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Melvyn Douglas
ACTOR

Melvyn Douglas

Known for Angel · The Fugitive · That's Entertainment, Part II

Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg; April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the 1939 romantic comedy Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. Douglas later played mature and fatherly characters, as in his Academy Award–winning performances in Hud (1963) and Being There (1979) and his Academy Award–nominated…

Snapshot 2026-10-16

Born
Apr 5, 1901
Died
Aug 4, 1981
Birthplace
Macon, Georgia, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg; April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the 1939 romantic comedy Ninotchka with Greta Garbo. Douglas later played mature and fatherly characters, as in his Academy Award–winning performances in Hud (1963) and Being There (1979) and his Academy Award–nominated performance in I Never Sang for My Father (1970). In the last few years of his life Douglas appeared in films with supernatural stories involving ghosts. Douglas appeared as "Senator Joseph Carmichael" in The Changeling in 1980 and Ghost Story in 1981 in his final completed film role.

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Known For

Filmography

Movies

Tonight or NeverJim Fletcher
1931
As You Desire MeCount Bruno Varelli
1932
PrestigeCapt. Andre Verlaine
1932
The Broken WingPhilip 'Phil' Marvin
1932
The Old Dark HousePenderel
1932
The Wiser SexDavid Rolfe
1932
Counsellor at LawRoy Darwin
1933
NaganaDr. Walter Tradnor
1933
The Vampire BatKarl Brettschneider
1933
Dangerous CornerCharles Stanton
1934
Woman in the DarkTony Robson
1934
Annie OakleyJeff Hogarth
1935
Mary Burns, FugitiveBarton Powell
1935
She Married Her BossRichard Barclay
1935
The Lone Wolf ReturnsMichael Lanyard
1935
The People's EnemyGeorge R. 'Traps' Stuart
1935
And So They Were MarriedStephen Blake
1936
The Gorgeous HussyJohn Randolph
1936
Theodora Goes WildMichael Grant
1936
AngelAnthony 'Tony' Halton
1937
Captains CourageousFrank Burton Cheyne
1937
I Met Him in ParisGeorge Potter
1937
I'll Take RomanceJames Guthrie
1937
Women of GlamourRichard Stark
1937
Arsène Lupin ReturnsRene Farrand aka Arsene Lupin
1938
Fast CompanyJoel Sloane
1938
That Certain AgeVincent Bullitt
1938
The Shining HourHenry Linden
1938
The Toy WifeGeorge Sartoris
1938
There's Always a WomanWilliam H. Reardon
1938
There's That Woman AgainWilliam 'Bill' Reardon
1938
From the Ends of the EarthSelf
1939
Good Girls Go to ParisRonald Brooke
1939
NinotchkaCount Leon d'Algout
1939
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8Melvyn Douglas
1939
SS
Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1Self
1939
Tell No TalesMichael Cassidy
1939
The Amazing Mr. WilliamsKenny Williams
1939
Cavalcade of the Academy AwardsSelf
1940
He Stayed for BreakfastPaul Boliet
1940
Third Finger, Left HandJeff Thompson
1940
This Thing Called LoveTice Collins
1940
Too Many HusbandsHenry Lowndes
1940
A Woman's FaceDr. Gustaf Segert
1941
Our WifeJerome 'Jerry' Marvin
1941
That Uncertain FeelingLarry Baker
1941
Two-Faced WomanLawrence 'Larry' Blake
1941
They All Kissed the BrideMichael 'Mike' Holmes
1942
We Were DancingNicholas Prax
1942
Three Hearts for JuliaJeff Seabrook
1943
The Guilt of Janet AmesSmithfield 'Smitty' Cobb
1947
The Sea of GrassBrice Chamberlain
1947
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream HouseBill Cole
1948
My Own True LoveClive Heath
1948
A Woman's SecretLuke Jordan
1949
The Great SinnerArmand De Glasse
1949
My Forbidden PastPaul Beaurevel
1951
On the LooseFrank Bradley
1951
The Greer CaseHoward Hoagland
1957
Old ManSelf - Host
1958
The Plot to Kill StalinStalin
1958
Judgment at NurembergGen. Parker
1959
Billy BuddThe Dansker, Sailmaker
1962
HudHomer Bannon
1963
Advance to the RearCol. Claude Brackenbury
1964
The Americanization of EmilyAdmiral William Jessup
1964
The Big Parade of ComedyLeon (archive footage)
1964
Inherit the WindHenry Drummond
1965
Once Upon a TractorMartin
1965
RaptureFrederick Larbaud
1965
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good NightPeter Schermann
1967
HotelWarren Trent
1967
The CrucibleDeputy Governor Danforth
1967
Companions in NightmareDr. Lawrence Strelson
1968
Garbo, by Joan CrawfordSelf (archive footage)
1969
Hunters Are for KillingKeller Floran
1970
I Never Sang for My FatherTom Garrison
1970
Death Takes a HolidayJudge Earl Chapman
1971
Hollywood: The Dream FactorySelf (archive footage)
1972
One Is a Lonely NumberJoseph Provo
1972
The CandidateJohn J. McKay
1972
TG
The Going Up of David LevGrandfather
1973
Murder or MercyDr. Paul Harelson
1974
The Death SquadPolice Captain Earl Kreski
1974
AG
A Gift To LastOld Clement Sturgess
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage)
1976
The TenantMonsieur Zy
1976
Intimate StrangersDonald's Father
1977
PO
Portrait of Grandpa DocGrandpa Doc
1977
Twilight's Last GleamingZachariah Guthrie
1977
The Making of a President
1978
Being ThereBenjamin Rand
1979
The Seduction of Joe TynanSenator Birney
1979
Tell Me a RiddleDavid
1980
The ChangelingSenator Carmichael
1980
Ghost StoryJohn Jaffrey
1981
The Hot TouchMax Reich
1982
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the WindSelf (archive footage)
1988
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To(archive footage)
1990
Stars of the Silver Screen - Greta GarboSelf (archive footage)
2014

Television

Studio OneCyril Ritchard · 1 eps
1948
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 1 eps
1948
The Philco Television PlayhouseRichard Gordon · 1 eps
1948
The Philco Television PlayhouseThe Stranger · 1 eps
1948
Lights Out1 eps
1949
Lux Video TheatreJames Strickland · 1 eps
1950
What's My Line?Self · 2 eps
1950
Your Show of ShowsSelf - Guest Host · 1 eps
1950
Your Show of ShowsSelf - Guest Performer · 1 eps
1950
Hallmark Hall of FameHenry Drummond · 1 eps
1951
Hallmark Hall of FameGalileo Galilei · 1 eps
1951
HO
Hollywood Off BeatSteve Randall · 13 eps
1952
General Electric TheaterProfessor Arthur Barris · 1 eps
1953
MGM ParadeSelf · 1 eps
1955
MGM Paradeself · 3 eps
1955
Playhouse 90Gen. Parker · 1 eps
1956
Ben CaseyBurton Strang · 1 eps
1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre1 eps
1961
BH
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatrePat Konke · 1 eps
1963
The FugitiveDr. Mark Ryder · 1 eps
1963
CP
CBS PlayhousePeter Schermann · 1 eps
1966
The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1968
Ghost StoryGrandpa · 1 eps
1972
The Lives of Benjamin FranklinStateman Benjamin Franklin · 4 eps
1974
ABC Weekend SpecialsGrandpa Doc · 1 eps
1977
American PlayhouseDavid · 1 eps
1982

Photos

Melvyn Douglas photo
Melvyn Douglas photo
Melvyn Douglas photo
Melvyn Douglas photo
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