Actor
Joseph Cotten
Born 15 May 1905 · Petersburg, Virginia, USA — died 6 February 1994
Joseph Cotten (1905–1994) was an American stage and screen actor from Virginia. He rose to fame through his collaborations with Orson Welles, then became a leading man in his own right. Known for gentle, trustworthy screen presence, he later worked widely in thrillers and genre films.
Key films
Citizen Kane (1941)On Cinespective
His screen debut, as Jedediah Leland, in Orson Welles's landmark film.
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
Reunited him with Welles in a major leading role.
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Hitchcock cast him as a charming, menacing uncle, showing his range as a star.
Portrait of Jennie (1948)
Romantic fantasy lead that earned him a Venice Film Festival acting prize.
The Third Man (1949)
Played Holly Martins in the classic Vienna-set thriller alongside Welles.
Key awards
- 1949: Volpi Cup for Best Actor, Venice Film Festival (Portrait of Jennie)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 105
- 1937Seeing the World: Part One - A Visit to New York, N.Y.Actor
- 1941Citizen Kane · as Jedediah LelandActor
- 1941Lydia · as Michael FitzpatrickActor
- 1942The Magnificent Ambersons · as Eugene MorganActor
- 1943Shadow of a Doubt · as Charlie OakleyActor
- 1943Journey into Fear · as Howard GrahamActor
- 1943Hers to Hold · as Bill MorleyActor
- 1944Gaslight · as Brian CameronActor
- 1944Since You Went Away · as Tony WillettActor
- 1944I'll Be Seeing You · as Zachary MorganActor
- 1945Love Letters · as Allen QuintonActor
- 1946Duel in the Sun · as Jesse McCanlesActor
- 1947The Farmer's Daughter · as Glenn MorleyActor
- 1947Our American Heritage · as NarratorActor
- 1948Portrait of Jennie · as Eben AdamsActor
- 1949The Third Man · as Holly MartinsActor
- 1949Under Capricorn · as Sam FluskyActor
- 1949Beyond the Forest · as Doctor Louis MolineActor
- 1950Two Flags West · as Clay TuckerActor
- 1950Walk Softly, Stranger · as Chris Hale/SteveActor
- 1950September Affair · as David LawrenceActor
- 1951Othello · as Senator (uncredited)Actor
- 1951The Man with a Cloak · as DupinActor
- 1951Half Angel · as John Raymond Jr.Actor
- 1951Peking Express · as Michael BachlinActor
- 1952The Steel Trap · as Jim OsborneActor
- 1952Untamed Frontier · as Kirk DenbowActor
- 1953Niagara · as George LoomisActor
- 1953A Blueprint for Murder · as Whitney 'Cam' CameronActor
- 1953Egypt by Three · as NarratorActor
- 1955Special Delivery · as John AdamsActor
- 1956The Killer Is Loose · as Detective Sam WagnerActor
- 1956The Bottom of the Bottle · as Pat 'P.M.' MartinActor
- 1957The Halliday Brand · as Daniel HallidayActor
- 1957The Edge of Innocence · as Robert RaineyActor
- 1958Touch of Evil · as Coroner (uncredited)Actor
- 1958From the Earth to the Moon · as Victor BarbicaneActor
- 1960The Angel Wore Red · as HawthorneActor
- 1961The Last Sunset · as John BreckenridgeActor
- 1961Hollywood: The Selznick Years · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1964Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte · as Drew BaylissActor
- 1965The Money Trap · as Dr. Horace Van TildenActor
- 1965The Great Sioux Massacre · as Major Marcus A. RenoActor
- 1965The Tramplers · as Temple CordeenActor
- 1966The Oscar · as Kenneth ReganActor
- 1966Brighty of the Grand Canyon · as JimActor
- 1967The Hellbenders · as Colonel JonasActor
- 1967Jack of Diamonds · as AceActor
- 1967Some May Live · as Colonel WoodwardActor
- 1967Lionpower from MGM · as Self - Ace of Diamonds (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1968Petulia · as Mr. DannerActor
- 1968White Comanche · as Sheriff LoganActor
- 1968Gangsters '70 · as DestilActor
- 1968Alexander The Great · as AntigonusActor
- 1968Split Second to an Epitaph · as Dr. Ben SternActor
- 1968Petulia: The Uncommon Movie · as SelfActor
- 1969Latitude Zero · as Capt. Craig McKenzie / Cmdr. Glenn McKenzieActor
- 1969The Lonely Profession · as Martin BannisterActor
- 1970Tora! Tora! Tora! · as Henry L. StimsonActor
- 1970The Grasshopper · as Richard MorganActor
- 1970Cutter's Trail · as General SpaldingActor
- 1971The Abominable Dr. Phibes · as Dr. VesaliusActor
- 1971Lady Frankenstein · as Baron FrankensteinActor
- 1971City Beneath the Sea · as Dr. ZieglerActor
- 1971Assault on the Wayne · as AdmiralActor
- 1971Do You Take This Stranger? · as Dr. Robert CarsonActor
- 1971Journey to Murder · as Jeff WheelerActor
- 1972The Scopone Game · as GeorgeActor
- 1972Baron Blood · as Baron Otto von Kleist / Alfred BeckerActor
- 1972The Screaming Woman · as George TresvantActor
- 1972Doomsday Voyage · as Captain JasonActor
- 1973Soylent Green · as William R. SimonsonActor
- 1973F for Fake · as SelfActor
- 1973The Devil's Daughter · as Judge WeatherbyActor
- 1973A Delicate Balance · as HarryActor
- 1973Police Dog · as NarratorActor
- 1975Syndicate Sadists · as PaternòActor
- 1975Timber Tramps · as Greedy sawmill mogulActor
- 1976A Whisper in the Dark · as The ProfessorActor
- 1976Mysteries of the Gods · as NarratorActor
- 1976The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case · as Dr. Joseph Francis CondonActor
- 1976Expedition to Ararat · as Self - Host - NarratorActor
- 1977Airport '77 · as Nicholas St. Downs IIIActor
- 1977Twilight's Last Gleaming · as Arthur Renfrew - Secretary of StateActor
- 1978Caravans · as CrandallActor
- 1978The Perfect Crime · as Sir Arthur DundeeActor
- 1978Last In, First Out · as Foster JohnsonActor
- 1978Return to Fantasy Island · as Simon GrantActor
- 1979Island of the Fishmen · as Prof. Ernest MarvinActor
- 1979Concorde Affair · as MillandActor
- 1979Guyana: Crime of the Century · as Richard GableActor
- 1979Churchill and the Generals · as Gen. George C. MarshallActor
- 1979All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman · as SelfActor
- 1980Heaven's Gate · as The Reverend DoctorActor
- 1980The Hearse · as Walter PrichardActor
- 1980Casino · as Ed BookerActor
- 1981The Survivor · as PriestActor
- 1981Delusion · as Ivar LangrockActor
- 1990Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook · as Baron Frankenstein (archive footage)Actor
- 1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film · as SelfActor
- 2013Too Much Johnson · as Augustus Billings (uncredited)Actor
- 2018They'll Love Me When I'm Dead · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2018The Green FogActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.