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Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd

Birthday: 1913-09-03 | Place of Birth: Hot Springs, Arkansas USA

Alan Walbridge Ladd was an American actor and film and television producer. Ladd found success in film the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns and film noirs where he was often paired with Veronica Lake, as she was one of the few Hollywood actresses shorter than he. His popularity diminished in the late 1950s, though he continued to appear in popular films until his death from cerebral edema in January 1964. Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but later relocated to North Hollywood, California when his mother re-married.   He worked briefly as a studio carpenter (as did his stepfather) and for a short time was part of the Universal Pictures studio school for actors.  Intent on acting, he found work in small theatres. He had short term stints at MGM and RKO, and eventually started getting steady work on radio.  Ladd began by appearing in dozens of films in small roles, including Citizen Kane , before reaching recognition for his 1942 appearance in This Gun for Hire, invigorating Hollywood's desire for gangster-crime features.  His cool, unsmiling persona proved popular with wartime audiences, and he was quickly established as one of the top box office stars of the decade.

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Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

1982
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

as    (in "This Gun For Hire") (archive footage)

1964
The Carpetbaggers

as    Nevada Smith

1962
13 West Street

as    Walt Sherill

1961
Duel of Champions

as    Horatius

1960
Guns of the Timberland

as    Jim Hadley

1960
All the Young Men

as    Sgt. Kincaid

1959
The Man in the Net

as    John Hamilton

1958
The Deep Six

as    Alexander 'Alec' Austen

1958
The Proud Rebel

as    John Chandler

1958
The Badlanders

as    Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)

1957
The Big Land

as    Chad Morgan

1957
Boy on a Dolphin

as    Dr. James 'Jim' Calder

1956
Santiago

as    Caleb 'Cash' Adams

1955
Hell on Frisco Bay

as    Steve Rollins

1954
Hell Below Zero

as    Duncan Craig

1954
The Black Knight

as    John

1954
Drum Beat

as    Johnny MacKay

1954
Saskatchewan

as    Thomas O'Rourke

1953
Botany Bay

as    Hugh Tallant

1953
Shane

as    Shane

1953
The Red Beret

as    Steve 'Canada' McKendrick

1953
Thunder in the East

as    Steve Gibbs

1952
The Iron Mistress

as    Jim Bowie

1951
Appointment with Danger

as    Al Goddard

1950
Captain Carey, U.S.A.

as    Captain Webster Carey

1950
Branded

as    Choya

1949
Chicago Deadline

as    Ed Adams

1948
Saigon

as    Major Larry Briggs

1948
Whispering Smith

as    Whispering Smith

1946
The Blue Dahlia

as    Johnny Morrison