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Joseph Cotten

from the trailer for the film Love Letters (1945). Love Letters is a 1945 film adapted by Ayn Rand from the novel Pity My Simplicity by Christopher Massie.
Born Joseph Cheshire Cotten
May 15, 1905(1905-05-15)
Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
Died February 6, 1994 (aged 88)
Westwood, California, U.S.
Years active 1938–1981
Spouse(s) Lenore Kipp (1931–1960)
Patricia Medina (1960–1994)

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American actor of stage and screen. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Westwood is a Census-designated place (CDP in Lassen County, California, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The year 1938 in film involved some significant events Events January &mdash MGM announces that Judy Garland Events January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works He was perhaps best known for his collaborations with Orson Welles, which included Citizen Kane, The Third Man, Magnificent Ambersons and Journey Into Fear, which Cotten wrote, and for his work with Alfred Hitchcock. George Orson Welles (May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 was an Academy Award -winning director, writer actor and producer for film stage radio and television Citizen Kane ( 1941) is an American Dramatic film, and the first Feature film directed by Orson Welles, who also co-authored The Third Man ( is an award-winning British Film noir directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, This is an article about the 1918 novel For the 1942 film adaptaton see The Magnificent Ambersons (film The Magnificent Ambersons For the 1943 film adaptation see Journey into Fear (film. Journey Into Fear is a well-known 1940 spy thriller by Eric Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 He received his start on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair, and became a recognizable Hollywood star in his own right with films such as Shadow of a Doubt and Portrait of Jennie. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located The Philadelphia Story is a romantic Comedy film starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart, and directed by Sabrina Fair (subtitled "A Woman Of The World" is a Romantic comedy written by Samuel A Shadow of a Doubt is a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson and Alma Reville Portrait of Jennie is a 1948 Fantasy film based on the novella by Robert Nathan.

Contents

Biography and career

Early life and career

Born in Petersburg, Virginia, Cotten worked as an advertising agent after graduating from the Washington, D.C., Hickman School, where he studied acting. Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D His work as a theatre critic inspired him to become more involved in theatre productions, first in Virginia, and later in New York. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Cotten made his Broadway debut in 1930, and soon befriended up-and-coming actor/director/producer Orson Welles. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. George Orson Welles (May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 was an Academy Award -winning director, writer actor and producer for film stage radio and television In 1937, he joined Welles' Mercury Theatre Company, starring in productions of Julius Caesar and Shoemaker's Holiday. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mercury Theatre was a Theatre company founded in New York City by Orson Welles and John Houseman.

Cotten made his film debut in the Welles-directed short Too Much Johnson, a comedy based on William Gillette's 1890 play. Too Much Johnson is a 1938 Comedy film directed and written by Orson Welles. William Hooker Gillette ( b July 24, 1853, Hartford, Connecticut; d Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The short was occasionally screened before or after Mercury productions, but never received an official release. Cotten returned to Broadway in 1939, starring as C. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. K. Dexter Haven in the original production of Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story as well as the 1953 production of Sabrina Fair. Philip Jerome Quinn Barry ( June 18, 1896 - December 3, 1949) was an American playwright The Philadelphia Story is a romantic Comedy film starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart, and directed by Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sabrina Fair (subtitled "A Woman Of The World" is a Romantic comedy written by Samuel A

Citizen Kane

Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, and Everett Sloane in Citizen Kane.
Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, and Everett Sloane in Citizen Kane. George Orson Welles (May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 was an Academy Award -winning director, writer actor and producer for film stage radio and television Everett Sloane (October 1 &ndashAugust 6) was an American stage film and television actor Songwriter, and Theatre director. Citizen Kane ( 1941) is an American Dramatic film, and the first Feature film directed by Orson Welles, who also co-authored

After the success of Welles' infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast, Welles got an impressive contract with RKO Pictures. The two-picture deal promised full creative control for the young director, and Welles made sure to feature his Mercury players in whatever production he chose to bring to screen. However, after a year, production hadn't yet started on any of Welles' prospective projects. It took a meeting with writer Herman J. Mankiewicz for Welles to find a story to bring to the screen. Herman Jacob Mankiewicz ( November 7, 1897 - March 5, 1953) was a Hollywood screenwriter noted for writing along with Orson

In mid-1940 filming began on Citizen Kane, which portrayed the life of a brilliant media mogul (played by Welles) who starts out as an idealist but eventually turns into a corrupt, lonely old man. Citizen Kane ( 1941) is an American Dramatic film, and the first Feature film directed by Orson Welles, who also co-authored In Western civilization, Idealism is the philosophy which maintains that the Ultimate nature of reality is ideal or based upon ideas values essences The so-called The film featured Cotten prominently in the role of Kane's best friend, a drama critic for his print empire.

Cotten as Jed Leland in Citizen Kane
Cotten as Jed Leland in Citizen Kane

When released on May 1, 1941, Citizen Kane (based in part on the life of William Randolph Hearst) found little attention at theaters; Hearst owned the majority of the country's press outlets, and so forbade advertisements for the film. Citizen Kane ( 1941) is an American Dramatic film, and the first Feature film directed by Orson Welles, who also co-authored Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other people named William Randolph Hearst see William Randolph Hearst (disambiguation William Randolph Hearst I (April 29 1863 &ndash The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1942, but was largely ignored by the Academy, only winning for Best Screenplay, for Welles and Mankiewicz. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The film helped launch the careers of many other Mercury players, such as Agnes Moorehead (who played Kane's mother), Ruth Warrick (Kane's first wife), and Ray Collins (Kane's political opponent). Agnes Robertson Moorehead ( December 6 1900 – April 30 1974) was an American Actress. Dame Ruth Elizabeth Warrick ( June 29, 1915 – January 15, 2005), DM, OSJ, Regend of Cathedral of St Ray Bidwell Collins ( December 10, 1889 – July 11, 1965)was an American actor in Film, stage, Radio However, Cotten was the only one of the four to find major success in Hollywood outside of Citizen Kane.

Collaborations with Welles

Joseph Cotten in The Third Man, directed by Carol Reed.
Joseph Cotten in The Third Man, directed by Carol Reed. The Third Man ( is an award-winning British Film noir directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli,

Despite Welles' reputation of being difficult to get along with, he and Cotten remained good friends. Cotten starred a year later in Welles' adaptation and production of The Magnificent Ambersons, supported by Moorehead. The Magnificent Ambersons is a American Drama film written and directed by Orson Welles. After the commercial disappointment of Citizen Kane, RKO was apprehensive about the new film, and cut nearly an hour off the running time before releasing it. Though at points the film appeared disjointed, it was well received by critics. Despite the critical accolades Cotten received for his performance, he was again snubbed by the Academy (Moorehead was nominated for Best Supporting Actress). Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS

In 1943, Cotten took control of the Nazi-related thriller Journey Into Fear. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German For the 1943 film adaptation see Journey into Fear (film. Journey Into Fear is a well-known 1940 spy thriller by Eric He wrote the screenplay with the help of Welles (who produced the film), and starred in the film. By the time production wrapped, Welles had been dropped from RKO, and, as part of the settlement, was required to edit the film to suitable length. The film was a minor hit, but separated the friends from professional collaboration for six years.

The last collaboration with Welles is widely considered as Cotten's best performance. In The Third Man, Cotten portrays a writer of pulp fiction who travels to post-war Vienna to meet his friend Harry Lime (Welles). The Third Man ( is an award-winning British Film noir directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. The Third Man ( is an award-winning British Film noir directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, When he arrives, he discovers that Lime has died, and is determined to prove to the police that it was murder, but uncovers an even darker secret. Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries The film proved to be another technical achievement.

The forties and fifties

Cotten proved himself a versatile actor in Hollywood following the success of Citizen Kane. The characters he played onscreen during this period ranged from a serial killer in Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (opposite Teresa Wright) to an eager police detective in 1944's Gaslight (opposite Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and in her film debut, Angela Lansbury). A serial killer is a person who Murders usually three or more people with a "cooling off" period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 Shadow of a Doubt is a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson and Alma Reville Teresa Wright ( October 27, 1918 &ndash March 6, 2005) was an Academy Award -winning American actress. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the 1944 film Gaslight For the 1940 release see Gaslight. (ˈbærjman in Swedish but usually ˈbɝgmən in English (August 29 1915 &ndash August 29 1982 was a Swedish three-time Academy Award -winning and two-time Emmy Charles Boyer (28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978 was a four-time Academy Award -nominated French Actor who starred in a number of classic Hollywood Angela Brigid Lansbury, CBE (born October 16, 1925) is an English Golden Globe Award and Tony Award winning Actress Cotten starred with Jennifer Jones in four films: the wartime domestic drama Since You Went Away (1944), the romantic drama Love Letters (1945), the western Duel in the Sun (1946) and later in the critically acclaimed Portrait of Jennie (1948), in which he played a melancholy artist who becomes obsessed with a girl who may have died long ago. Jennifer Jones may refer to Jennifer Jones (actor (born 1919 eponym of Jennifer Robin Jones is an Academy Award-winning American actress Since You Went Away is a 1944 Film distributed by United Artists. Love Letters is a 1945 film adapted by Ayn Rand from the novel Pity My Simplicity by Christopher Massie. Duel in the Sun is a 1946 Western film, produced by David O Selznick, which tells the story of a Mestiza (half- Native American Portrait of Jennie is a 1948 Fantasy film based on the novella by Robert Nathan.

Cotten's career cooled in the 1950s with a string of less high-profile roles in films such as the dark Civil War epic Two Flags West, the Joan Fontaine romance September Affair, and the Marilyn Monroe vehicle, Niagara. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Joan Fontaine (born October 22, 1917) is an Academy Award -winning British Actress in American films Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1 1926 &ndash August 5 1962 baptized Norma Niagara ( 1953) is a dramatic thriller, Film noir directed by Henry Hathaway. His last theatrical releases in the '50s were mostly film-noir outings and unsuccessful character studies. In 1956, Cotten left film for several years in exchange for a string of successful television ventures, such as the series On Trial, which was later called The Joseph Cotten Show. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was also featured in the successful series Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the General Electric Theater. Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an Anthology Television series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. General Electric Theater is an American Anthology series that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. He finished the decade with a cameo appearance in the Welles production Touch of Evil and a starring role in the 1958 film adaptation of Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon. A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the Performing arts, such as Touch of Evil ( 1958) is a black-and-white American film written directed and co-starring Orson Welles. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction From the Earth to the Moon (De la Terre à la Lune 1865) is a humorous Science fantasy Novel by Jules Verne and is

The sixties and seventies

In 1960 he married British actress Patricia Medina, after his first wife, Lenore Kipp, died of leukemia earlier that year. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Patricia Paz Maria Medina ( 19 July 1920 -) is an English actress of middle-class parents Leukemia or leukaemia (Greek leukos λευκός, "white" aima αίμα, "blood" is a Cancer of the Blood After some time away from film, Cotten returned in 1964 in the horror classic Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte, opposite fellow screen veterans Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and Agnes Moorehead. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte (also known as What Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte?) is a 1964 American Horror film Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5 1908 – October 6 1989 was an American actress of Film, Television and Theatre. Olivia Mary de Havilland (born July 1, 1916) is a two-time Academy Award -winning actress. Agnes Robertson Moorehead ( December 6 1900 – April 30 1974) was an American Actress. The rest of the decade found Cotten in a number of forgettable B-movies, foreign productions, and TV movies. A B movie is a motion picture made on a low or modest budget Originally the term was used for films intended for distribution as the less-publicized second half of a Double He made guest appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show many times throughout the show's run. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6,

In the early 1970s, Cotten followed a supporting role in Tora! Tora! Tora!, with several horror features such as The Abominable Dr. Phibes, opposite Vincent Price, and the classic Soylent Green (1973). WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Abominable Dr Phibes is a Horror film starring Vincent Price. Vincent Leonard Price Jr ( May 27 1911 &ndash October 25 1993) was an American Film Actor, remembered Soylent Green " in popular culture the section "Cultural impact" was created as a "catch-all" of the cultural references to Later in the decade, Cotten was featured in several all-star disaster films, including Airport '77 opposite James Stewart and again with Olivia de Havilland and the nuclear thriller Twilight's Last Gleaming. A disaster film is a movie genre that has an impending or ongoing Disaster (such as a damaged Airliner, Fire Airport '77 is a 1977 Disaster film and second sequel in the Airport franchise James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor Twilight's Last Gleaming is a 1977 film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Burt Lancaster and Richard Widmark. On TV, he did a guest spot opposite James Garner on the 70's TV detective drama The Rockford Files. James Garner (born April 7 1928 is an American Film and Emmy -award winning Television Actor. The Rockford Files is an American Detective ( Private investigator) Television Drama that had its first run on the

Last years

One of Cotten's last films was 1980's infamous Heaven's Gate. Heaven's Gate is a 1980 Western movie depicting the Johnson County War, a dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming Afterward, he appeared with Hollywood star Gloria Grahame in a twist-in-the-tale episode of the cult British TV show, Tales of the Unexpected. Gloria Grahame ( November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an Academy Award -winning American Film Tales Of The Unexpected is a British Television series that originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television

Shortly after, the 75-year-old actor retired with his wife to their home in Westwood, California. Westwood is a Census-designated place (CDP in Lassen County, California, United States. Cotten published a popular autobiography, Vanity Will Get You Somewhere, in 1987. An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write" Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) He died on February 6, 1994, of pneumonia, a complication of terminal (or metastasized) throat cancer at the age of 88, leaving behind his wife and stepdaughter. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the Esophagus. There are various subtypes He was buried in Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia. Blandford Cemetery is located in Petersburg Virginia, USA. The oldest stone marking the grave of Richard Fairbrough reads 1702 Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River.

Legacy

Cotten is considered one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He was never nominated for an Academy Award, despite his immense body of work, including many films that are considered classics today. The only notable acting award Cotten received throughout his career was a Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his work in Portrait of Jennie. The Venice Film Festival is the oldest Film festival in the world

Quotation

“ Orson Welles lists Citizen Kane as his best film, Alfred Hitchcock opts for Shadow of a Doubt and Sir Carol Reed chose The Third Man - and I'm in all of them. ”

Filmography

Further reading

External links


Persondata
NAME Cotten, Joseph
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION actor
DATE OF BIRTH May 15, 1905(1905-05-15)
PLACE OF BIRTH Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH February 6, 1994
PLACE OF DEATH Westwood, California, U.S.
Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner The Internet Broadway Database ( IBDB) is an online Database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Westwood is a Census-designated place (CDP in Lassen County, California, United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
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