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James Mason

Acting 75 (deceased) years old Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, UK ★ 1.2
Born: May 15, 1909
Died: July 27, 1984

Biography

James Neville Mason (known as James Mason; May 15, 1909 – July 27, 1984) was an English actor who made a significant impact on both British and American cinema. His acting career began in the 1930s, where he initially gained recognition for his stage performances in London's West End. He made his film debut in 1935 with the British film "Late Extra," marking the start of his illustrious on-screen journey.

Throughout his career, Mason showcased his exceptional acting abilities, often portraying complex and morally ambiguous characters. His commanding presence, distinctive voice, and versatile range allowed him to effortlessly transition between genres, from dramas to thrillers and even period pieces.

One of Mason's most acclaimed performances came in 1945 when he starred as the troubled and enigmatic Johnny McQueen in the film "Odd Man Out." His portrayal of the wounded Irish nationalist earned him widespread praise and established him as a respected leading man.

Mason's notable filmography includes memorable roles in films such as "The Wicked Lady" (1945), "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman" (1951), "A Star Is Born" (1954), "North by Northwest" (1959), and "Lolita" (1962). His ability to bring depth, sophistication, and complexity to his characters captivated audiences and garnered critical acclaim.

Beyond his film career, Mason also dabbled in producing and directing. He co-produced and starred in the acclaimed film "A Star Is Born," showcasing his multifaceted talent and creative vision.

Throughout his life, Mason was recognized with numerous awards and nominations, including three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. He was highly regarded by his peers and critics alike for his impeccable craft and his ability to elevate any production he was a part of.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Lolita
Lolita Prof. Humbert Humbert 1962
North by Northwest
North by Northwest Phillip Vandamm 1959
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Nemo 1954
Mandingo
Mandingo Warren Maxwell 1975
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar Brutus 1953

Filmography

Acting Credits (184)

Kubrick by Kubrick
Kubrick by Kubrick Self (archive footage) 2020
Sid & Judy
Sid & Judy Self (archive footage) 2019
Talking Pictures
Talking Pictures Self (archive footage) 2013
Lasseter's Bones
Lasseter's Bones Archival Footage 2012
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical Self (archive) 2009
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories
Sir John Mills' Moving Memories Self (archive footage) 2000
Roger Moore: A Matter of Class
Roger Moore: A Matter of Class Self (archive footage) 1995
Halloween Monster Bash
Halloween Monster Bash Stephen Deremid (archive footage) 1991
The Assisi Underground
The Assisi Underground Bishop Nicolini 1985
A.D.
A.D. Tiberius 1985
The Shooting Party
The Shooting Party Sir Randolph Nettleby 1985
Dr. Fischer of Geneva
Dr. Fischer of Geneva Dr. Fischer 1984
George Washington
George Washington Gen. Edward Braddock 1984
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate
James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate Self 1984
Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Demon 1983
Yellowbeard
Yellowbeard Captain Hughes 1983
Group Madness
Group Madness Self 1983
Unknown Chaplin
Unknown Chaplin Narrator (voice) 1983
Alexandre
Alexandre The Father 1983
The Popes and Their Art
The Popes and Their Art Presentor 1983
The Verdict
The Verdict Ed Concannon 1982
A Dangerous Summer
A Dangerous Summer George Engels 1982
The Glory of the Garden
The Glory of the Garden Narrator 1982
Night of 100 Stars
Night of 100 Stars Self 1982
Evil Under the Sun
Evil Under the Sun Odell Gardener 1982
Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe Isaac of York 1982
The Making of Agatha Christie's 'Evil Under the Sun'
The Making of Agatha Christie's 'Evil Under the Sun' Self / Odell Gardener 1982
The Search for Alexander the Great
The Search for Alexander the Great Narrator 1981
North Sea Hijack
North Sea Hijack Admiral Brindsen 1980
Hollywood
Hollywood Self - Narrator 1980
Salem's Lot
Salem's Lot Richard K. Straker 1979
Bloodline
Bloodline Sir Alec Nichols 1979
The Passage
The Passage Professor Bergson 1979
Murder by Decree
Murder by Decree Dr. Watson 1979
The Boys from Brazil
The Boys from Brazil Eduard Seibert 1978
Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait Mr. Jordan 1978
The Water Babies
The Water Babies Mr. Grimes / Voice of Killer Shark 1978
Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love
Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love Narrator - English version 1977
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus of Nazareth Joseph of Arimathea 1977
Cross of Iron
Cross of Iron Oberst Brandt 1977
Voyage of the Damned
Voyage of the Damned Dr. Juan Remos 1976
Origins of the Mafia
Origins of the Mafia Vianisi 1976
People of the Wind
People of the Wind Jafar Qoli (voice) 1976
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Bob Hope's World of Comedy Self (archive footage) 1976
Fear in the City
Fear in the City Chief of Police 1976
The Flower in His Mouth
The Flower in His Mouth Avv. Antonio Bellocampo 1975
Inside Out
Inside Out Ernst Furben 1975
Autobiography of a Princess
Autobiography of a Princess Cyril Sahib 1975
The Left Hand of the Law
The Left Hand of the Law Senatore Leandri 1975
Kidnap Syndicate
Kidnap Syndicate Filippini 1975
Mandingo
Mandingo Warren Maxwell 1975
The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go
The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go Y.Y. Go 1974
11 Harrowhouse
11 Harrowhouse Charles D. Watts 1974
Frankenstein: The True Story
Frankenstein: The True Story Dr. John Polidori 1974
The Marseille Contract
The Marseille Contract Jacques Brizard 1974
Great Expectations
Great Expectations Magwitch 1974
Frankenstein: The True Story
Frankenstein: The True Story Dr. John Polidori 1973
The MacKintosh Man
The MacKintosh Man Sir George Wheeler 1973
The Last of Sheila
The Last of Sheila Philip Dexter 1973
The Reformation: Age of Revolt
The Reformation: Age of Revolt Narrator 1973
John Keats: His Life and Death
John Keats: His Life and Death Narrator 1973
Child's Play
Child's Play Jerome Malley 1972
Home, James
Home, James Self 1972
The Wind in the Wires
The Wind in the Wires Narrator 1972
Kill!
Kill! Alan Hamilton 1971
Appointment With Destiny
Appointment With Destiny Narrator 1971
Film '72
Film '72 Self 1971
Bad Man's River
Bad Man's River Francisco Paco Montero 1971
The Search for the Nile
The Search for the Nile Narrator 1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
V.I.P. Schaukel Self 1971
Cold Sweat
Cold Sweat Captain Ross 1970
Spring and Port Wine
Spring and Port Wine Rafe Crompton 1970
Age of Consent
Age of Consent Bradley Morahan 1969
The Sea Gull
The Sea Gull Trigorin 1968
The London Nobody Knows
The London Nobody Knows Himself - Narrator 1968
Mayerling
Mayerling Franz Joseph I of Austria 1968
Duffy
Duffy Charles Calvert 1968
Apropos Film
Apropos Film Self 1967
Stranger in the House
Stranger in the House John Sawyer 1967
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Self 1967
The Deadly Affair
The Deadly Affair Charles Dobbs 1967
ABC Stage 67
ABC Stage 67 Otto Hoffman 1966
Georgy Girl
Georgy Girl James Leamington 1966
The Blue Max
The Blue Max General Count von Klugermann 1966
Uncertain Verification
Uncertain Verification (archive footage) 1965
The Uninhibited
The Uninhibited Pascal Regnier 1965
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan Kam Ling 1965
Lord Jim
Lord Jim Gentleman Brown 1965
The Pumpkin Eater
The Pumpkin Eater Bob Conway 1964
The Fall of the Roman Empire
The Fall of the Roman Empire Timonides 1964
Torpedo Bay
Torpedo Bay Captain Blayne 1963
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
Stoney Burke
Stoney Burke The Derelict 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self 1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Warren Barrow 1962
Hero's Island
Hero's Island Jacob Weber 1962
Tiara Tahiti
Tiara Tahiti Captain Brett Aimsley 1962
Lolita
Lolita Prof. Humbert Humbert 1962
Escape from Zahrain
Escape from Zahrain Johnson 1962
Theatre 62: Rebecca
Theatre 62: Rebecca Maxim de Winter 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self 1961
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare Dr. Maxwell Becker 1961
The Marriage-Go-Round
The Marriage-Go-Round Paul Delville 1961
John Brown's Raid
John Brown's Raid John Brown 1960
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
The Trials of Oscar Wilde Edward Carson 1960
Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place
Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place Hans Frick 1960
A Touch of Larceny
A Touch of Larceny Cmdr. Max Easton 1960
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook 1959
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
The DuPont Show with June Allyson Henry Chambers 1959
North by Northwest
North by Northwest Phillip Vandamm 1959
The Decks Ran Red
The Decks Ran Red Capt. Edwin Rummill 1958
Cry Terror!
Cry Terror! Jim Molner 1958
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Tonight Starring Jack Paar Self 1957
Island in the Sun
Island in the Sun Maxwell Fleury 1957
Panic!
Panic! 1957
Bigger Than Life
Bigger Than Life Ed Avery 1956
The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show Self - Guest 1956
Forever, Darling
Forever, Darling The Guardian Angel 1956
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Nemo 1954
The Star of Bethlehem
The Star of Bethlehem Himself 1954
A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born Norman Maine 1954
Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant Sir Brack 1954
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Tell-Tale Heart Narrator 1953
The Man Between
The Man Between Ivo Kern 1953
Charade
Charade The Murderer / Maj. Linden / Jonah Watson 1953
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar Brutus 1953
The Desert Rats
The Desert Rats Field Marshal Erwin von Rommel 1953
The Story of Three Loves
The Story of Three Loves Charles Coutray 1953
General Electric Theater
General Electric Theater Wayne Sebastian 1953
Botany Bay
Botany Bay Capt. Paul Gilbert 1952
The Prisoner of Zenda
The Prisoner of Zenda Rupert of Hentzau 1952
Face to Face
Face to Face The Captain 1952
Ellis in Freedomland
Ellis in Freedomland The Refrigerator (voice) 1952
5 Fingers
5 Fingers Ulysses Diello 1952
Lady Possessed
Lady Possessed Jimmy Del Palma 1952
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel Field Marshal Erwin Rommel 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Captain Vialez 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Self - Host 1951
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Hendrick van der Zee 1951
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Self - Host 1950
The Bob Hope Show
The Bob Hope Show Self 1950
One Way Street
One Way Street Dr. Frank Matson 1950
What's My Line?
What's My Line? Self 1950
What's My Line?
What's My Line? Self - Panelist 1950
East Side, West Side
East Side, West Side Brandon Bourne 1949
The Reckless Moment
The Reckless Moment Martin Donnelly 1949
Madame Bovary
Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert 1949
Caught
Caught Larry Quinada 1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
The Upturned Glass
The Upturned Glass Michael Joyce 1947
Odd Man Out
Odd Man Out Johnny McQueen 1947
The Wicked Lady
The Wicked Lady Captain Jerry Jackson 1945
The Seventh Veil
The Seventh Veil Nicholas Cunningham 1945
They Were Sisters
They Were Sisters Geoffrey Lee 1945
A Place of One's Own
A Place of One's Own Henry Smedhurst 1945
Hotel Reserve
Hotel Reserve Peter Vadassy 1944
Fanny by Gaslight
Fanny by Gaslight Lord Manderstoke 1944
Candlelight in Algeria
Candlelight in Algeria Alan Thurston 1944
They Met in the Dark
They Met in the Dark Richard Francis Heritage 1943
The Man in Grey
The Man in Grey Lord Rohan 1943
The Bells Go Down
The Bells Go Down Ted Robbins 1943
Thunder Rock
Thunder Rock Streeter 1942
Secret Mission
Secret Mission Raoul de Carnot 1942
Alibi
Alibi Andre Laurent 1942
The Night Has Eyes
The Night Has Eyes Stephen Deremid 1942
Hatter's Castle
Hatter's Castle Dr. Renwick 1942
The Patient Vanishes
The Patient Vanishes Mick Cardby 1941
The Circle
The Circle Edward Luton 1939
The Miser
The Miser Valere - In love with Elise 1939
I Met a Murderer
I Met a Murderer Mark Warrow 1939
Bees on the Boat-Deck
Bees on the Boat-Deck Robert Patch 1939
The Moon in the Yellow River
The Moon in the Yellow River Darrell Blake 1938
Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac Christian de Neuvillette 1938
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel Jean Tallien 1937
The High Command
The High Command Capt. Heverell 1937
Catch as Catch Can
Catch as Catch Can Robert Leyland 1937
Fire Over England
Fire Over England Hillary Vane 1937
The Mill on the Floss
The Mill on the Floss Tom Tulliver 1937
The Secret of Stamboul
The Secret of Stamboul Larry 1936
Twice Branded
Twice Branded Henry Hamilton 1936
Blind Man's Bluff
Blind Man's Bluff Stephen Neville 1936
Troubled Waters
Troubled Waters John Merriman 1936
Prison Breaker
Prison Breaker 'Bunny' Barnes 1936
Late Extra
Late Extra Jim Martin 1935

Directing Credits (2)

Writing Credits (4)

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