Alan Ladd

Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film and television producer. Ladd found success in film the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns and film noirs where he was often paired with Veronica Lake, as she was one of the few Hollywood actresses shorter than he. His popularity diminished in the late 1950s, though he continued to appear in popular films until his death from cerebral edema in January 1964.

Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but later relocated to North Hollywood, California when his mother re-married.   He worked briefly as a studio carpenter (as did his stepfather) and for a short time was part of the Universal Pictures studio school for actors.  Intent on acting, he found work in small theatres. He had short term stints at MGM and RKO, and eventually started getting steady work on radio.  Ladd began by appearing in dozens of films in small roles, including Citizen Kane , before reaching recognition for his 1942 appearance in This Gun for Hire, invigorating Hollywood's desire for gangster-crime features.  His cool, unsmiling persona proved popular with wartime audiences, and he was quickly established as one of the top box office stars of the decade.  

Citizen Kane

8.0

Shane

7.4

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

6.6

This Gun for Hire

6.9

The Blue Dahlia

6.7

The Reluctant Dragon

6.6

The Glass Key

6.6

Los Angeles Plays Itself

7.7

My Favorite Brunette

6.7

The Badlanders

6.2

The Black Cat

6.5

The Proud Rebel

6.0

The Carpetbaggers

5.8

Great Guns

5.8

Drum Beat

6.0

Appointment with Danger

5.5

Boy on a Dolphin

5.5

Branded

5.9

The Great Gatsby

5.5

Saskatchewan

5.9

Botany Bay

6.5

Whispering Smith

6.4

A Cry in the Night

5.2

One Foot in Hell

5.3

Calcutta

6.2

The Man in the Net

5.2

The Big Land

6.2

Captain Carey, U.S.A.

5.5

Red Mountain

6.2

Pigskin Parade

6.0

The Red Beret

6.6

China

6.8

Guns of the Timberland

6.1

Hell on Frisco Bay

5.0

O.S.S.

6.4

George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey

5.6

The Movie Orgy

6.5

Chicago Deadline

6.0

Joan of Paris

6.4

The Goldwyn Follies

4.7

The Iron Mistress

4.8

The Deep Six

5.4

13 West Street

5.5

The Black Knight

6.2

The Green Hornet

5.5

The Howards of Virginia

6.4

Souls at Sea

6.0

Murder at the Vanities

5.4

Hitler: Beast of Berlin

4.3

Variety Girl

6.1

All the Young Men

6.3

Hollywood Victory Caravan

5.2

The Last Train from Madrid

4.6

Star Spangled Rhythm

5.9

Two Years Before the Mast

6.2

Saigon

5.3

Salty O'Rourke

5.2

Thunder in the East

5.4

Santiago

5.1

Duffy's Tavern

6.1

Captain Caution

5.3

Gangs Inc.

5.2

Duel of Champions

5.3

Desert Legion

6.0

Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6

8.8

The Bob Cummings Show

5.8

All Over Town

7.2

The Mysterious Miss X

5.3

Cross-Country Romance

6.4

The McConnell Story

6.3

Beyond Glory

7.3

Ellery Queen, Master Detective

5.7

And Now Tomorrow

5.7

Lucky Jordan

6.0

Brother Rat and a Baby

5.2

General Electric Theater

6.0

Once in a Lifetime

7.0

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

6.5

Secrets of a Nurse

3.0

Hell Below Zero

6.0

Rat Pack

9.0

Tom Brown of Culver

5.2

I Look at You

7.5

A Star Is Born World Premiere

8.0

Rulers of the Sea

6.5

Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man

7.0

Hold 'Em Navy

3.0

Blame It on Love

2.5

Come On, Leathernecks!

5.0

Her First Romance

6.5

In Old Missouri

5.5

Light of Western Stars

4.0

Meat and Romance

4.0

Sauce for the Gander

5.0

Photographic Intelligence for Bombardment Aviation

3.0

Petticoat Politics

0.0

Cadet Girl

0.0

Victory

0.0

Petunia Natural Park

0.0

Freshman Year

0.0

Skirmish on the Home Front

0.0

Those Were the Days!

0.0

American Portrait

0.0

Wild Harvest

0.0

Meet the Missus

0.0

Saturday's Millions

0.0

Military Training

0.0