Cast & creator
James Dunn
Best known for Bonanza, The Fugitive, Climax!
James Dunn worked on the stage, in vaudeville and as an extra in silent movies before he was signed by Fox in 1931. His first movie with Fox was 1931's Sob Sister (1931). While at Fox, he appeared with Shirley Temple in her first three features: Baby Take a Bow (1934), Stand Up and Cheer! (1934) and Bright Eyes (1934). Dunn's screen character was usually the boy next door or the nice guy. In 1935 musicals at the new 20th Century-Fox were out and Dunn would move to the "B" list, from which he would never return. In The Payoff (1935) he plays the nice guy newspaper columnist whose wife ruins his career. By the late 1930s he was drinking heavily and become unemployable. He would appear in small roles in films during the early 1940s, but those parts were few. In 1945 he was able to make a comeback and win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), but his rejuvenated career would not continue. By 1951 he would again be unemployed and bankrupt. Television would later supply some work and he would be a regular on the series It's a Great Life (1954). Dunn was born 2 November 1901, New York City, New York, USA, and he died 1 September 1967, Santa Monica, California, USA (following abdominal surgery)
Also known as: James Howard Dunn, Jimmy Dunn
64
film credits
29
television credits
93
1919–1982 · acting roles
6.8
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (93)
Showing 93 of 93 credits
Bonanza
Danny Lynch
1959
The Fugitive
Lou Bragan
1963
Climax!
Eldon Abernathy
1954Climax!
Warren
1954
Matinee Theater
1955Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
The Virginian
Congressman Matthew J. Cosgrove
1962
Naked City
Peter Wilkin
1958
Studio One
1948Studio One
Frank Gabriel
1948
Ben Casey
1961
Rawhide
1959Rawhide
Dr. Soloman Flood
1959
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Gabe Henshaw
1958
Route 66
1960
Branded
1965Branded
Sam Manning
1965Lux Video Theatre
Joey
1950
Screen Director's Playhouse
Sheriff Garrett
1955
The Great Adventure
Indian Agent McLean
1963
The Wonderful World of Disney
J. Henry Newman
1954Vacation Playhouse
P.J. Cunningham
1963
Going My Way
1962
The Investigators
Chief Reynolds
1961
General Electric Theater
1953
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dan McLain
1951It's a Great Life
Earl Morgan
1954
The Oscar
TV executive
1966
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Johnny Nolan
1945
Bad Girl
Eddie Collins
1931A Wonderful Life
Henry Wood
1950
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Government Girl
Sergeant Joe Blake
1943Mercy Plane
'Speed' Leslie
1939
Baby Take a Bow
Eddie Ellison
1934
Stand Up and Cheer!
Jimmy Dugan
1934
Hello, Sister!
Jimmy
1933
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Telegrapher
1962
The Daring Young Man
Don McLane
1935
Take It or Leave It
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1944
We Have Our Moments
John Wade
1937
Deliverance
Life Saver
1919
Bright Eyes
Loop Merritt
1934
Leave It to the Irish
Terry Moran
1944
George White's 1935 Scandals
Eddie
1935
Sob Sister
Garry Webster
1931Don’t Get Personal
Bob McDonald
1936
The Girl in 419
Dr. Daniel French
1933
The Bramble Bush
Stew Schaffer
1960
Journey to the Day
Melville Cooper
1960
Son of the Navy
Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone
1940Pride of the Navy
Speed Brennan
1939
Shadow Over Elveron
Luke Travers
1968
The Golden Gloves Story
Joe Riley
1950
That Brennan Girl
Denny Reagan
1946
The Ghost and the Guest
Webster Frye
1943The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Self(archive footage)
1976
Society Girl
Johnny Malone
1932
365 Nights in Hollywood
James 'Jimmy' Dale
1934
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
1982
Over the Hill
Johnny Shelby as an Adult
1931In the Nick of Time
1929
Change of Heart
Mark McGowan
1934
Mr. Broadway
Jerry Cohan
1957
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Mike
1948
The Payoff
Joe McCoy
1935
Welcome Home
Richard Foster
1935
Bad Boy
Eddie Nolan
1935
Hold That Girl
Barney Sullivan
1934
The Living Ghost
Nick Trayne
1942
The Caribbean Mystery
Mr. Smith
1945
Shadows Over Shanghai
Johnny McGinty
1938
Hearts in Bondage
Lt. Kenneth Reynolds
1936
Two-Fisted Gentleman
Mickey
1936
Killer McCoy
Brian McCoy
1947
Hold That Woman!
Jimmy Parker
1940Take a Chance
Duke Stanley
1933
Living on Love
Gary Martin
1937
Sailor's Luck
Jimmy Fenimore Harrigan
1933
The Song Plugger
Man in Record Shop
1930
The Ninth Day
1957
Dance Team
Jimmy Mulligan
1932
Mysterious Crossing
Addison Francis Murphy
1936
Arizona to Broadway
Smiley Wells
1933
Come Closer, Folks
Jim Keene
1936
Handle with Care
Bill Gordon
1932The Last Stop
Yigal
1956
Hold Me Tight
Chuck Evans
1933
Jimmy and Sally
Jimmy O'Connor
1933
Have a Heart
James 'Jimmie' Flaherty
1934Venus Makes Trouble
Buzz Martin
1937