Walter Pidgeon

Biography

Walter Pidgeon was a Canadian-American actor and a leading man of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, he studied law and drama at the University of New Brunswick before moving to Boston, where he studied voice at the Boston Conservatory. After Broadway work in the mid-1920s, he made his film debut in Mannequin (1925) and later returned to the screen in Saratoga (1937) and Dark Command (1940). He starred in How Green Was My Valley (1941) and earned Academy Award nominations for Mrs. Miniver (1942) and Madame Curie (1943), often opposite Greer Garson. Other films included The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Executive Suite (1954), Forbidden Planet (1956), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), Advise & Consent (1962), Funny Girl (1968), and Harry in Your Pocket (1973). He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1952 to 1957, received its Life Achievement Award in 1975, and retired in 1977. He died in 1984.

87years old at death

Born September 23, 1897Saint John
Died September 25, 1984Santa Monica
Star sign: LibraFirst day of the sign, on the Virgo cusp

Movie Career

Films: 33
Career span: 42 years1936 to 1978

Genres

Drama67%, 22 films
Romance52%, 17 films
Comedy24%, 8 films
Thriller15%, 5 films
War15%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

First role
While doing amateur theatricals in Boston, Walter Pidgeon was hired by Elsie Janis, a producer, actress and singer who needed a male singer for her revue.
First role
Pidgeon's success led to a rift with Janis, and he was dismissed. He then moved to Hollywood, where he took his first role in the silent film Mannequin in 1925.
A change of course
After the war, Pidgeon relocated to Boston, Massachusetts. There he worked as a bank runner while also studying voice at the Boston Conservatory.

Walter Pidgeon movies on Netflix

Sextette1978IMDb rating 3.9as The Chairman
Two-Minute Warning1976IMDb rating 6.2as The Pickpocket
Murder on Flight 5021975IMDb rating 5.4as Charlie Parkins
Harry in Your Pocket1973IMDb rating 6.3as Casey
The Neptune Factor1973IMDb rating 4.4as Dr. Samuel Andrews
Skyjacked1972IMDb rating 5.7as Sen. Arne Lindner
Rascal1969IMDb rating 6.4as Sterling North (voice)
Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4as Florenz Ziegfeld
Warning Shot1966IMDb rating 6.7as Orville Ames
Cinderella1965IMDb rating 7.6as King
Advise & Consent1962IMDb rating 7.7as Senate Majority Leader
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961IMDb rating 6.0as Adm. Harriman Nelson
Forbidden Planet1956IMDb rating 7.5as Dr. Morbius
The Rack1956IMDb rating 6.8as Col. Edward W. Hall, Sr.
The Glass Slipper1955IMDb rating 6.4as Narrator (voice)
Deep in My Heart1954IMDb rating 6.4as J.J. Shubert
Executive Suite1954IMDb rating 7.4as Frederick Y. Alderson
The Last Time I Saw Paris1954IMDb rating 6.1as James Ellswirth
Dream Wife1953IMDb rating 5.9as Walter McBride
Million Dollar Mermaid1952IMDb rating 6.5as Frederick Kellerman
The Bad and the Beautiful1952IMDb rating 7.7as Harry Pebbel
Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3as Major General Roland Goodlow Kane
Mrs. Parkington1944IMDb rating 7.0as Major Augustus Parkington
Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2as Pierre Curie
Mrs. Miniver1942IMDb rating 7.6as Clem Miniver
Blossoms in the Dust1941IMDb rating 6.9as Sam Gladney
How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7as Mr. Gruffydd
Man Hunt1941IMDb rating 7.1as Captain Alan Thorndike
Dark Command1940IMDb rating 6.7as William 'Will' Cantrell
The Shopworn Angel1938IMDb rating 6.9as Sam Bailey
Too Hot to Handle1938IMDb rating 6.6as Bill Dennis
Saratoga1937IMDb rating 6.5as Hartley Madison
Big Brown Eyes1936IMDb rating 6.5as Richard Morey

Best known for

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

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Forbidden Planet1956 Action, Adventure, Romanceas Dr. Morbius
IMDb rating 7.558K votes
How Green Was My Valley1941 Drama, Familyas Mr. Gruffydd
IMDb rating 7.730K votes
Mrs. Miniver1942as Clem Miniver
IMDb rating 7.622K votes
The Bad and the Beautiful1952as Harry Pebbel
IMDb rating 7.718K votes
Funny Girl1968as Florenz Ziegfeld
IMDb rating 7.428K votes
Man Hunt1941as Captain Alan Thorndike
IMDb rating 7.17.3K votes
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961as Adm. Harriman Nelson
IMDb rating 6.07.2K votes
Advise & Consent1962as Senate Majority Leader
IMDb rating 7.78.2K votes

Most often with

Mervyn LeRoy directed three of these films, William Wyler two and Raoul Walsh two. Greer Garson appears in four 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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Greer Garson

Clark Gable

Van Johnson

Anne Francis

Roddy McDowall

Cary GrantMervyn LeRoyDirector, 3 films

William WylerDirector, 2 films

Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films

Films together

Greer Garson4 films together, 1941 to 1944
Greer Garson's page
- Mrs. Parkington1944IMDb rating 7.0Pidgeon as Major Augustus ParkingtonGarson as Susie Parkington
- Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2Pidgeon as Pierre CurieGarson as Marie Curie
- Mrs. Miniver1942IMDb rating 7.6Pidgeon as Clem MiniverGarson as Mrs. Miniver
- Blossoms in the Dust1941IMDb rating 6.9Pidgeon as Sam GladneyGarson as Edna Gladney
Clark Gable3 films together, 1937 to 1948
Clark Gable's page
- Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3Pidgeon as Major General Roland Goodlow KaneGable as Brigadier General K.C. 'Casey' Dennis
- Too Hot to Handle1938IMDb rating 6.6Pidgeon as Bill DennisGable as Chris Hunter
- Saratoga1937IMDb rating 6.5Pidgeon as Hartley MadisonGable as Duke Bradley
Van Johnson3 films together, 1943 to 1954
Van Johnson's page
- The Last Time I Saw Paris1954IMDb rating 6.1Pidgeon as James EllswirthJohnson as Charles Wills
- Command Decision1948IMDb rating 7.3Pidgeon as Major General Roland Goodlow KaneJohnson as Technical Sergeant Immanuel T. Evans
- Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2Pidgeon as Pierre CurieJohnson as Reporter
Anne Francis3 films together, 1956 to 1968
Anne Francis's page
- Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4Pidgeon as Florenz ZiegfeldFrancis as Georgia James
- Forbidden Planet1956IMDb rating 7.5Pidgeon as Dr. MorbiusFrancis as Altaira Morbius
- The Rack1956IMDb rating 6.8Pidgeon as Col. Edward W. Hall, Sr.Francis as Aggie Hall
Roddy McDowall2 films together, 1941
Roddy McDowall's page
- How Green Was My Valley1941IMDb rating 7.7Pidgeon as Mr. GruffyddMcDowall as Huw
- Man Hunt1941IMDb rating 7.1Pidgeon as Captain Alan ThorndikeMcDowall as Vaner
Cary Grant2 films together, 1936 to 1953
Cary Grant's page
- Dream Wife1953IMDb rating 5.9Pidgeon as Walter McBrideGrant as Clemson Reade
- Big Brown Eyes1936IMDb rating 6.5Pidgeon as Richard MoreyGrant as Detective Sergeant Danny Barr
Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 3 films, 1941 to 1952
All films by Mervyn LeRoy
- Million Dollar Mermaid1952IMDb rating 6.5Pidgeon as Frederick Kellerman
- Madame Curie1943IMDb rating 7.2Pidgeon as Pierre Curie
- Blossoms in the Dust1941IMDb rating 6.9Pidgeon as Sam Gladney
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1968
All films by William Wyler
- Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4Pidgeon as Florenz Ziegfeld
- Mrs. Miniver1942IMDb rating 7.6Pidgeon as Clem Miniver
Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1940
All films by Raoul Walsh
- Dark Command1940IMDb rating 6.7Pidgeon as William 'Will' Cantrell
- Big Brown Eyes1936IMDb rating 6.5Pidgeon as Richard Morey
Also two films together25 more actors
- Keenan WynnWarning Shot (1966) and The Glass Slipper (1955)
- George SandersWarning Shot (1966) and Man Hunt (1941)
- Charlton HestonTwo-Minute Warning (1976) and Skyjacked (1972)
- Reginald OwenMadame Curie (1943) and Mrs. Miniver (1942)
- Richard AndersonForbidden Planet (1956) and Dream Wife (1953)
- Elsa LanchesterRascal (1969) and The Glass Slipper (1955)
- Joe SawyerDark Command (1940) and Big Brown Eyes (1936)
- Rhys WilliamsMrs. Miniver (1942) and How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- James BestForbidden Planet (1956) and The Rack (1956)
- Paul StewartDeep in My Heart (1954) and The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
- Ray CollinsCommand Decision (1948) and Madame Curie (1943)
- Peter LawfordAdvise & Consent (1962) and Mrs. Parkington (1944)
- Trevor BardetteThe Rack (1956) and Dark Command (1940)
- Edward ArnoldCommand Decision (1948) and Mrs. Parkington (1944)
- Marjorie MainDark Command (1940) and Too Hot to Handle (1938)
- Hattie McDanielThe Shopworn Angel (1938) and Saratoga (1937)
- Les TremayneForbidden Planet (1956) and Dream Wife (1953)
- Henry TraversMadame Curie (1943) and Mrs. Miniver (1942)
- Joan BennettMan Hunt (1941) and Big Brown Eyes (1936)
- David JanssenTwo-Minute Warning (1976) and Warning Shot (1966)
- Frederick WorlockHow Green Was My Valley (1941) and Man Hunt (1941)
- Yvette MimieuxThe Neptune Factor (1973) and Skyjacked (1972)
- Dame May WhittyMadame Curie (1943) and Mrs. Miniver (1942)
- George GrizzardWarning Shot (1966) and Advise & Consent (1962)
- Lucy KnochExecutive Suite (1954) and The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Walter Pidgeon's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$118 million

14 of the 33 films have a worldwide figure.

14Worldwide figure
1US gross only
2Never in cinemas
16Figure not found

Top grosser

Funny Girl1968Florenz Ziegfeld$58.7 million

Highest grossing

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

1
Funny Girl1968as Florenz Ziegfeld
$59M49.6% of the total
2
Mrs. Miniver1942as Clem Miniver
$14M11.4% of the total
3
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961as Adm. Harriman Nelson
$7.0M5.9% of the total
4
Two-Minute Warning1976as The Pickpocket
$6.7M5.7% of the total
5
Skyjacked1972as Sen. Arne Lindner
$6.5M5.5% of the total
6
The Last Time I Saw Paris1954as James Ellswirth
$4.9M4.2% of the total
7
How Green Was My Valley1941as Mr. Gruffydd
$4.8M4.1% of the total
8
Deep in My Heart1954as J.J. Shubert
$4.0M3.4% of the total