Spencer Tracy

Biography

Spencer Tracy was an American actor and a leading star of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born in Milwaukee, he discovered acting at Ripon College and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before spending seven years in stock companies and on Broadway. His breakthrough came in 1930 with The Last Mile, which led to his film debut, Up the River (1930), and a contract with Fox. He joined MGM in 1935, where Fury (1936) helped make him a major star. He won consecutive Best Actor Oscars for Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938), the first actor to do so. He appeared in Woman of the Year (1942), Adam's Rib (1949), Father of the Bride (1950) and Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), winning the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for the last. He made his final film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), with director Stanley Kramer. He died in 1967.

67years old at death

Born April 5, 1900Milwaukee
Died June 10, 1967Los Angeles
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 45
Career span: 37 years1930 to 1967

Genres

Drama78%, 35 films
Romance36%, 16 films
Comedy33%, 15 films
Adventure22%, 10 films
Crime11%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

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Behind the award
Tracy won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and he was the first actor to take two Oscars in a row in that category.
Big break
Tracy's Broadway break came in George M. Cohan's Yellow, after Cohan told him during rehearsals that he was the best actor Cohan had ever seen.
Behind the award
Tracy won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for Bad Day at Black Rock, a role he took after refusing to play second billing to Humphrey Bogart elsewhere.
Early training
While touring with his college debate team, Tracy tried out for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He earned a scholarship to the school by acting out a scene from a role he had played before.
First role
Tracy first appeared on the New York stage in The Wedding Guests, which opened in October 1922. Three months later he made his Broadway debut as a robot with no lines in R.U.R.

Spencer Tracy movies on Netflix

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967IMDb rating 7.8as Matt Drayton
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963IMDb rating 7.4as Capt. T. G. Culpepper
How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1as Narrator (voice)
Judgment at Nuremberg1961IMDb rating 8.3as Chief Judge Dan Haywood
The Devil at 4 O'Clock1961IMDb rating 6.4as Father Matthew Doonan
Inherit the Wind1960IMDb rating 8.1as Henry Drummond
The Last Hurrah1958IMDb rating 7.3as Mayor Frank Skeffington
The Old Man and the Sea1958IMDb rating 6.9as The Old Man
Desk Set1957IMDb rating 7.2as Richard Sumner
The Mountain1956IMDb rating 6.8as Zachary Teller
Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6as John J. Macreedy
Broken Lance1954IMDb rating 6.9as Matt Devereaux
Pat and Mike1952IMDb rating 6.9as Mike Conovan
Plymouth Adventure1952IMDb rating 6.3as Capt. Christopher Jones
Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5as Stanley Banks
The People Against O'Hara1951IMDb rating 6.8as James P. Curtayne
Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1as Stanley T. Banks
Adam's Rib1949IMDb rating 7.4as Adam Bonner
Edward, My Son1949IMDb rating 6.5as Arnold Boult
State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2as Grant Matthews
The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3as Col. James B. 'Jim' Brewton
Without Love1945IMDb rating 6.6as Pat Jamieson
The Seventh Cross1944IMDb rating 7.4as George Heisler
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo1944IMDb rating 7.2as Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle
A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9as Pete Sandidge
Keeper of the Flame1943IMDb rating 6.7as Stevie O'Malley
Tortilla Flat1942IMDb rating 6.2as Pilon
Woman of the Year1942IMDb rating 7.1as Sam Craig
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1941IMDb rating 6.8as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Boom Town1940IMDb rating 7.0as Square John Sand
Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0as Thomas A. Edison
Northwest Passage1940IMDb rating 7.0as Major Robert Rogers
Stanley and Livingstone1939IMDb rating 7.0as Henry M. Stanley
Boys Town1938IMDb rating 7.2as Father Flanagan
Mannequin1938IMDb rating 6.6as John Hennessey
Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8as Gunner Morse
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9as Manuel
Fury1936IMDb rating 7.8as Joe Wilson
Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8as Haggerty
San Francisco1936IMDb rating 7.1as Father Tim Mullin
Man's Castle1933IMDb rating 7.1as Bill
20,000 Years in Sing Sing1932IMDb rating 6.8as Tommy Connors
Me and My Gal1932IMDb rating 6.6as Danny Dolan
Goldie1931IMDb rating 5.4as Bill
Up the River1930IMDb rating 5.9as Saint Louis

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 Chief Judge Dan Haywood
IMDb rating 8.399K votes
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967 Comedy, Dramaas Matt Drayton
IMDb rating 7.853K votes
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963as Capt. T. G. Culpepper
IMDb rating 7.452K votes
Inherit the Wind1960as Henry Drummond
IMDb rating 8.136K votes
Bad Day at Black Rock1955as John J. Macreedy
IMDb rating 7.627K votes
Adam's Rib1949as Adam Bonner
IMDb rating 7.425K votes
Father of the Bride1950as Stanley T. Banks
IMDb rating 7.114K votes
Captains Courageous1937as Manuel
IMDb rating 7.912K votes

Most often with

Victor Fleming directed five of these films, Stanley Kramer four and George Cukor four. Katharine Hepburn appears in nine 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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Katharine Hepburn

George Chandler

Walter Brennan

Van Johnson

Addison Richards

Warren HymerVictor FlemingDirector, 5 films Stanley KramerDirector, 4 films

George CukorDirector, 4 films

Films together

Katharine Hepburn9 films together, 1942 to 1967
Katharine Hepburn's page
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967IMDb rating 7.8Tracy as Matt DraytonHepburn as Christina Drayton
- Desk Set1957IMDb rating 7.2Tracy as Richard SumnerHepburn as Bunny Watson
- Pat and Mike1952IMDb rating 6.9Tracy as Mike ConovanHepburn as Pat Pemberton
- Adam's Rib1949IMDb rating 7.4Tracy as Adam BonnerHepburn as Amanda Bonner
- State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2Tracy as Grant MatthewsHepburn as Mary Matthews
- The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3Tracy as Col. James B. 'Jim' BrewtonHepburn as Lutie Cameron Brewton
- Without Love1945IMDb rating 6.6Tracy as Pat JamiesonHepburn as Jamie Rowan
- Keeper of the Flame1943IMDb rating 6.7Tracy as Stevie O'MalleyHepburn as Christine Forrest
- Woman of the Year1942IMDb rating 7.1Tracy as Sam CraigHepburn as Tess Harding
George Chandler5 films together, 1932 to 1945
George Chandler's page
- Without Love1945IMDb rating 6.6Tracy as Pat JamiesonChandler as Elevator Boy
- Mannequin1938IMDb rating 6.6Tracy as John HennesseyChandler as 'Swing' Magoo
- Fury1936IMDb rating 7.8Tracy as Joe WilsonChandler as Milton Jackson
- Libeled Lady1936IMDb rating 7.8Tracy as HaggertyChandler as Bell Hop
- Me and My Gal1932IMDb rating 6.6Tracy as Danny DolanChandler as Eddie Collins
Walter Brennan5 films together, 1936 to 1962
Walter Brennan's page
- How the West Was Won1962IMDb rating 7.1Tracy as NarratorvoiceBrennan as Col. Jeb Hawkins
- Bad Day at Black Rock1955IMDb rating 7.6Tracy as John J. MacreedyBrennan as Doc T.R. Velie Jr.
- Northwest Passage1940IMDb rating 7.0Tracy as Major Robert RogersBrennan as 'Hunk' Marriner
- Stanley and Livingstone1939IMDb rating 7.0Tracy as Henry M. StanleyBrennan as Jeff Slocum
- Fury1936IMDb rating 7.8Tracy as Joe WilsonBrennan as Bugs Meyers
Van Johnson4 films together, 1943 to 1952
Van Johnson's page
- Plymouth Adventure1952IMDb rating 6.3Tracy as Capt. Christopher JonesJohnson as John Alden
- State of the Union1948IMDb rating 7.2Tracy as Grant MatthewsJohnson as Spike McManus
- Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo1944IMDb rating 7.2Tracy as Lt. Col. Jimmy DoolittleJohnson as Ted Lawson
- A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9Tracy as Pete SandidgeJohnson as Ted Randall
Addison Richards4 films together, 1938 to 1943
Addison Richards's page
- A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9Tracy as Pete SandidgeRichards as Maj. Corbett
- Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0Tracy as Thomas A. EdisonRichards as Mr. Johnson
- Northwest Passage1940IMDb rating 7.0Tracy as Major Robert RogersRichards as Lieutenant Crofton
- Boys Town1938IMDb rating 7.2Tracy as Father FlanaganRichards as Judge
Warren Hymer4 films together, 1930 to 1936
Warren Hymer's page
- San Francisco1936IMDb rating 7.1Tracy as Father Tim MullinHymer as Hazeltine
- 20,000 Years in Sing Sing1932IMDb rating 6.8Tracy as Tommy ConnorsHymer as Hype
- Goldie1931IMDb rating 5.4Tracy as BillHymer as Spike Moore
- Up the River1930IMDb rating 5.9Tracy as Saint LouisHymer as Dannemora Dan
Victor FlemingDirector, 5 films, 1937 to 1943
All films by Victor Fleming
- A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9Tracy as Pete Sandidge
- Tortilla Flat1942IMDb rating 6.2Tracy as Pilon
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1941IMDb rating 6.8Tracy as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Tracy as Gunner Morse
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Tracy as Manuel
Stanley KramerDirector, 4 films, 1960 to 1967
All films by Stanley Kramer
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967IMDb rating 7.8Tracy as Matt Drayton
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963IMDb rating 7.4Tracy as Capt. T. G. Culpepper
- Judgment at Nuremberg1961IMDb rating 8.3Tracy as Chief Judge Dan Haywood
- Inherit the Wind1960IMDb rating 8.1Tracy as Henry Drummond
George CukorDirector, 4 films, 1943 to 1952
All films by George Cukor
- Pat and Mike1952IMDb rating 6.9Tracy as Mike Conovan
- Adam's Rib1949IMDb rating 7.4Tracy as Adam Bonner
- Edward, My Son1949IMDb rating 6.5Tracy as Arnold Boult
- Keeper of the Flame1943IMDb rating 6.7Tracy as Stevie O'Malley

Box office

What Spencer Tracy's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$176 million

15 of the 45 films have a worldwide figure.

15Worldwide figure
1US gross only
29Figure not found

Top grosser

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963Capt. T. G. Culpepper$60.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 90% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963as Capt. T. G. Culpepper
$60M34.1% of the total
2
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967as Matt Drayton
$57M32.2% of the total
3
Judgment at Nuremberg1961as Chief Judge Dan Haywood
$10M5.7% of the total
4
Adam's Rib1949as Adam Bonner
$9.5M5.4% of the total
5
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo1944as Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle
$6.2M3.5% of the total
6
A Guy Named Joe1943as Pete Sandidge
$5.4M3.0% of the total
7
San Francisco1936as Father Tim Mullin
$5.3M3.0% of the total
8
Boom Town1940as Square John Sand
$5.0M2.8% of the total

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), $3.8 million

$18.2 millionfrom the other 7 films with a worldwide figure, 10% of the total

Awards

Seven awards and honors from 1938 to 1969, five of them major.

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Spencer Tracy's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1939	Best Actor	Boys Town	Won
1938	Best Actor	Captains Courageous	Won
Golden Globes
1953	Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama	The Actress	Won
BAFTA
1969	Best Actor in a Leading Role (posthumous)	Guess Who's Coming to Dinner	Won
Cannes Film Festival
1955	Best Actor	Bad Day at Black Rock	Won
Other honors
	David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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