William Powell

William Powell

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1892-07-29
Deathday: 1984-03-05 (91 years old)

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Biography

William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the Thin Man series based on the Nick and Nora Charles characters created by Dashiell Hammett. Powell was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times: for The Thin Man (1934), My Man Godfrey (1936), and Life with Father (1947). After high school, he left home for New York and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at the age of 18. In 1912, Powell graduated from the AADA, and worked in some vaudeville and stock companies. After several successful experiences on the Broadway stage, he began his Hollywood career in 1922, playing a small role as an evil henchman of Professor Moriarty in a production of Sherlock Holmes with John Barrymore. His most memorable role in silent movies was as a bitter film director opposite Emil Jannings' Academy Award-winning performance as a fallen general in The Last Command (1928). This success, along with Powell's pleasant speaking voice, led to his first starring role as amateur detective Philo Vance in the "talkie" The Canary Murder Case (1929). Powell's most famous role was that of Nick Charles in six Thin Man films, beginning with The Thin Man in 1934, based upon Dashiell Hammett's novel. The role provided a perfect opportunity for Powell, with his resonant speaking voice, to showcase his sophisticated charm and witty sense of humor, and he received his first Academy Award nomination for The Thin Man. Myrna Loy played his wife, Nora, in each of the Thin Man films. Their on-screen partnership, beginning alongside Clark Gable in 1934 with Manhattan Melodrama, was one of Hollywood's most prolific, and they appeared in 14 films together. Loy and Powell starred in the Best Picture of 1936, The Great Ziegfeld, with Powell in the title role and Loy as Ziegfeld's wife Billie Burke. That same year, he also received his second Academy Award nomination, for the comedy My Man Godfrey. In 1935, he starred with Jean Harlow in Reckless. A serious romance developed between them, and in 1936, they were reunited on screen and with Loy and Spencer Tracy in the screwball comedy Libeled Lady. However, Harlow surprisingly and quickly became ill, and died from uremia at the age of 26 in June 1937 before they could marry. His distress over her death, as well as a cancer diagnosis of his own, caused him to accept fewer acting roles. Powell's career slowed considerably in the 1940s, although he received his third Academy Award nomination in 1947 for his role as the cantankerous Clarence Day, Sr., in Life with Father. His last film was 1955's Mister Roberts. Powell died in Palm Springs, California, on March 5, 1984, at the age of 91 from heart failure, nearly 30 years after his retirement. He is buried at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California, near his third wife Diana Lewis, and his only child, his son William David Powell.

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Filmography

all 115

Movies 115

self 13

Director 1

Self - Actor (archive footage)
Cinecittà Babilonia: Sex, Drugs and Black Shirts

Cinecittà Babilonia: Sex, Drugs and Black Shirts (2017)

Movie
ArchiveFootage
William Powell: A True Gentleman

William Powell: A True Gentleman (2005)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell

Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell (1993)

Movie
(archive footage)
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To (1990)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1988)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn

The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn (1986)

Movie
(archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

Movie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)

Movie
(archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
It's Showtime

It's Showtime (1976)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1975)

Movie
Nick Charles (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy

The Big Parade of Comedy (1964)

Movie
Jim Wade (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Hollywood: The Selznick Years (1961)

Movie
Doc
Mister Roberts

Mister Roberts (1955)

Movie
6
J.D. Hanley
How to Marry a Millionaire

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Movie
1
Steve Latimer
The Girl Who Had Everything

The Girl Who Had Everything (1953)

Movie
Homer 'Doc' Brown
The Treasure of Lost Canyon

The Treasure of Lost Canyon (1952)

Movie
Professor
It's a Big Country

It's a Big Country (1951)

Movie
Emery Slade
Dancing in the Dark

Dancing in the Dark (1949)

Movie
Andrew Gentling
Take One False Step

Take One False Step (1949)

Movie
Mr. Peabody
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid

Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948)

Movie
Senator Melvin G. Ashton
The Senator Was Indiscreet

The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947)

Movie
Father
Life with Father

Life with Father (1947)

Movie
Nick Charles
Song of the Thin Man

Song of the Thin Man (1947)

Movie
5.18
Terence Ellerton 'Terry' O'Neill
The Hoodlum Saint

The Hoodlum Saint (1946)

Movie
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
Ziegfeld Follies

Ziegfeld Follies (1945)

Movie
William Powell (voice) (uncredited)
The Great Morgan

The Great Morgan (1945)

Movie
Nick Charles
The Thin Man Goes Home

The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)

Movie
5.52
William S. Whitley
The Heavenly Body

The Heavenly Body (1944)

Movie
(archive footage)
Twenty Years After

Twenty Years After (1944)

Movie
William Powell
The Youngest Profession

The Youngest Profession (1943)

Movie
David Talbot
Crossroads

Crossroads (1942)

Movie
Nick Charles
Shadow of the Thin Man

Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)

Movie
5.36
Steve Ireland
Love Crazy

Love Crazy (1941)

Movie
Self
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound (1940)

Movie
Larry Wilson aka George Carey
I Love You Again

I Love You Again (1940)

Movie
6
Self
Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940)

Movie
Nick
Another Thin Man

Another Thin Man (1939)

Movie
5.6
Self
From the Ends of the Earth

From the Ends of the Earth (1939)

Movie
Johann Porok
The Baroness and the Butler

The Baroness and the Butler (1938)

Movie
Charles Lodge
Double Wedding

Double Wedding (1937)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Romance of Celluloid

The Romance of Celluloid (1937)

Movie
Baron Stephan Wolensky
The Emperor's Candlesticks

The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937)

Movie
Charles
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)

Movie
Nick Charles
After the Thin Man

After the Thin Man (1936)

Movie
5.28
Bill Chandler
Libeled Lady

Libeled Lady (1936)

Movie
6.33
Godfrey
My Man Godfrey

My Man Godfrey (1936)

Movie
5.2
Dr. Lawrence Bradford
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)

Movie
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
The Great Ziegfeld

The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

Movie
Lieutenant Bill Gordon
Rendezvous

Rendezvous (1935)

Movie
Fritz
Escapade

Escapade (1935)

Movie
Ned Riley
Reckless

Reckless (1935)

Movie
Clay 'Dal' Dalzell
Star of Midnight

Star of Midnight (1935)

Movie
ArchiveFootage
Movie Memories #2

Movie Memories #2 (1934)

Movie
John Prentice
Evelyn Prentice

Evelyn Prentice (1934)

Movie
Captain Bill Tennant
The Key

The Key (1934)

Movie
Nick Charles
The Thin Man

The Thin Man (1934)

Movie
5.31
Jim Wade
Manhattan Melodrama

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)

Movie
Sherwood Nash
Fashions of 1934

Fashions of 1934 (1934)

Movie
Philo Vance
The Kennel Murder Case

The Kennel Murder Case (1933)

Movie
4
John Fletcher
Double Harness

Double Harness (1933)

Movie
Donald Free
Private Detective 62

Private Detective 62 (1933)

Movie
Anton (Tony) Adam
Lawyer Man

Lawyer Man (1932)

Movie
Dan Hardesty
One Way Passage

One Way Passage (1932)

Movie
The Robber
Jewel Robbery

Jewel Robbery (1932)

Movie
Gar Evans
High Pressure

High Pressure (1932)

Movie
Hugh Dawltry
The Road to Singapore

The Road to Singapore (1931)

Movie
Jamie Darricott
Ladies' Man

Ladies' Man (1931)

Movie
Michael Trevor
Man of the World

Man of the World (1931)

Movie
William B. Foster
For the Defense

For the Defense (1930)

Movie
Jim Montgomery aka John Nelson
Shadow of the Law

Shadow of the Law (1930)

Movie
Philo Vance
Paramount on Parade

Paramount on Parade (1930)

Movie
Philo Vance
The Benson Murder Case

The Benson Murder Case (1930)

Movie
John D. Marsden / 'Natural' Davis
Street of Chance

Street of Chance (1930)

Movie
Gardoni
Behind the Make-Up

Behind the Make-Up (1930)

Movie
5
Robert Courtland
Pointed Heels

Pointed Heels (1929)

Movie
Karl Kraley
Charming Sinners

Charming Sinners (1929)

Movie
Philo Vance
The Greene Murder Case

The Greene Murder Case (1929)

Movie
3
Capt. William Trench
The Four Feathers

The Four Feathers (1929)

Movie
Philo Vance
The Canary Murder Case

The Canary Murder Case (1929)

Movie
3.75
Philip Voaze
Interference

Interference (1928)

Movie
Froggy
Forgotten Faces

Forgotten Faces (1928)

Movie
John Murdock
The Vanishing Pioneer

The Vanishing Pioneer (1928)

Movie
Dapper Frank Trent
The Drag Net

The Drag Net (1928)

Movie
Smith
Partners in Crime

Partners in Crime (1928)

Movie
Her Nemesis
Feel My Pulse

Feel My Pulse (1928)

Movie
Becque
Beau Sabreur

Beau Sabreur (1928)

Movie
Leo Andreyev - The Director
The Last Command

The Last Command (1928)

Movie
Kada
She's a Sheik

She's a Sheik (1927)

Movie
Clan Dillon
Nevada

Nevada (1927)

Movie
Prince Eric
Paid to Love

Paid to Love (1927)

Movie
Prince Alado
Time to Love

Time to Love (1927)

Movie
Harold Jones
Special Delivery

Special Delivery (1927)

Movie
Manuel Oliveros
Senorita

Senorita (1927)

Movie
Don Kendall
Love's Greatest Mistake

Love's Greatest Mistake (1927)

Movie
Trent Regan
New York

New York (1927)

Movie
George Wilson
The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby (1926)

Movie
Tony Santelli
Tin Gods

Tin Gods (1926)

Movie
Boldini
Beau Geste

Beau Geste (1926)

Movie
Van Templeton
Aloma of the South Seas

Aloma of the South Seas (1926)

Movie
Jack Harrison
The Runaway

The Runaway (1926)

Movie
Snake Landree
Desert Gold

Desert Gold (1926)

Movie
Lorenzo Salvia
Sea Horses

Sea Horses (1926)

Movie
Roddy Forrester
White Mice

White Mice (1926)

Movie
Nick Di Silva
The Beautiful City

The Beautiful City (1925)

Movie
Scott Seldon
My Lady's Lips

My Lady's Lips (1925)

Movie
Barnaby Powers
Faint Perfume

Faint Perfume (1925)

Movie
Don Julio
Too Many Kisses

Too Many Kisses (1925)

Movie
Tito Melema
Romola

Romola (1924)

Movie
Prince Arnoldo da Pescia
Dangerous Money

Dangerous Money (1924)

Movie
Duke of Orleans
Under the Red Robe

Under the Red Robe (1923)

Movie
Gaspar De Vaca
The Bright Shawl

The Bright Shawl (1923)

Movie
DeValle
Outcast

Outcast (1922)

Movie
Francis I
When Knighthood Was in Flower

When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922)

Movie
Forman Wells
Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes (1922)

Movie
6

Ratings

Average 5.52
Based on 245 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1922
1928
1934
1929
2017
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William PowellWilliam PowellWilliam PowellWilliam Powell

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1892-07-29

Deathday
1984-03-05 (91 years old)

Birth Place
Pittsburgh, United States of America

Relationships
Eileen Wilson Powell (1915-01-01 - 1930-01-01), Carole Lombard (1931-01-01 - 1933-01-01), Diana Lewis (1940-01-01 - 1984-03-05)

Children
William David Powell

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
William H. Powell, Уильям Пауэлл

Awards
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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Carole Lombard
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Wallace Beery worked together with William Powell in:
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Jeanette MacDonald worked together with William Powell in:
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