Alan Ladd
100 movies · 1 TV show
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Sep 3, 1913
- Died
- Jan 29, 1964 (age 50)
- Place of birth
- Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
- Also known as
- Alan Walbridge Ladd
Biography
Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and producer known for his cool, understated screen presence and his defining roles in 1940s and 1950s film noir and Westerns. Standing 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), Ladd became famous for the contrast between his modest height and his commanding on‑screen persona, a combination studios often enhanced through camera techniques and staging. He was frequently paired with Veronica Lake, one of the few major actresses shorter than he was, and together they became one of Hollywood’s iconic noir duos.
Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ladd moved to North Hollywood as a child and worked various jobs before entering the film industry. After years of small roles — including an uncredited appearance in Citizen Kane — he achieved stardom with This Gun for Hire (1942). His quiet intensity and stoic charm resonated strongly with wartime audiences, making him one of the decade’s top box‑office draws.
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Ladd went on to star in a series of successful films, including The Glass Key (1942), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Whispering Smith (1948), Shane (1953), and The Proud Rebel (1958). Though his popularity declined somewhat in the late 1950s, he continued to work steadily in both film and television and produced several of his later projects.
Ladd died in 1964 at the age of 50 from cerebral edema caused by acute alcohol and barbiturate intoxication, which was ruled an accidental death. Despite his relatively short life, he remains a defining figure of classic Hollywood — a performer whose quiet strength, distinctive presence, and memorable roles continue to influence the Western and noir genres.
Profiles IMDb
Known for
Alan Ladd: movies and TV shows
Acting (101)
- 2004 Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6
as Al - Baby Weems Storyboard Artist (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1985 George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
as (archive footage)
- 1982 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
as (in "This Gun For Hire") (archive footage)
- 1964 The Carpetbaggers
as Nevada Smith
- 1962 13 West Street
as Walt Sherill
- 1961 Duel of Champions
as Horatius
- 1960 One Foot in Hell
as Mitch Barrett
- 1960 All the Young Men
as Sgt. Kincaid
- 1960 Guns of the Timberland
as Jim Hadley
- 1959 The Man in the Net
as John Hamilton
- 1958 The Badlanders
as Peter Van Hoek (The Dutchman)
- 1958 The Proud Rebel
as John Chandler
- 1958 The Deep Six
as Alexander 'Alec' Austen
- 1957 Boy on a Dolphin
as Dr. James 'Jim' Calder
- 1957 The Big Land
as Chad Morgan
- 1956 A Cry in the Night
as Opening Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 1956 Santiago
as Caleb 'Cash' Adams
- 1955 Hell on Frisco Bay
as Steve Rollins
- 1955 The McConnell Story
as Capt. Joseph C. 'Mac' McConnell, Jr.
- 1954 Drum Beat
as Johnny MacKay
- 1954 The Black Knight
as John
- 1954 Saskatchewan
as Thomas O'Rourke
- 1954 Hell Below Zero
as Duncan Craig
- 1953 The Red Beret
as Steve 'Canada' McKendrick
- 1953 Desert Legion
as Paul Lartal
- 1953 Shane
as Shane
- 1953
- 1952 Botany Bay
as Hugh Tallant
- 1952 Thunder in the East
as Steve Gibbs
- 1952 The Iron Mistress
as Jim Bowie
- 1951 Red Mountain
as Capt. Brett Sherwood
- 1950 Branded
as Choya
- 1950 Appointment with Danger
as Al Goddard
- 1950 Captain Carey, U.S.A.
as Captain Webster Carey
- 1949 Chicago Deadline
as Ed Adams
- 1949 The Great Gatsby
as Jay Gatsby
- 1948 Whispering Smith
as Whispering Smith
- 1948 Beyond Glory
as Capt. Rockwell 'Rocky' Gilman
- 1947 Saigon
as Major Larry Briggs
- 1947 Wild Harvest
as Joe Madigan
- 1947 Variety Girl
as Alan Ladd
- 1947 My Favorite Brunette
as Sam McCloud (uncredited)
- 1946 Calcutta
as Neale Gordon
- 1946 Two Years Before the Mast
as Charles Stewart
- 1946 O.S.S.
as John Martin / Lt. (j.g.) Philip Masson, U.S.N.R. / Philippe Martine
- 1946 The Blue Dahlia
as Johnny Morrison
- 1945 Hollywood Victory Caravan
as Alan Ladd
- 1945 Duffy's Tavern
as Alan Ladd
- 1945 Salty O'Rourke
as Salty O'Rourke
- 1944 And Now Tomorrow
as Doctor Merek Vance
- 1944 Skirmish on the Home Front
as Harry W. Average
- 1943 China
as David Jones
- 1943 Photographic Intelligence for Bombardment Aviation
as Capt. Smith
- 1942 Lucky Jordan
as Lucky Jordan
- 1942 The Glass Key
as Ed Beaumont
- 1942 This Gun for Hire
as Philip Raven
- 1942 Star Spangled Rhythm
as Alan Ladd
- 1942 Joan of Paris
as "Baby"
- 1941 Unfinished Rainbows
as Charles Martin Hall
- 1941 Military Training
as Lieutenant, Platoon Leader, County Fair
- 1941 Cadet Girl
as Harry - Musician (uncredited)
- 1941 Great Guns
as Soldier in Photo Shop (uncredited)
- 1941 The Reluctant Dragon
as Baby Weems Storyboard Artist
- 1941 Gangs Inc.
as Jimmy Kelly aka Bill Dugan
- 1941 The Black Cat
as Richard Hartley
- 1941 Citizen Kane
as Reporter Smoking Pipe at End (uncredited)
- 1941 Petticoat Politics
as Higgins Daughter's Boyfriend
- 1940 Her First Romance
as John Gilman
- 1940 Victory
as Heyst as an 18-Year-Old (uncredited)
- 1940 Ellery Queen, Master Detective
as Elevator Passenger (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
- 1940 Meet the Missus
as John Williams
- 1940 Meat and Romance
as Bill Allen
- 1940 The Howards of Virginia
as Backwoodsman (uncredited)
- 1940 Wildcat Bus
as (uncredited)
- 1940 Captain Caution
as Newton
- 1940 American Portrait
as Young man / Old man
- 1940 Those Were the Days!
as Keg Rearick
- 1940 Cross-Country Romance
as Mr. Williams
- 1940 Blame It on Love
as TV Director (uncredited)
- 1940 In Old Missouri
as John Pittman Jr.
- 1940 The Light of Western Stars
as Danny
- 1940 Sauce for the Gander
as Man on the Spot Reporter
- 1940 Brother Rat and a Baby
as Cadet in Trouble
- 1940 The Green Hornet
as Gilpin - Student Pilot (uncredited)
- 1939 Rulers of the Sea
as Colin Farrell
- 1939 Hitler: Beast of Berlin
as Karl Bach
- 1939 The Mysterious Miss X
as Henchman
- 1939 Petunia Natural Park
as Narrator (uncredited)
- 1938 Secrets of a Nurse
as Hospital Orderly (uncredited)
- 1938 Freshman Year
as Student (uncredited)
- 1938 Come On, Leathernecks!
as Club Waiter (uncredited)
- 1938 The Goldwyn Follies
as First Auditioning Singer (uncredited)
- 1937 Hold 'Em Navy
as Chief Quartermaster (uncredited)
- 1937 Souls at Sea
as Sailor (uncredited)
- 1937 All Over Town
as Young Man (uncredited)
- 1937 The Last Train from Madrid
as Soldier (uncredited)
- 1936 Pigskin Parade
as Student (uncredited)
- 1934 Murder at the Vanities
as Chorus Boy (uncredited)
- 1933 Saturday's Millions
as Student
- 1932 Once in a Lifetime
as Projectionist (uncredited)
- 1932 Tom Brown of Culver
as Cadet
Behind the camera (5)
- 1960 Guns of the Timberland
Executive Producer
- 1957 The Big Land
Producer
- 1956 Santiago
Producer
- 1955 Hell on Frisco Bay
Producer
- 1954 Drum Beat
Producer
Talk shows and appearances (7)
- 2022
- 1999
- 1983
- 1968
- 1955 The Bob Cummings Show
1 episode
- 1954
- 1941