia tryout before Broadway, two years in the original Broadway production, a London stint, and the first Las Vegas production.

Sam Levene movies on Netflix

...And Justice for All1979IMDb rating 7.4as Arnie
Last Embrace1979IMDb rating 6.0as Sam Urdell
God Told Me To1976IMDb rating 6.3as Everett Lukas
Such Good Friends1971IMDb rating 6.0as Uncle Eddie
Designing Woman1957IMDb rating 6.7as Ned Hammerstein
Sweet Smell of Success1957IMDb rating 8.0as Frank D' Angelo
The Opposite Sex1956IMDb rating 6.1as Mike Pearl
Dial 11191950IMDb rating 6.8as John D. Faron
Guilty Bystander1950IMDb rating 6.2as Capt. Tonetti
Boomerang!1947IMDb rating 7.2as Morning Record's Reporter Dave Woods
Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5as Louie Miller
Crossfire1947IMDb rating 7.2as Samuels
The Killers1946IMDb rating 7.7as Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky
The True Glory1945IMDb rating 7.0as Self - Commentator (voice)
Action in the North Atlantic1943IMDb rating 7.0as Abel 'Chips' Abrams
Gung Ho!1943IMDb rating 6.0as Leo 'Transport' Andreof
Grand Central Murder1942IMDb rating 6.5as Inspector Gunther
The Big Street1942IMDb rating 6.4as Horsethief
Shadow of the Thin Man1941IMDb rating 7.2as Lieutenant Abrams
Golden Boy1939IMDb rating 6.8as Siggie
The Mad Miss Manton1938IMDb rating 6.7as Lieutenant Brent
The Shopworn Angel1938IMDb rating 6.9as 'Leer'
After the Thin Man1936IMDb rating 7.6as Abrams

Best known for

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

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Sweet Smell of Success1957 Drama, Film-Noiras Frank D' Angelo
IMDb rating 8.041K votes
The Killers1946 Crime, Drama, Film-Noiras Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky
IMDb rating 7.726K votes
...And Justice for All1979as Arnie
IMDb rating 7.447K votes
Crossfire1947as Samuels
IMDb rating 7.211K votes
Designing Woman1957as Ned Hammerstein
IMDb rating 6.76.1K votes
Shadow of the Thin Man1941as Lieutenant Abrams
IMDb rating 7.27.7K votes
After the Thin Man1936as Abrams
IMDb rating 7.613K votes
God Told Me To1976as Everett Lukas
IMDb rating 6.37.5K votes

Most often with

W.S. Van Dyke directed two of these films. Burt Lancaster 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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Burt Lancaster

Robert Mitchum

James Stewart

Henry Fonda

Barbara Stanwyck

Jeff CoreyW.S. Van DykeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Burt Lancaster3 films together, 1946 to 1957
Burt Lancaster's page
- Sweet Smell of Success1957IMDb rating 8.0Levene as Frank D' AngeloLancaster as J.J. Hunsecker
- Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5Levene as Louie MillerLancaster as Joe Collins
- The Killers1946IMDb rating 7.7Levene as Police Lt. Sam LubinskyLancaster as Ole 'Swede' Anderson
Robert Mitchum2 films together, 1943 to 1947
Robert Mitchum's page
- Crossfire1947IMDb rating 7.2Levene as SamuelsMitchum as Peter Keeley
- Gung Ho!1943IMDb rating 6.0Levene as Leo 'Transport' AndreofMitchum as 'Pig iron' Matthews
James Stewart2 films together, 1936 to 1938
James Stewart's page
- The Shopworn Angel1938IMDb rating 6.9Levene as 'Leer'Stewart as Pvt. William 'Texas' Pettigrew
- After the Thin Man1936IMDb rating 7.6Levene as AbramsStewart as David
Henry Fonda2 films together, 1938 to 1942
Henry Fonda's page
- The Big Street1942IMDb rating 6.4Levene as HorsethiefFonda as Little Pinks
- The Mad Miss Manton1938IMDb rating 6.7Levene as Lieutenant BrentFonda as Peter Ames
Barbara Stanwyck2 films together, 1938 to 1939
Barbara Stanwyck's page
- Golden Boy1939IMDb rating 6.8Levene as SiggieStanwyck as Lorna Moon
- The Mad Miss Manton1938IMDb rating 6.7Levene as Lieutenant BrentStanwyck as Melsa Manton
Jeff Corey2 films together, 1946 to 1947
Jeff Corey's page
- Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5Levene as Louie MillerCorey as 'Freshman' Stack
- The Killers1946IMDb rating 7.7Levene as Police Lt. Sam LubinskyCorey as Blinky Franklin
W.S. Van DykeDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1941
All films by W.S. Van Dyke
- Shadow of the Thin Man1941IMDb rating 7.2Levene as Lieutenant Abrams
- After the Thin Man1936IMDb rating 7.6Levene as Abrams
Also two films together19 more actors
- Agnes MooreheadThe Opposite Sex (1956) and The Big Street (1942)
- Myrna LoyShadow of the Thin Man (1941) and After the Thin Man (1936)
- Lee J. CobbBoomerang! (1947) and Golden Boy (1939)
- William PowellShadow of the Thin Man (1941) and After the Thin Man (1936)
- Louise BeaversThe Big Street (1942) and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
- Vince BarnettBrute Force (1947) and The Killers (1946)
- James BellDial 1119 (1950) and Brute Force (1947)
- Jesse WhiteDesigning Woman (1957) and Guilty Bystander (1950)
- Joseph CalleiaGolden Boy (1939) and After the Thin Man (1936)
- Virginia GreyGrand Central Murder (1942) and The Shopworn Angel (1938)
- Hattie McDanielThe Mad Miss Manton (1938) and The Shopworn Angel (1938)
- Charles D. BrownThe Killers (1946) and The Shopworn Angel (1938)
- William ConradDial 1119 (1950) and The Killers (1946)
- Roman BohnenBrute Force (1947) and Grand Central Murder (1942)
- Sid MeltonDesigning Woman (1957) and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
- Alan CurtisGung Ho! (1943) and The Shopworn Angel (1938)
- Penny SingletonThe Mad Miss Manton (1938) and After the Thin Man (1936)
- AstaShadow of the Thin Man (1941) and After the Thin Man (1936)
- Dolores GrayDesigning Woman (1957) and The Opposite Sex (1956)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Sam Levene's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$51.6 million

9 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
1US gross only
13Figure not found

Top grosser

...And Justice for All1979Arnie$33.3 million

Highest grossing

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

1
...And Justice for All1979as Arnie
$33M64.6% of the total
2
Action in the North Atlantic1943as Abel 'Chips' Abrams
$3.5M6.7% of the total
3
After the Thin Man1936as Abrams
$3.2M6.1% of the total
4
The Opposite Sex1956as Mike Pearl
$2.8M5.4% of the total
5
Sweet Smell of Success1957as Frank D' Angelo
$2.5M4.8% of the total
6
Shadow of the Thin Man1941as Lieutenant Abrams
$2.3M4.5% of the total
7
Boomerang!1947as Morning Record's Reporter Dave Woods
$2.2M4.4% of the total
8
Crossfire1947as Samuels
$1.3M2.5% of the total