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Jean Arthur

Acting 90 (deceased) years old Plattsburgh, New York, USA ★ 1.1
Born: October 17, 1900
Died: June 19, 1991

Biography

Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American actress celebrated as one of the defining screen personalities of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Known for her quick wit, expressive voice, and understated charm, she became one of the era’s most beloved comedic leading ladies, especially in the screwball comedy genre. Film historian James Harvey noted that “no one was more closely identified with the screwball comedy than Jean Arthur,” and her work remains central to the style’s legacy.

Arthur rose to prominence in the mid‑1930s and became best known for her collaborations with director Frank Capra, starring in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). These films cemented her image as the relatable, spirited heroine of Depression‑era American cinema. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in The More the Merrier (1943).

Although she famously disliked the pressures of Hollywood and often retreated from public life, Arthur continued to work selectively after the 1940s. She delivered a memorable dramatic turn as Marian Starrett in George Stevens’ classic Western Shane (1953). She later returned to acting on television, appearing in a 1965 episode of Gunsmoke and starring in the 1966 sitcom The Jean Arthur Show.

After leaving acting, Arthur taught drama at Vassar College and the North Carolina School of the Arts, where students remembered her as a passionate and generous instructor. She lived a largely private life in her later years and died in 1991 at the age of 90.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Shane
Shane Marian Starrett 1953
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Clarissa Saunders 1939
You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You Alice Sycamore 1938
A Foreign Affair
A Foreign Affair Congresswoman Phoebe Frost 1948
Seven Chances
Seven Chances Miss Smith the Country Club Receptionist (uncredited) 1925

Filmography

Acting Credits (104)

Becoming Cary Grant
Becoming Cary Grant Self (archive footage) 2017
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You Self (archive footage) 2008
Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl
Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl Self (from The Saturday Night Kid [1929]) (archive footage) 1999
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero Self (archive footage) 1998
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind Self (archive footage) 1988
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Going Hollywood: The '30s (archive footage) 1984
The Jean Arthur Show
The Jean Arthur Show 1966
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke Julie Blane 1955
Yesterday and Today
Yesterday and Today (archive footage) 1953
Shane
Shane Marian Starrett 1953
A Foreign Affair
A Foreign Affair Congresswoman Phoebe Frost 1948
The Impatient Years
The Impatient Years Janie Anderson 1944
A Lady Takes a Chance
A Lady Takes a Chance Molly J. Truesdale 1943
The More the Merrier
The More the Merrier Constance Milligan 1943
The Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town Nora Shelley 1942
The Devil and Miss Jones
The Devil and Miss Jones Mary Jones 1941
Arizona
Arizona Phoebe Titus 1940
Too Many Husbands
Too Many Husbands Vicky Lowndes 1940
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Clarissa Saunders 1939
Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1
Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1 Self 1939
Only Angels Have Wings
Only Angels Have Wings Bonnie Lee 1939
You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You Alice Sycamore 1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 Jean Arthur 1938
Easy Living
Easy Living Mary Smith 1937
History Is Made at Night
History Is Made at Night Irene Vail 1937
More Than a Secretary
More Than a Secretary Carol Baldwin 1936
The Plainsman
The Plainsman Calamity Jane 1936
Adventure in Manhattan
Adventure in Manhattan Claire Peyton 1936
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) Self 1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford Paula Bradford 1936
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Babe Bennett 1936
If You Could Only Cook
If You Could Only Cook Joan Hawthorne 1935
The Public Menace
The Public Menace Cassie Nicholls 1935
Diamond Jim
Diamond Jim Jane Matthews / Emma 1935
Public Hero Number 1
Public Hero Number 1 Maria Theresa 'Terry' O'Reilly 1935
Party Wire
Party Wire Marge Oliver 1935
The Whole Town's Talking
The Whole Town's Talking Wilhelmina 'Bill' Clark 1935
The Defense Rests
The Defense Rests Joan Hayes 1934
Most Precious Thing in Life
Most Precious Thing in Life Ellen Holmes, aka Biddy, Babe 1934
Whirlpool
Whirlpool Sandy 1934
Get That Venus
Get That Venus Margaret Rendleby 1933
The Past of Mary Holmes
The Past of Mary Holmes Joan Hoyt 1933
Ex-Bad Boy
Ex-Bad Boy Ethel Simmons 1931
The Lawyer's Secret
The Lawyer's Secret Beatrice Stevens 1931
Virtuous Husband
Virtuous Husband Barbara Olwell 1931
The Gang Buster
The Gang Buster Sylvia Martine 1931
Danger Lights
Danger Lights Mary Ryan 1931
The Silver Horde
The Silver Horde Mildred Wayland 1930
The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu
The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu Lia Eltham 1930
Paramount on Parade
Paramount on Parade Dream Girl 1930
Young Eagles
Young Eagles Mary Gordon 1930
Street of Chance
Street of Chance Judith Marsden 1930
Half Way to Heaven
Half Way to Heaven Greta Nelson 1929
The Saturday Night Kid
The Saturday Night Kid Janie Barry 1929
The Greene Murder Case
The Greene Murder Case Ada Greene 1929
The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu
The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu Lia Eltham 1929
Stairs of Sand
Stairs of Sand Ruth Hutt 1929
The Canary Murder Case
The Canary Murder Case Alice LaFosse 1929
Sins of the Fathers
Sins of the Fathers Mary Spengler 1928
Brotherly Love
Brotherly Love Mary 1928
Warming Up
Warming Up Mary Post 1928
Wallflowers
Wallflowers Sandra 1928
Flying Luck
Flying Luck The Girl 1927
The Masked Menace
The Masked Menace Faith Newton 1927
The Poor Nut
The Poor Nut Margie Blake 1927
Bigger and Better Blondes
Bigger and Better Blondes Ramona 1927
Horse Shoes
Horse Shoes Miss Baker 1927
The Broken Gate
The Broken Gate Ruth Hale 1927
Hello Lafayette
Hello Lafayette 1927
Winners Of The Wilderness
Winners Of The Wilderness Bit Role (uncredited) 1927
Husband Hunters
Husband Hunters Lettie Crane 1927
The Block Signal
The Block Signal Grace Ryan 1926
The College Boob
The College Boob Angela Boothby 1926
Twisted Triggers
Twisted Triggers Ruth Regan 1926
The Cowboy Cop
The Cowboy Cop Virginia Selby 1926
Lightning Bill
Lightning Bill Marie Denton 1926
Double Daring
Double Daring Marie Wells 1926
Ridin' Rivals
Ridin' Rivals Ruth Burroghs 1926
The Mad Racer
The Mad Racer 1926
Eight-Cylinder Bull
Eight-Cylinder Bull 1926
The Fighting Cheat
The Fighting Cheat Ruth Wells 1926
Born to Battle
Born to Battle Eunice Morgan 1926
The Roaring Rider
The Roaring Rider Mary Watkins 1926
Under Fire
Under Fire Margaret Cranston 1926
Thundering Through
Thundering Through Ruth Burroughs 1925
The Hurricane Horseman
The Hurricane Horseman June Mathews 1925
The Iron Horse
The Iron Horse Reporter (uncredited) 1925
A Man of Nerve
A Man of Nerve Loria Gatlin 1925
Tearin' Loose
Tearin' Loose Sally Harris 1925
The Fighting Smile
The Fighting Smile Rose Craddock 1925
The Drug Store Cowboy
The Drug Store Cowboy Jean 1925
Seven Chances
Seven Chances Miss Smith the Country Club Receptionist (uncredited) 1925
Travelin' Fast
Travelin' Fast Betty Conway 1924
Thundering Romance
Thundering Romance Mary Watkins 1924
Bringin' Home the Bacon
Bringin' Home the Bacon Nancy Norton 1924
Wine of Youth
Wine of Youth Flapper 1924
Fast and Fearless
Fast and Fearless Mary Brown 1924
Biff Bang Buddy
Biff Bang Buddy Bonnie Norton 1924
The Powerful Eye
The Powerful Eye Dud's Sweetheart 1924
Case Dismissed
Case Dismissed Jean 1924
Spring Fever
Spring Fever 1923
Monks a la mode
Monks a la mode Madame Maxine 1923
Somebody Lied
Somebody Lied 1923
Cameo Kirby
Cameo Kirby Ann Playdell 1923

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