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William Powell (I) (1892–1984)

Actor | Soundtrack

William Powell was on the New York stage by 1912, but it would be ten years before his film career would begin. In 1924 he went to Paramount Pictures, where he was employed for the next seven years. During that time, he played in a number of interesting films, but stardom was elusive. He did finally attract attention with The Last Command as Leo... See full bio »

Born:

William Horatio Powell
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Died:

(age 91) in Palm Springs, California, USA
Myrna Loy and William Powell in Carole Lombard, William Powell, after their wedding, June 26, 1931,AP Photo, **I.V. Still of William Powell, Sam Levene and Barry Nelson in Shadow of the Thin Man Still of Spencer Tracy, Jean Harlow and William Powell in Libeled Lady Still of Myrna Loy, William Powell and Gloria DeHaven in The Thin Man Goes Home Still of William Powell in The Thin Man Goes Home
33 photos | 29 videos | 186 news articles »

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Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins See more awards »

Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (94 titles)
1955 Mister Roberts
Lt. 'Doc'
 
1953 How to Marry a Millionaire
J.D. Hanley
 
1953 The Girl Who Had Everything
Steve Latimer
 
1952 The Treasure of Lost Canyon
Homer 'Doc' Brown
 
1951 It's a Big Country
Professor
 
1949 Dancing in the Dark
Emery Slade
 
1949 Take One False Step
Professor Andrew Gentling
 
1948 Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid
Mr. Arthur Peabody
 
1947 The Senator Was Indiscreet
Senator Melvin G. Ashton
 
1947 Song of the Thin Man
Nick Charles
 
1947 Life with Father
Father
 
1946 The Hoodlum Saint
Terence Ellerton 'Terry' O'Neill
 
1945 Ziegfeld Follies
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
 
1945 The Thin Man Goes Home
Nick Charles
 
1944 The Heavenly Body
William S. Whitley
 
1942 Crossroads
David Talbot, aka Jean Pelletier
 
1941 Shadow of the Thin Man
Nick Charles
 
1941 Love Crazy
Steve Ireland
 
1940 I Love You Again
Larry Wilson aka George Carey
 
1939 Another Thin Man
Nick
 
1938 The Baroness and the Butler
Johann Porok
 
1937 Double Wedding
Charles Lodge
 
1937 The Emperor's Candlesticks
Baron Stephan Wolensky
 
1937 The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
Charles
 
1936 After the Thin Man
Nick Charles
 
1936 Libeled Lady
Bill Chandler
 
1936 My Man Godfrey
Godfrey
 
1936 The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Dr. Lawrence Bradford
 
1936 The Great Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
 
1935 Rendezvous
Bill Gordon
 
1935 Escapade
Fritz
 
1935 Reckless
Ned Riley
 
1935 Star of Midnight
Clay 'Dal' Dalzell
 
1934 Evelyn Prentice
John Prentice
 
1934 The Key
Capt. Bill Tennant
 
1934 The Thin Man
Nick Charles
 
1934 Manhattan Melodrama
Jim Wade
 
1934 Fashions of 1934
Sherwood Nash
 
1933 The Kennel Murder Case
Philo Vance
 
1933 Double Harness
John Fletcher
 
1933 Private Detective 62
Free
 
1932 Lawyer Man
Anton Adam
 
1932 One Way Passage
Dan
 
1932 Jewel Robbery
The Robber
 
1932 High Pressure
Gar Evans
 
1931 The Road to Singapore
Hugh Dawltry
 
1931 Ladies' Man
Jamie Darricott
 
1931 Man of the World
Michael Trevor
 
1930 For the Defense
William Foster
 
1930 Shadow of the Law
John Nelson (Jim Montgomery)
 
1930 Paramount on Parade
Philo Vance (Murder Will Out)
 
1930 The Benson Murder Case
Philo Vance
 
1930 Street of Chance
John D. Marsden/'Natural' Davis
 
1930 Behind the Make-Up
Gardoni
 
1929 Pointed Heels
Robert Courtland
 
1929 Charming Sinners
Karl Kraley
 
1929 The Greene Murder Case
Philo Vance
 
1929 The Four Feathers
Capt. William Trench
 
1929 The Canary Murder Case
Philo Vance
 
1928 Interference
Philip Voaze
 
1928 Forgotten Faces
Froggy
 
1928 The Vanishing Pioneer
John Murdock
 
1928 The Dragnet
Dapper Frank Trent
 
1928 Partners in Crime
Smith
 
1928 Feel My Pulse
Her Nemesis
 
1928 Beau Sabreur
Becque
 
1928 The Last Command
Lev Andreyev
 
1927 She's a Sheik
Kada
 
1927 Nevada
Clan Dillon
 
1927 Paid to Love
Prince Eric
 
1927 Time to Love
Prince Alado
 
1927 Señorita
Manuel Oliveros
 
1927 Special Delivery
Harold Jones
 
1927 Love's Greatest Mistake
Don Kendall
 
1927 New York
Trent Regan
 
1926 Tin Gods
Tony Santelli
 
1926 The Great Gatsby
George Wilson
 
1926 Beau Geste
Boldini
 
1926 Aloma of the South Seas
Van Templeton
 
1926 The Runaway
Jack Harrison
 
1926 Desert Gold
Snake Landree
 
1926 Sea Horses
Lorenzo Salvia
 
1926 White Mice
Roddy Forrester
 
1925 The Beautiful City
Nick Di Silva
 
1925 My Lady's Lips
Scott Seldon
 
1925 Faint Perfume
Barnaby Powers
 
1925 Too Many Kisses
Julio
 
1924 Romola
Tito Melema (as William H. Powell)
 
1924 Dangerous Money
Prince Arnoldo da Pescia
 
1923 Under the Red Robe
Duke of Orleans (as William H. Powell)
 
1923 The Bright Shawl
Gaspar De Vaca
 
1922 Outcast
DeValle
 
1922 When Knighthood Was in Flower
Francis I (as William H. Powell)
 
1922 Sherlock Holmes
Foreman Wells (as William H. Powell)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (9 titles)
1947 Life with Father (performer: "Sweet Marie" 1893 - uncredited, "Love's Old Sweet Song Just a Song at Twilight" 1884 - uncredited)
 
1945 The Thin Man Goes Home (performer: "Deep In The Heart Of Texas" - uncredited)
 
1941 Love Crazy (performer: "It's Delightful to Be Married" 1907)
 
1936 After the Thin Man (performer: "Home on the Range" - uncredited)
 
1936 Libeled Lady ("Wedding March" 1843 - uncredited, "Bridal Chorus" 1850 - uncredited)
 
1936 My Man Godfrey (performer: "Drink a Highball" 1901 - uncredited)
 
1936 The Great Ziegfeld (performer: "Look for the Silver Lining" 1921 - uncredited)
 
1934 Evelyn Prentice (performer: "Lullaby Wiegenlied" 1868 - uncredited)
 
1934 The Thin Man (performer: "Drink A Highball" - uncredited)
 
Show ShowSelf (6 titles)
1946 Screen Snapshots: The Skolsky Party (documentary short)
Himself
 
1946 The Great Morgan
Himself (voice) (uncredited)
 
1943 The Youngest Profession
Himself - Guest Star
 
1933 Hollywood on Parade No. A-13 (short)
Himself
 
1933 Hollywood on Parade No. A-12 (short)
Himself
 
1932/I Screen Snapshots (documentary short)
Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (20 titles)
2005 William Powell: A True Gentleman (video short)
 
2004 Ziegfeld Girl Intro (video documentary short)
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
 
2001-2003 Biography (TV series documentary)
 
2003 Great Performances (TV series)
 
1998 Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1995 The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1991 Hollywood Remembers: Myrna Loy - So Nice to Come Home to (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1987 Moonlighting (TV series)
 
1986 The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn (TV special documentary)
Himself
 
1984 Going Hollywood: The '30s (documentary)
 
1983 Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1976 America at the Movies (documentary)
Clarence 'Father' Day
 
1976 That's Entertainment, Part II (documentary)
Clip from 'The Thin Man'
 
1976 It's Showtime (documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1975 Brother Can You Spare a Dime (documentary)
Himself
 
1969 Hollywood: The Selznick Years (TV documentary)
Himself, film clip from 'Manhattan Melodrama' (uncredited)
 
1964 The Big Parade of Comedy (documentary)
Nick Charles in 'The Thin Man'
 
1940 Hollywood: Style Center of the World (documentary short)
Himself
 
1939 From the Ends of the Earth (documentary short)
Himself
 
1934 Movie Memories #2 (documentary short)
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

(1922) The Woman Who Laughed (1922). Written by Edward Locke. Produced and directed by Sam Forrest. Longacre Theatre: 16 Aug 1922- Aug 1922 (closing date unknown/13 performances). As "John Neilson". Cast: Martha Hedman, Gilda Leary. See more »

Publicity Listings:

4 Print Biographies  | 9 Articles  | See more »

Alternate Names:

William H. Powell

Height:

6' (1.83 m)
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

My friends have stood by me marvelously in the ups and downs of my career. I don't believe there is anything more worthwhile in life than friendship. Friendship is a far better thing than love, as it is commonly accepted. See more »

Trivia:

His favorite singer was Jo Stafford and he collected every one of her albums. See more »

Star Sign:

Leo