James Howard Dunn was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 film actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

.

Biography

Born in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 of Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 descent, Dunn was the son of a Wall Street

Wall Street

Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...

 stockbroker who, according to Dunn, "either had a million or nothing." He joined his father in his business for three years. Dunn started his entertainment career in vaudeville

Vaudeville

Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...

 before progressing to films at Paramount's Astoria studios in the late 1920s starting as an extra. After a gap where he appeared in stock companies, he returned to films. He was signed by Fox in 1931, making 22 films and several more on loan-out.

Dunn made a strong first impression with his first role, in Bad Girl. He went on to make several formula films, including Society Girl (1932

1932 in film

-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....

) with Peggy Shannon

Peggy Shannon

Peggy Shannon was an American actress. She appeared on the stage and screen of the 1920s and 1930s.-Career:Shannon was born Winona Sammon in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1907...

 and Hello, Sister!

Hello, Sister!

Hello, Sister! is a 1933 drama film directed by Alan Crosland, Erich von Stroheim, Raoul Walsh, and Alfred L. Werker.-Cast:* James Dunn - Jimmy* Zasu Pitts - Millie* Boots Mallory - Peggy...

(1933) with Boots Mallory

Boots Mallory

Patricia "Boots" Mallory was an American film actress, dancer and model.-Career:Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mallory grew up in Mobile, Alabama, attended Murphy High School, and was working in the Lyric Theater as an usherette when the Ziegfeld Follies came to Mobile. Ziegfeld offered her a...

 and ZaSu Pitts

ZaSu Pitts

ZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...

. Dunn's other early successes included four Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...

 films in 1934, Baby Take a Bow

Baby Take a Bow

Baby Take a Bow is a 1934 American comedy drama film directed by Harry Lachman. The screenplay by Philip Klein and Edward E. Paramore Jr. is based on the play Square Crooks by James P. Judge. Temple plays the child of an ex-con trying to better life for himself and his family. The film was a...

, Stand Up and Cheer!

Stand Up and Cheer!

Stand Up and Cheer! is a 1934 American musical film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The screenplay by Lew Brown and Ralph Spence was based upon a story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein. The film is about efforts undertaken during the Great Depression to boost the morale of the country...

, Change of Heart

Change of Heart (1934 film)

Change of Heart is a 1934 American drama film starring Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, James Dunn, and Ginger Rogers. The movie, about a quartet of college chums who all move to 1934 New York City, was written by James Gleason and Sonya Levien from Kathleen Norris's novel, Manhattan Love Song and...

and Bright Eyes.

The roles that followed did nothing to further his career, and during the late 1930s his prospects were further diminished by a battle with alcoholism

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...

. In 1945 his performance in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (film)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a 1945 film, the first film directed by Greek-American director Elia Kazan, starring James Dunn , Dorothy McGuire, Joan Blondell, and Peggy Ann Garner .The film is based on an American novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith first published in 1943...

earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...

, playing an alcoholic, but good-natured Irish father, a dreamer whose presence brought joy to those around him even though he was never a success in the traditional sense.

His success was short-lived and by the beginning of the 1950s, he was unemployed, bankrupt, and once again depending on alcohol. After 1950, he appeared in only three feature films, but continued working in television until his death. From 1954 to 1956, he appeared as Earl Morgan, the deadbeat brother, always concocting "get-rich-quick" shemes, of the character Amy Morgan, played by Frances Bavier

Frances Bavier

Frances Elizabeth Bavier was an American stage and television actress. Originally from the New York theatre, Bavier worked in film and television from the 1950s...

, in the NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

 sitcom It's a Great Life

It's a Great Life

It's a Great Life is an American situation comedy which aired on NBC from 1954 to 1956...

. Michael O'Shea

Michael O'Shea (actor)

Michael O'Shea , was an American character actor whose career spanned from the 1940s-1960s. O'Shea was born in Hartford, Connecticut...

 also appeared in the series as a tenant of landlady Amy Morgan.

Personal life

Dunn was married three times. His first, to Edna O'Lier, ended in divorce. He was married to the actress Frances Gifford

Frances Gifford

Mary Frances Gifford was an American actress who played leads and supporting roles in many 1930s and 1940s movies.-Career:...

 from 1938 until 1942. He married his third wife, Edna Rush in 1945, who survived him at his death on September 3, 1967 at the age of 65 from complications following stomach surgery in Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

James Dunn has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...

, for his contributions to motion pictures at 6555 Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Boulevard

-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...

, and television at 7010 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1929	In the Nick of Time		as Jimmy Dunn
1930	Believe It or Not#3	Reporter	uncredited
	Barefoot Days
	Tom Thumbs Down		as Jimmy Dunn
	The Varsity Show		as Jimmy Dunn
1931	Bad Girl	Eddie Collins
	Sob Sister	Garry Webster
	Over the Hill	Johnny Shelby as an Adult
1932	Society Girl	Johnny Malone
	Dance Team	Jimmy Mulligan
	Handle with Care	Bill Gordon
1933	Hold Me Tight	Chuck
	Hello, Sister! Hello, Sister! Hello, Sister! is a 1933 drama film directed by Alan Crosland, Erich von Stroheim, Raoul Walsh, and Alfred L. Werker.-Cast:* James Dunn - Jimmy* Zasu Pitts - Millie* Boots Mallory - Peggy...	Jimmy
	Arizona to Broadway Arizona to Broadway Arizona to Broadway is a 1933 crime romance film made by Fox Film Corporation, directed by James Tinling. The screenplay was written by William M. Conselman and Henry Johnson. The film stars James Dunn and Joan Bennett....	Smiley Wells
	Sailor's Luck	Jimmy Harrigan
	Jimmy and Sally	Jimmy O'Connor
	The Girl in 419	Dr. Daniel French
	Take a Chance	Duke Stanley
1934	Hold That Girl	Barney Sullivan
	365 Nights in Hollywood 365 Nights in Hollywood 365 Nights in Hollywood is a 1934 American drama film starring Alice Faye and James Dunn. The film was directed by George Marshall.-Cast:* James Dunn as James 'Jimmy' Dale* Alice Faye as Alice Perkins* Frank Mitchell as Percy* Jack Durant as Clarence...	James 'Jimmy' Dale
	Have a Heart	James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
	Bright Eyes	James 'Loop' Merritt
	Change of Heart Change of Heart (1934 film) Change of Heart is a 1934 American drama film starring Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, James Dunn, and Ginger Rogers. The movie, about a quartet of college chums who all move to 1934 New York City, was written by James Gleason and Sonya Levien from Kathleen Norris's novel, Manhattan Love Song and...	Mack McGowan
	Stand Up and Cheer! Stand Up and Cheer! Stand Up and Cheer! is a 1934 American musical film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The screenplay by Lew Brown and Ralph Spence was based upon a story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein. The film is about efforts undertaken during the Great Depression to boost the morale of the country...	Jimmy Dugan
	Baby Take a Bow Baby Take a Bow Baby Take a Bow is a 1934 American comedy drama film directed by Harry Lachman. The screenplay by Philip Klein and Edward E. Paramore Jr. is based on the play Square Crooks by James P. Judge. Temple plays the child of an ex-con trying to better life for himself and his family. The film was a...	Eddie Ellison
1935	Bad Boy	Eddie Nolan
	The Daring Young Man	Don McLane
	The Payoff	Joe McCoy
	Welcome Home	Richard Foster
	George White's 1935 Scandals George White's 1935 Scandals George White's 1935 Scandals is an American musical film, written by Jack Yellen and produced in 1935 by Fox Film Corporation . It was a follow-up to the 1934 release, George White's Scandals.-Plot:The film centers on real-life stage and screen producer George White as he gathers acts for his new...	Eddy Taylor
1936	Come Closer, Folks	Jim Keene
	Don't Get Personal	Bob
	Hearts in Bondage Hearts in Bondage - Cast :*James Dunn as Lieutenant Kenneth Reynolds*Mae Clarke as Constance Jordan*David Manners as Raymond Jordan*Charlotte Henry as Julie Buchanan*Henry B. Walthall as Captain Buchanan*Fritz Leiber as Captain John Ericsson*George Irving as Commodore Jordan...	Lieutenant Kenneth Reynolds
	Two-Fisted Gentleman	Mickey
	Mysterious Crossing	Addison Francis Murphy
1937	We Have Our Moments	John Wade
	Living on Love	Gary Martin
	Venus Makes Trouble	Buzz Martin
1938	Shadows Over Shanghai Shadows Over Shanghai - Cast :*James Dunn as Johnny McGinty*Ralph Morgan as Howard Barclay*Lynda Grey as Irene Roma*Robert Barrat as Igor Sargoza*Paul Sutton as Fuji Yokahama*Edward Woods as Peter Roma*Edwin Mordant as Dr...	Johnny McGinty
1939	Pride of the Navy	Speed Brennan
	Mercy Plane	Speed Leslie
1940	Son of the Navy	Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
	Hold That Woman!	Jimmy Parker, a Skip-Tracer
1942	The Living Ghost The Living Ghost The Living Ghost is a 1942 American film directed by William Beaudine.The film is also known as Lend Me Your Ear in the United Kingdom.- Cast :*James Dunn as Nick Trayne*Joan Woodbury as Billie Hilton*Paul McVey as Ed Moline...	Nick Trayne
1943	The Ghost and the Guest	Webster Frye
1944	Leave It to the Irish	Terry Moran, Private Investigator
	Government Girl	Sergeant Joe Blake
1945	A Tree Grows in Brooklyn A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (film) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a 1945 film, the first film directed by Greek-American director Elia Kazan, starring James Dunn , Dorothy McGuire, Joan Blondell, and Peggy Ann Garner .The film is based on an American novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith first published in 1943...	Johnny Nolan aka The Brooklyn Thrush	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
	The Caribbean Mystery	Mr. Smith
1946	That Brennan Girl That Brennan Girl That Brennan Girl is a 1946 American film directed by Alfred Santell.The film is also known as Tough Girl .- Cast :*James Dunn as Denny Reagan aka Prof. Who's Its*Mona Freeman as Ziggy Brennan...	Denny Reagan aka Prof. Who's Its
1947	Killer McCoy	Brian McCoy
1948	Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven	Mike
1950	A Wonderful Life
	The Golden Gloves Story The Golden Gloves Story The Golden Gloves Story is a 1950 American film directed by Felix E. Feist. It tells the story of boxer Nick Martel as he competes in the Golden Gloves tournament. During the competition he falls in love with Patti, the daughter of Joe Riley, a boxing referee.-Cast:*James Dunn ... Joe Riley*Dewey...	Joe Riley
1960	The Bramble Bush The Bramble Bush The Bramble Bush is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Richard Burton, Angie Dickinson and Jack Carson....	Stew Schaeffer
1962	Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man is a 1962 drama film directed by Martin Ritt based on the Nick Adams stories by Ernest Hemingway, and featuring Richard Beymer as Adams.-Cast:*Richard Beymer as Nick Adams*Diane Baker as Carolyn...	Telegrapher
1966	The Oscar The Oscar (film) The Oscar is a 1966 American drama film, written by Harlan Ellison, Clarence Greene, Russell Rouse and Richard Sale, directed by Rouse and starring Stephen Boyd, singer Tony Bennett , comedian Milton Berle , Elke Sommer, Ernest Borgnine, Jill St. John, and Eleanor Parker...	Network Executive

External links