James Stephenson
British stage actor James Stephenson made his film debut quite late in life, at the age of 49, in 1937, making four pictures that year. Warner Bros. got a glimpse of this distinguished gent and signed him to a contract where he indulged himself in urbane villainy. Proving a reliable support in such films as Boy Meets Girl (1938), You Can't Get Away with Murder (1939), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), and the classic adventure The Sea Hawk (1940), he was entrusted by director William Wyler and mega-star Bette Davis to play the sympathetic role of the family attorney Howard Joyce in The Letter (1940). It was the role of a lifetime and he didn't let them down for he earned an Oscar nomination in the process. Stephenson was soon on a roll, playing the titular sleuth in Calling Philo Vance (1940) and was first-billed in the above-average "B" movie Shining Victory (1941) when he died suddenly in 1941 of a heart attack at the rather young age of 53. Date of Death: 29 July 1941, Pacific Palisades, California (heart attack)
Filmography
International Squadron
as Squadron Leader Charles Wyatt
International Squadron
as Squadron Leader Charles Wyatt
Shining Victory
as Dr. Paul Venner
Shining Victory
as Dr. Paul Venner
Flight from Destiny
as Dr. Lawrence 'Larry' Stevens
Flight from Destiny
as Dr. Lawrence 'Larry' Stevens
The Letter
as Howard Joyce
The Letter
as Howard Joyce
South of Suez
as Inspector Thornton
South of Suez
as Inspector Thornton
A Dispatch from Reuters
as Carew
A Dispatch from Reuters
as Carew
The Sea Hawk
as Abbott
The Sea Hawk
as Abbott
River's End
as McDowell
River's End
as McDowell
Murder in the Air
as Joe Garvey
Murder in the Air
as Joe Garvey
Calling Philo Vance
as Philo Vance
Calling Philo Vance
as Philo Vance
Wolf of New York
as Hiram Rogers
Wolf of New York
as Hiram Rogers
We Are Not Alone
as Sir William Clintock
We Are Not Alone
as Sir William Clintock
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
as Sir Thomas Egerton
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
as Sir Thomas Egerton
The Monroe Doctrine
as Senor De La Torre
The Monroe Doctrine
as Senor De La Torre
Espionage Agent
as Dr. Anton Rader
Espionage Agent
as Dr. Anton Rader
The Old Maid
as Jim Ralston
The Old Maid
as Jim Ralston
Beau Geste
as Major Henri de Beaujolais
Beau Geste
as Major Henri de Beaujolais
Sons of Liberty
as Colonel Tillman
Sons of Liberty
as Colonel Tillman
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
as British Military Intelligence Agent
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
as British Military Intelligence Agent
Wanted by Scotland Yard
as Fingers
Wanted by Scotland Yard
as Fingers
On Trial
as Gerald Trask
On Trial
as Gerald Trask
The Adventures of Jane Arden
as Dr. George Vanders
The Adventures of Jane Arden
as Dr. George Vanders
Secret Service of the Air
as Jim Cameron
Secret Service of the Air
as Jim Cameron
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
as Dr. Mansfield
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
as Dr. Mansfield
King of the Underworld
as Bill Stevens
King of the Underworld
as Bill Stevens
Devil's Island
as Col. Armand Lucien
Devil's Island
as Col. Armand Lucien
Heart of the North
as Stephen Gore
Heart of the North
as Stephen Gore
Nancy Drew… Detective
as Challon
Nancy Drew… Detective
as Challon
Cowboy from Brooklyn
as Prof. Landis
Cowboy from Brooklyn
as Prof. Landis
White Banners
as Thomas Bradford
White Banners
as Thomas Bradford
When Were You Born
as Phillip Corey
When Were You Born
as Phillip Corey
Mr. Satan
as Tim Garnett
Mr. Satan
as Tim Garnett
The Dark Stairway
as Inspector Clarke
The Dark Stairway
as Inspector Clarke
The Man Who Made Diamonds
as Ben
The Man Who Made Diamonds
as Ben
You Live and Learn
as Sam Brooks
You Live and Learn
as Sam Brooks
Transatlantic Trouble
as Lewis
Transatlantic Trouble
as Lewis