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Richard Arlen

1899 – 1976

American actor

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About Richard Arlen

Lived 1899 – 1976 (aged 76). Richard Arlen was an American actor, television actor and film actor.

Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television.

Early days Arlen served in Canada as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.

Following his World War I service, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, then worked a variety of odd jobs before an accident as a film laboratory delivery boy landed him a role as an extra in a silent Hollywood film.

In 1939, Universal teamed him with Andy Devine for a series of 14 B-pictures, mostly action-comedies with heavy reliance on stock footage from larger-scale films. They are informally known as the "Aces of Action" series, which is how the stars were billed in the trailers. When Arlen left the studio in 1941, the series continued with Devine teamed with a variety of other actors.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, Arlen was active in television, having guest starred in several anthology series, including Playhouse 90, The Loretta Young Show, The 20th Century Fox Hour, and in three episodes of the series about clergymen, Crossroads.

He appeared on the November 9, 1968 episode of Petticoat Junction playing himself. The episode was called "Wings" and it was in direct reference to the 1927 silent movie Wings.

Arlen appeared in westerns, such as Lawman, Branded, Bat Masterson, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, and Yancy Derringer, and in such drama/adventure programs as Ripcord, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The New Breed, Coronado 9, and Michael Shayne.

Personal life Arlen supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.

Arlen married actress Jobyna Ralston in January 1927, and they had one son. She divorced him in 1945 claiming in court that he had "packed up" and left her. He got married again in 1946 to New York socialite Margaret Kinsella.

Death

On March 28, 1976, Arlen died of pulmonary emphysema in North Hollywood, California.

Legacy In 1960, Arlen was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry.

Filmography + FeaturesYearTitleRole Notes 1921 Ladies Must Live Minor Role Uncredited Lost film1922 The Green Temptation Uncredited Lost filmThe Ghost Breaker Ghosts Uncredited 1923 Quicksands Uncredited Lost filmVengeance of the Deep Jean Lost filmHollywood Himself Lost film1924 The Fighting Coward Minor Role Uncredited 1925 Sally Minor Role Uncredited Lost filmIn the Name of Love Dumas Dufrayne Lost filmThe Coast of Folly Bather Scenes deleted Lost film1926 The Enchanted Hill Link Halliwell Lost filmBehind the Front Percy Brown Padlocked 'Tubby' Clark You'd Be Surprised Photographer Uncredited Old Ironsides Seaman Uncredited 1927 Wings David Armstrong Rolled Stockings Ralph Treadway Lost filmThe Blood Ship John Shreve Sally in Our Alley Jimmie Adams Lost filmFigures Don't Lie Bob Blewe Lost filmShe's a Sheik Capt. Colton 1928 Under the Tonto Rim Edd Denmeade Lost filmFeel My Pulse Her Problem Ladies of the Mob Red Lost filmBeggars of Life The Boy (Jim) Manhattan Cocktail Fred Tilden Lost film1929 The Man I Love Dum-Dum Brooks The Four Feathers Lt. Harry Faversham Thunderbolt Bob Moran Dangerous Curves Larry Lee The Virginian Steve 1930 Burning Up Lou Larrigan The Border Legion Heyst Dangerous Paradise Dick Bailey The Light of Western Stars Jim Cleve Paramount on Parade Hunter Episode: 'Dream Girl'The Sea God Phillip 'Pink' Barker The Santa Fe Trail Stan Hollister Only Saps Work Lawrence Payne 1931 The Conquering Horde Dan McMasters Gun Smoke Brad Farley The Lawyer's Secret Joe Hart The Secret Call Tom Blake Caught Lt. Tom Colton Touchdown Dan Curtis 1932 Wayward David Frost Sky Bride Bert 'Speed' Condon Guilty as Hell Frank C. Marsh Tiger Shark Pipes Boley The All American Gary King Island of Lost Souls Edward Parker 1933 Song of the Eagle Bill Hoffman College Humor Mondrake Three-Cornered Moon Dr. Alan Stevens Golden Harvest Walt Martin Hell and High Water Capt. J.J. Jericho Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat 1934 Come On Marines! Lucky Davis She Made Her Bed Wild Bill Smith Ready for Love Julian Barrow Helldorado Art Ryan 1935 Let 'Em Have It Mal Stevens The Calling of Dan Matthews Dan Matthews 1936 Three Live Ghosts William 'Bill' Jones, an alias of William Foster The Mine with the Iron Door Bob Harvey 1937 Secret Valley Lee Rogers The Great Barrier Hickey Artists and Models Alan Townsend Murder in Greenwich Village Steve Havens Jackson Jr. 1938 No Time to Marry Call of the Yukon Gaston Rogers Straight, Place and Show Denny Paine 1939 Missing Daughters Wally King Mutiny on the Blackhawk Capt. Robert Lawrence Tropic Fury Dan Burton Legion of Lost Flyers Gene 'Loop' Gillan Man from Montreal Clark Manning 1940 Danger on Wheels Larry Taylor Hot Steel Frank Stewart The Leather Pushers Dick 'Kid' Roberts The Devil's Pipeline Dick Talbot Black Diamonds Walter Norton 1941 Lucky Devils Dick McManus Mutiny in the Arctic Dick Barclay Men of the Timberland Dick O'Hara Power Dive Brad Farrell Forced Landing Dan Kendall Raiders of the Desert Dick Manning A Dangerous Game Dick Williams Flying Blind Jim Clark 1942 Torpedo Boat Skinner Barnes Wildcat Johnny Maverick Wrecking Crew Matt Carney 1943 Submarine Alert Lewis J. 'Lee' Deerhold Aerial Gunner Sgt / Lt. Jonathan 'Jon' Davis Alaska Highway Woody Ormsby Minesweeper Richard Houston – posing as Jim 'Tennessee' Smith 1944 Timber Queen Russell Evans The Lady and the Monster Dr. Patrick Cory That's My Baby! Tim Jones Storm Over Lisbon John Craig The Big Bonanza Captain Jed Kilton 1945 Identity UnknownJohnny March The Phantom Speaks Matt Fraser 1946 Accomplice Simon Lash 1947 Buffalo Bill Rides Again Buffalo Bill 1948 Speed to Spare Cliff Jordan The Return of Wildfire Dobe Williams When My Baby Smiles at Me Harvey Howell 1949 Grand Canyon Mike Adams 1950 Kansas Raiders Union Captain 1951 Silver City Charles Storrs 1952 Flaming Feather Showdown Calhoun Hurricane Smith Brundage The Blazing Forest Joe Morgan 1953 Sabre Jet Gen. Robert E. 'Bob' Hale 1954 Devil's Harbor John 'Captain' Martin 1955 Stolen Time Tony Pelassier 1956 Hidden Guns Sheriff Ward Young The Mountain C.W. Rivial 1958 Cavalry Command Sgt. Jim Heisler 1959 Warlock Bacon 1960 Raymie Garber 1961 The Last Time I Saw Archie Col. Edwin Martin 1963 The Young and The Brave Col. Ralph Holbein The Crawling Hand Lee Barrenger Law of the Lawless Ben the Bartender 1964 The Best Man Sen. Oscar Anderson The Shepherd of the Hills Old Matt Young Fury Sheriff Jenkins Sex and the College Girl Charles Devon 1965 The Human Duplicators Lt. Shaw – National Intelligence Black Spurs Pete Muchin Town Tamer Doctor Kent The Bounty Killer Matthew Ridgeway Apache Uprising Captain Gannon 1966 Johnny Reno Ned Duggan To the Shores of Hell Brig. Gen. F.W. Ramsgate Waco Sheriff Billy Kelly 1967 Red Tomahawk Deadwood Telegrapher Hostile Guns Sheriff Travis Fort Utah Sam Tyler The Road to Nashville Studio Boss 1968 Buckskin Townsman Anzio Capt. Gannon Uncredited Rogues' Gallery Man in Club 1975 The Sky's the Limit Grimes 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Silent Film Star 2 1977 A Whale of a Tale Mr. Monahan Final film role

Short subjects

A Trip Through the Paramount Studio (1927) as Himself Hollywood on Parade No. A-6 (1933) as Himself / The Great Arlen (uncredited) Hollywood on Parade No. A-9 (1933) as Himself – Dick Arlen (uncredited) How to Break 90 #4: Downswing (1933) as Himself – Dick Arlen (uncredited) Hollywood on Parade No. B-6 (1934) as Himself Hollywood Hobbies (1935) as Himself Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 3 (1935) as Himself Swing with Bing (1940) as Himself – Movie Star playing Golf Screen Snapshots: Sports in Hollywood (1940) as Himself, Golf Player Soaring Stars (1942) as Himself (uncredited) Unusual Occupations (1942) as Himself (uncredited) Paramount Victory Short: A Letter from Bataan (1942) as Pvt. John W. Lewis Bat Masterson (1961) as Sheriff Dan Rainey – S3E16 "The Price of Paradise"

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Pennsylvania
Awards
Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Also known as
Sylvanus Mattimore, Richard Van Mattimore

Family & relationships

Spouse
Jobyna Ralston

People in Richard Arlen's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Richard Arlen's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Richard Arlen?

American actor (1899–1976)

When was Richard Arlen born?

Richard Arlen was born on 1 September 1899 in Saint Paul.

When did Richard Arlen die?

Richard Arlen died on 28 March 1976 in Hollywood.

What was Richard Arlen's occupation?

Richard Arlen was an actor, television actor and film actor.

What nationality was Richard Arlen?

Richard Arlen was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Richard Arlen

· Wikidata: Q861426

· DBpedia: Richard Arlen

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Richard Arlen. https://biography.guide/richard-arlen/

MLA: "Richard Arlen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/richard-arlen/.

Chicago: "Richard Arlen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/richard-arlen/.

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