Joseph Cotten Biography

(One of the Leading Hollywood Actors of the 1940s)

Birthday: May 15, 1905 (Taurus)

Born In: Petersburg, Virginia, United States

Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. was a dapper and suave American actor who worked on stage, films, television and radio. His restrained but captivating performances, especially in the 1940s, won him appreciation from both critics and audience. The American comic play ‘The Philadelphia Story’ and movies like ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ and ‘Journey into Fear’ catapulted him to fame. The three movies were produced and directed by Orson Welles who was his close friend and gave him some of his best work. Apart from this, another association - with David O. Selznick – proved extremely valuable for him and gave him movies like ‘Since You Went Away’, ‘The Third Man’ and ‘Portrait of Jennie’. Though his films did not enjoy same kind of success from 1950 onwards, he still delivered some strong performances and was considered dependable. His later stage performances that were appreciated include ‘Sabrina Fair’ and ‘Once More, With Feeling’. His notable television appearances were ‘The Joseph Cotten Show’ and ‘Hollywood and the Stars’.
10
Quick Facts

Also Known As: Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr.

Died At Age: 88

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Lenore Kipp (m. 1931), Patricia Medina (m. 1960)

father: Joseph Cotten Sr.

mother: Sally Bartlett

Born Country: United States

Actors American Men

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Died on: February 6, 1994

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

U.S. State: Virginia

Cause of Death: Pneumonia

  • 1

    When did Joseph Cotten start his acting career?

    Joseph Cotten started his acting career in the 1930s, on stage before transitioning to film in the 1940s.

  • 2

    What are some famous films starring Joseph Cotten?

    Some famous films starring Joseph Cotten include "Citizen Kane," "The Third Man," and "Shadow of a Doubt".
  • 3

    Did Joseph Cotten serve in the military during World War II?

    Yes, Joseph Cotten served in the military during World War II, specifically in the United States Army Air Forces.
  • 4

    Was Joseph Cotten known for any particular acting style or technique?

    Joseph Cotten was known for his naturalistic acting style and his ability to portray complex and morally ambiguous characters.
  • 5

    Did Joseph Cotten ever work with director Orson Welles?

    Yes, Joseph Cotten collaborated with director Orson Welles on several projects, including "Citizen Kane" and "The Third Man".
Childhood & Early Life
Joseph Cotten was born to Sally Willson and Joseph Cheshire Cotten (assistant postmaster) on 15 May 1905, in Petersburg, Virginia, U.S. He was the eldest of the three boys.
He went to Petersburg High School and displayed an inclination for sports and theatre.
In 1923, he attended Hickman School of Speech and Expression, in Washington, D.C. and endeavored to support himself financially by playing professional football on Sundays.
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Career
Joseph Cotten did a variety of jobs to support himself like functioning as a lifeguard at Wilcox Lake, working in a paint warehouse in New York, making and selling potato salad in Miami and as an advertising salesman for ‘The Miami Herald’.
He got associated with Miami Civic Theatre by performing for them and also reviewing their shows for the ‘Herald’.
In 1930, he moved back to New York and started working for David Belasco as an assistant stage manager.
The same year, he became the understudy of Melvyn Douglas in Belasco’s stage production ‘Tonight or Never’. He assumed the role of Douglas for the Copley Theatre, Boston for the 1931 and 1932 season.
The year 1932 saw him making his Broadway debut with ‘Absent Friends’. During this time, he also began modeling, acting in industrial films and working for radio to earn some extra income.
In 1934, while working for CBS Radio's ‘The American School of the Air’, he met and made friends with Orson Welles. The friendship continued till the latter’s death in 1985.
In 1936, he starred in the Welles directed farce ‘Horse Eats Hat’.
In 1937, he joined Welles’s Mercury Theatre as one its initial members and featured in its first Broadway production ‘Caesar’. The play was much appreciated and had 157 performances.
In 1938, the duo came back with two other plays, ‘The Shoemaker’s Holiday’ and ‘Danton's Death’.
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From 1938 to 1940, he also worked for Welles’s radio drama series ‘The Mercury Theatre on the Air’ and ‘The Campbell Playhouse’.
Joseph Cotten made his film debut came in 1938 with Welles directed unreleased short film ‘Too Much Johnson’.
In 1939, he marked a return to Broadway theatre with ‘The Philadelphia Story’ working alongside Katharine Hepburn. The play was an astounding success and ran for 417 performances at the Shubert Theatre. Unfortunately, he did not feature in the movie version.
In 1941, he appeared in one of the most significant roles of his career, ‘Citizen Kane’. In the movie, he played the role of Kane’s best friend, Jedediah Leland, a drama critic. The movie established his film career and he got many lead roles later.
The 1940s further saw him appearing in more critically acclaimed roles. His collaboration with Welles resulted in movies like ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ (1942) and ‘Journey into Fear’ (1943).
He became a contract artist for David O. Selznick and worked in films like ‘Shadow of a Doubt’ (1943), ‘Since You Went Away’, ‘Gaslight’ (both in 1944), ‘I'll Be Seeing You’, ‘Love Letters’ (both in 1945), ‘Duel in the Sun’ (1946), ‘The Farmer's Daughter’ (1947), ‘Portrait of Jennie’ (1948) and ‘The Third Man’ (1949).
While the 1940s gave him his best work in films, the 1950s and 1960s were not particularly the same. Some of the movies that he appeared in the 1950s include ‘September Affair’ (1950), ‘Peking Express’ (1951), ‘Niagara’ (1953) and ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ (1958).
In 1953-1954, he worked in a Broadway comedy ‘Sabrina Fair’ which opened in National Theatre and ran for 318 performances.
In the mid-1950s, he presented two television anthology series – ‘20th Century—Fox Hour’ (1955-1956) and ‘The Joseph Cotten Show’ (1956-1959). The latter was initially called ‘On Trial’.
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At the same time, he featured in few episodes of on shows like ‘Celebrity Playhouse’, ‘The Ford Television Theatre’, ‘Star Stage’ and ‘General Electric Theater’. For ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’, a television anthology series, he made numerous appearances.
In the latter half of the 1950s, he also made guest appearance in television anthology series like ‘Telephone Time’, ‘Playhouse 90’, ‘Suspicion’ and ‘Zane Grey Theater’.
From 1958 to 1960, he tasted success with yet another Broadway production ‘Once More, With Feeling’ which completed 263 shows.
Another of the Broadway production - ‘Calculated Risk’ - that he worked for ran for 221 performances between 1962 and 1963.
From 1963 to 1964, he narrated the television documentary series ‘Hollywood and the Stars’.
In the following years, he appeared in movies like ‘Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte’ (1964), (6) ‘Petulia’ (1968), ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ (1970) and ‘The Abominable Dr. Phibes’ (1971). His last movie was ‘The Survivor’ (1981).
His television appearances (single or few episodes) continued with ‘It Takes a Thief’ (1968-1970), ‘Fantasy Island’ (1979) and ‘Love Boat’ (1981).
In 1987, he released his autobiography ‘Vanity Will Get You Somewhere’.
Major Works
Made in 1941, ‘Citizen Kane’ became a brilliant film debut for Joseph Cotten who followed it up with another remarkable performance in ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ next year.
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Three other movies ‘Shadow of a Doubt’, ‘Portrait of Jennie’ and ‘The Third Man’ saw him delivering outstanding performances. The first movie was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and had him playing a charming but murderous ‘Uncle Charlie’.
His portrayal of an artist inspired by a ghost in William Dieterle’s ‘Portrait of Jennie’ earned him the best actor award at the 1949 Venice Film Festival.
In the Carol Reed directed ‘The Third Man’, he played a blundering writer in search of truth about his friend in post war Vienna. The movie is also considered one of his finest performances.
Family & Personal Life
On 18 October 1931, Joseph Cotten married Lenore Kipp La Mont, a pianist and divorcée from West Virginia who had a daughter. Kipp expired because of leukaemia in January 1960.
In October 1960, he wedded English actress, Patricia Medina, who was a divorcee. The couple had no children.
In 1981, he suffered from heart attack and stroke which consequently affected his speaking abilities. He received therapy and gradually improved.
In 1990, because of cancer, he had to get his larynx removed.
He died of pneumonia on 6 February 1994, at Westwood, California.
Facts About Joseph Cotten
Joseph Cotten was known for his love of practical jokes on set, often lightening the mood with his playful antics.
He had a passion for collecting rare books and was known to have an extensive library in his home.
Cotten had a talent for playing the piano and would often entertain his friends and co-stars with impromptu performances.
Despite his serious on-screen persona, Cotten had a great sense of humor and was known for his quick wit in social settings.
Cotten was a skilled magician and would often perform magic tricks for friends and colleagues, showcasing his talent for sleight of hand.

See the events in life of Joseph Cotten in Chronological Order

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