James Howard Dunn (November 2, 1901 â€" September 1, 1967), billed as
Jimmy Dunn in his early career, was an American stage, film, and
television actor, and vaudeville performer. The son of a New York
stockbroker, he initially worked in his father's firm but was more
interested in theater. He landed jobs as an extra in short films
produced by Paramount Pictures in its Long Island studio, and also
performed with several stock theater companies, culminating with
playing the male lead in the 1929 Broadway musical Sweet Adeline. This
performance attracted the attention of film studio executives, and in
1931, Fox Film signed him to a Hollywood contract.His screen debut in
the 1931 film Bad Girl made him an overnight box-office star and he
was cast as the lead in a succession of romantic drama and comedy
films. In 1934, he co-starred with Shirley Temple in her first three
films. In 1935, at the height of his popularity, he broke his studio
contract two years before it expired and became a free agent. With
musicals on the wane in the late 1930s, he was cast in a series of B
movies and struggled with alcoholism in his personal life. In 1945,
having not worked for a major studio for five years, he was selected
by director Elia Kazan for the role of Johnny Nolan, the dreamy
alcoholic father in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), which earned him
the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.The Oscar did not advance
his film career, however, and while he still found roles in Broadway
productions, he became a character actor on television. He had a
regular role in the hit sitcom It's a Great Life from 1954 to 1956,
and guest-starred in dozens of episodes of popular television series
from the 1950s through mid-1960s. In 1960, his contributions to film
and television were recognized with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame.
Jimmy Dunn in his early career, was an American stage, film, and
television actor, and vaudeville performer. The son of a New York
stockbroker, he initially worked in his father's firm but was more
interested in theater. He landed jobs as an extra in short films
produced by Paramount Pictures in its Long Island studio, and also
performed with several stock theater companies, culminating with
playing the male lead in the 1929 Broadway musical Sweet Adeline. This
performance attracted the attention of film studio executives, and in
1931, Fox Film signed him to a Hollywood contract.His screen debut in
the 1931 film Bad Girl made him an overnight box-office star and he
was cast as the lead in a succession of romantic drama and comedy
films. In 1934, he co-starred with Shirley Temple in her first three
films. In 1935, at the height of his popularity, he broke his studio
contract two years before it expired and became a free agent. With
musicals on the wane in the late 1930s, he was cast in a series of B
movies and struggled with alcoholism in his personal life. In 1945,
having not worked for a major studio for five years, he was selected
by director Elia Kazan for the role of Johnny Nolan, the dreamy
alcoholic father in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), which earned him
the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.The Oscar did not advance
his film career, however, and while he still found roles in Broadway
productions, he became a character actor on television. He had a
regular role in the hit sitcom It's a Great Life from 1954 to 1956,
and guest-starred in dozens of episodes of popular television series
from the 1950s through mid-1960s. In 1960, his contributions to film
and television were recognized with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.