Biography

William Powell was on the New York stage in 1912 and it would be ten years before his film career would begin. In 1924 he would go to Paramount Pictures, where he would be employed for the next seven years. During these years he played in a number of interesting films, but stardom was elusive. He did attract attention with The Last Command (1928) as Leo, the arrogant film director. Stardom would come with his role as Philo Vance in The Canary Murder Case (1929), where he investigates the death of Louise Brooks, "the Canary". Unlike many silent actors, sound boosted Powell's career. He had a fine, urbane voice and his stage training and comic timing greatly aided his introduction to sound pictures. However, he was not happy with the type of roles he was playing at Paramount, so in 1931 he switched to Warner Bros. He would again be disappointed with his roles and would make his last appearance as Philo Vance in The Kennel Murder Case (1933). In 1934 Powell went to MGM, where he would be teamed with Myrna Loy in Manhattan Melodrama (1934). While Philo made Powell a star, another detective, Nick Charles, made him famous. He would receive an Academy Award nomination for The Thin Man (1934) and star in the Best Picture winner for 1936, The Great Ziegfeld (1936). Powell could play any role with authority, whether in a comedy, thriller or drama. He would receive his second Academy Award Nomination for My Man Godfrey (1936). He was on top of the world until 1937. His first picture with Jean Harlow was Reckless (1935) and they clicked offscreen as well as onscreen, and shortly became engaged. While he was filming Double Wedding (1937) on one MGM sound stage, Harlow became ill on another and finally went to the hospital, where she died. Her death greatly upset both Powell and Myrna Loy and he would be off the movie for six weeks to deal with his sorrow. After that he would travel and did not make another MGM film for a year. He would do four sequels to "The Thin Man", with the last one being made in 1947. He would also receive his third Academy Award nomination for his work in Life with Father (1947). After that, his screen appearances became fewer and his last role was in 1955. He had come a long way from playing the villain in 1922.

Filmography

  • Mister Roberts (1955) .... Lt. 'Doc'
  • How to Marry a Millionaire(1953) .... J.D. Hanley
  • The Girl Who Had Everything(1953) .... Steve Latimer
  • The Treasure of Lost Canyon(1952) .... Homer 'Doc' Brown
  • It's a Big Country(1951) .... Professor
  • Dancing in the Dark (1949) .... Emery Slade
  • Take One False Step(1949) .... Professor Andrew Gentling
  • Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid(1948) .... Arthur Peabody
  • The Senator Was Indiscreet(1947) .... Senator Melvin G. Ashton
  • Song of the Thin Man(1947) .... Nick Charles
  • Life with Father(1947) .... Clarence Day, Sr.
  • The Hoodlum Saint(1946) .... Terence Ellerton 'Terry' O'Neill
  • Ziegfeld Follies(1946) .... Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
  • The Thin Man Goes Home(1944) .... Nick Charles
  • The Heavenly Body(1944) .... William S. Whitley
  • Crossroads(1942) .... David Talbot, aka Jean Pelletier
  • Shadow of the Thin Man(1941) .... Nick
  • Love Crazy(1941) .... Stephen 'Steve'/'Stevie' Ireland
  • I Love You Again(1940) .... Lawrence 'Larry' Wilson, aka George Carey
  • Another Thin Man (1939) .... Nick Charles
  • The Baroness and the Butler(1938) .... Johann Porok
  • Double Wedding(1937) .... Charles 'Charlie'/'Horse' Lodge
  • The Emperor's Candlesticks(1937) .... Baron Stephan Wolensky
  • The Last of Mrs. Cheyney(1937) .... Charles
  • After the Thin Man(1936) .... Nicholas 'Nick' Charles
  • Libeled Lady(1936) .... Bill Chandler
  • My Man Godfrey(1936) .... Godfrey
  • The Ex-Mrs. Bradford(1936) .... Dr. Lawrence Bradford
  • The Great Ziegfeld(1936) .... Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
  • Rendezvous(1935) .... Lt. William 'Bill' Gordon/Anson Meridan
  • Escapade(1935) .... Fritz
  • Reckless(1935) .... Ned Riley
  • Star of Midnight(1935) .... Clay 'Dal' Dalzell
  • Evelyn Prentice(1934) .... John Prentice
  • The Key(1934) .... Capt. Bill Tennant
  • The Thin Man(1934) .... Nick
  • Manhattan Melodrama(1934) .... James W. 'Jim' Wade
  • Fashions of 1934(1934) .... Sherwood Nash
  • The Kennel Murder Case(1933) .... Philo Vance
  • Double Harness(1933) .... John Fletcher
  • Private Detective 62(1933) .... Donald 'Don' Free
  • Lawyer Man(1933) .... Anton 'Tony' Adam
  • One Way Passage(1932) .... Dan Hardesty
  • Jewel Robbery(1932) .... The Robber
  • High Pressure(1932) .... Gar Evans
  • The Road to Singapore(1931) .... Hugh Dawltry
  • Ladies' Man(1931) .... Jamie Darricott
  • Man of the World(1931) .... Michael Trevor
  • For the Defense(1930) .... William Foster
  • Shadow of the Law(1930) .... John Nelson (Jim Montgomery)
  • Paramount on Parade(1930) .... Philo Vance (Murder Will Out)
  • The Benson Murder Case(1930) .... Philo Vance
  • Street of Chance(1930) .... John D. Marsden/'Natural' Davis
  • Behind the Make-Up(1930) .... Gardoni
  • Pointed Heels (1929) .... Robert Courtland
  • Charming Sinners(1929) .... Karl Kraley
  • The Greene Murder Case(1929) .... Philo Vance
  • The Four Feathers(1929) .... Capt. Trench
  • The Canary Murder Case(1929) .... Philo Vance
  • Interference(1928) .... Philip Voaze
  • Forgotten Faces(1928) .... Froggy
  • The Vanishing Pioneer(1928) .... John Murdock
  • The Dragnet(1928) .... Dapper Frank Trent
  • Partners in Crime(1928) .... Smith
  • Feel My Pulse(1928) .... Her Nemesis
  • Beau Sabreur(1928) .... Becque
  • The Last Command(1928) .... Lev Andreyev
  • She's a Sheik(1927) .... Kada
  • Nevada(1927) .... Clan Dillon
  • Paid to Love(1927) .... Prince Eric
  • Time to Love(1927) .... Prince Alado
  • Señorita(1927) .... Ramon Oliveros
  • Special Delivery(1927) .... Harold Jones
  • Love's Greatest Mistake(1927) .... Don Kendall
  • New York(1927) .... Trent Regan
  • The Great Gatsby(1926) .... George Wilson
  • Tin Gods(1926) .... Tony Santelli
  • Beau Geste(1926) .... Boldini
  • Aloma of the South Seas(1926) .... Van Templeton
  • The Runaway(1926) .... Jack Harrison
  • Desert Gold(1926) .... Snake Landree
  • Sea Horses(1926) .... Lorenzo Salvia
  • White Mice(1926) .... Roddy Forrester
  • The Beautiful City(1925) .... Nick Di Silva
  • My Lady's Lips(1925) .... Scott Seldon
  • Faint Perfume(1925) .... Barnaby Powers
  • Too Many Kisses(1925) .... Julio
  • Romola(1924) (as William H. Powell) .... Tito Melema
  • Dangerous Money(1924) .... Prince Arnoldo da Pescia
  • Under the Red Robe(1923) (as William H. Powell) .... Duke of Orleans
  • The Bright Shawl(1923) .... Gaspar De Vaca
  • Outcast(1922) .... DeValle
  • When Knighthood Was in Flower(1922) (as William H. Powell) .... Francis I
  • Sherlock Holmes(1922) (as William H. Powell) .... Foreman Wells

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